Matobo district records spike in GBV cases

MATOBO district in Matabeleland South province has been rated as a gender-based violence (GBV) hotspot amid reports that most girls in the province were being assaulted by men for various reasons, among them declining to be intimate with them.

This was revealed by Matobo Youth Development Initiative director Descent Dube.

“Just last week, we received a report of a 20-year-old girl, who was assaulted at Khayalami business centre in Mazwi village for refusing sexual advances from a boy who offered her R100 in exchange for sexual favours. When we spoke to the councillor of that area, she told us that similar cases had been happening, but nothing was being done about it,” Dube said.

“The councillor said when the police are notified, they do not investigate such cases. It is unfortunate that parents also do nothing as it is now the norm that girls are usually beaten up in the area.”

Matobo ward seven councillor Sitshengisiwe Ncube confirmed the assaults, saying while she may not have the statistics at hand, there were many GBV cases occurring in the ward.

“GBV is now a norm in our ward. Last week, a girl was assaulted and injured so badly that she had to go to Phelanyama Hospital for treatment. The boy, who assaulted her, has since run away and the police only came days later to investigate the case,” Ncube said.

“Girls are now living in fear because of rising GBV cases.”

A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We have had several GBV cases this month. While I don’t have the statistics at hand, I can confirm that a week will not pass without someone reporting a GBV-related case. This situation is getting out of hand. However with regards to the recent case, the accused is said to have fled after the incident.”

Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Thabani Mkhwananzi said he had not received the report on the latest GBV case in Matobo.