Group sets up camp outside Parliament in protest of violence

Structures set up outside Parliament

Leader and founder of Cape Coloured Congress, Fadiel Adams and a group of Mitchells Plain’s residents have set up camp and erected posters outside Parliament to protest the soaring levels of violence against women and children.

Sakeena Frenchman, 45, said the government was not doing enough to stop the killing of children and women in their communities and felt that perpetrators were being protected by the government.

“We want the president to take notice of the killing of our children that is happening in our communities. We lose children every day,” she said

“The perpetrators are protected by the government, by giving them parole — but who protects our kids? Our kids are dying every day in our communities and nobody does anything about it. Instead, the perpetrators are set free to kill another child,” Ms Frenchman told the CapeTowner.

She added that they would not go anywhere until they are acknowledged by the president.

“It’s difficult to get our kids to school because we are so afraid of never seeing them again. The president needs to change the laws. That is why Fadiel and some of us took it upon ourselves to want better justice for our children.”

Mr Adams said the government should not only look into deploying the army to areas with high rates of violence, but should also look into sending social workers, teachers and trauma counsellors because the community was traumatised.

“I come from and live in a traumatised community. I demand that the president does something, anything, he should act and be consistent.”

“I’m ashamed of being a man in South Africa because of the many killings of children and women. I am missing out on my son’s speech today because I have to be here and force the government to do something and take action, I feel like the worst father.

“I’ve been camping here for seven days and nobody has done anything about this. We want action, we don’t want anyone scoring political points,” he said.