DIKGOSI ON GBV CRISIS ‘Our communities are perishing’

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Dikgosi have raised concern over the escalating Gender Based Violence (GBV) incidents, which is getting out of hand as lives are lost every passing day in gruesome killings across the country.

Briefing the media on Friday about the outcomes of the members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi (NYD) capacitation workshop held this week, Chairman Kgosi Malope II said communities are perishing due to GBV related killings and general murder cases. Kgosi Malope II said Botswana society is slowly becoming miserable due to GBV, which is causing havoc in communities.

“Our communities have lost their sense of humanity (setho). There is too much anger in our people across communities. We have turned to be an angry society and this perpetuates violence against other people,” lamented Kgosi Malope II, revealing that dikgosi have committed to collaborate with key stakeholders such as Ministry of Gender Affairs, Botswana Police Service (BPS) and Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), among many others, to collectively tackle GBV across the country.

He said it is important to establish the root cause of GBV and come up with strategic ways to address them. “GBV is a serious challenge in our society. It needs all of our collaborative efforts to eliminates it. Also, it is important for us to introspect as individuals and know what is good and what is not good to do. Violence is never a solution and it has never been. Conflicts are resolved by dialogue. That is our culture,” Kgosi Malope II added.

Meanwhile, Kgosi Malope II said the workshop was meant to capacitate dikgosi on how best they could respond to GBV in their communities as well as reflecting on their roles in relation to addressing GBV. He added that dikgosi must promote dialogue, peace and respect within families and communities since such was a tool in resolving conflicts and combating GBV. He further said GBV was not just a legal or social issue, but a moral crisis that affected families and communities.

“Therefore, as custodians of culture, it was time that we take the lead in shifting harmful norms and promoting dignity of all people as well as fostering peace, respect, and unity within families and communities,” he said.