Strong message

LOTUS River resident John Lewis, 41, can now look forward to spending 35 years behind bars for the horrible crimes he committed against a woman in the community.

He was sentenced on Friday, July 22 in the Cape Town High Court.

This sentence was for the murder of Tracey-Lee Meyer on August 12, 2013, after raping her.

The conviction is celebrated during Women’s Month, especially as the murder took place during Women’s Month in 2013. He had no respect for women. This criminal was also convicted of common assault and kidnapping.

The community of Grassy Park and Lotus River feel a sense of justice, although saddened by the fact that the future and opportunity for his female victim is gone forever.

Violence against women in our community must be dealt with harshly.

There is scant regard for the life and dignity of women in a society where violence and abuse of women are seen to be the right of totally misguided men.

Children learn from what they see and the John Lewis’s of this world set a bad example to our youth.

We wish to urge men in our community to be real men and respect women. Real men don’t rape. Real men don’t take advantage of women. Real men don’t violate the dignity of women. Real men protect women.

We wish to urge our law enforcement agencies to be responsive to our women in need and offer protection as a priority. There is help for men who have a tendency to violate women and we urge more awareness of the social development services in our community. Violence against women must fall.

The CPF congratulate the detective, the SAPS team at Grassy Park and the NPA for ensuring that those who attack our women get a strong message that violence against women will not be tolerated. Philip Bam Grassy Park Community Police Forum