Time to meddle

AS THE country continues to reel from the death of Karabo Mokoena and many other women who’ve lost their lives at the hands of their partners, it’s time the government and society at large reflected on the effectiveness of a document that could play an important part in protecting the lives of those at risk: a protection order.

It emerged through news reports that Karabo, having been persuaded by her parents, obtained an order against her boyfriend and alleged murderer, Sandile Mantsoe.

According to the SAPS, a protection order is designed to prevent the recurrence of domestic violence or sexual harassment as it instructs the alleged offender to refrain from continuing with acts that harm the victim.

The SAPS also states that as long as the perpetrator complies with the protection order, the complainant will be safe. But should the offender contravene the terms set out in the order, he or she may be arrested. Sadly Karabo never made it to the police station.

It was too late for her to report the continued assaults she endured from Mantsoe and possibly secure his arrest before he could douse her with petrol and set her alight, as is alleged. The protection order failed to secure Karabo’s safety.

Protection orders have also failed many other women who were confident that those troubling them would keep their distance and leave them to live their lives in peace.

While the protection orders of many Karabos sit inside dockets waiting to be used as evidence in murder cases at our courts, it’s incumbent on us as the community, families and the police to wake up.

The time has come for us to meddle in each other’s lives when we see something wrong. We need to act and no longer turn a blind eye.

Protection orders in South Africa need to be more than documents with words written on them. They need to be reviewed and ultimately turned into a supreme document that will be the strong protector and mouthpiece of many victims when they can no longer fight for themselves.