Nhlanhla Mokwena, executive director of POWA, is a qualified social worker, with a certificate in Training and Development and a Masters in Philosophy in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa. She’s very passionate about the rights of women and girls, and respects the rights of all individuals. As a human rights activist, she also strongly believes in social justice for all.

POWA was formed in 1979 by a group of women volunteers in order to provide referral services and sheltering to women who were experiencing domestic violence. Over a period of thirty-nine years, POWA has continued to provide shelter for abused women and their children, frontline services, including counseling and legal services and support. POWA was the first organization to establish a shelter for women in 1981. POWA currently has 7 physical working sites in Gauteng that provide counseling, sheltering and legal support to women at face-to-face level. They also have national reach and presence through their telephonic counseling, advocacy, public awareness and sector strengthening work. Through funding from NACOSA, POWA started providing services for young women and women in the form of containment services for survivors of sexual violence, 24 hours and seven days a week HIV and AIDS pre and post-counseling, collecting information on STI testing, post-exposure prophylaxis treatment and referral for abortion. Furthermore, there is a social worker and community of youth workers who support the TCC’s with community outreach and sector strengthening work within the communities.

Over the years they have become an organisation that is considered to be an expert on issues of women’s rights and are consulted by the private sector, government and civil society on educational and decision-making matters pertaining to women’s safety and enjoyment of their rights. As an organisation, their aim is to ‘open spaces for us as women in all our diversity to enjoy our fundamental human rights.’

What are some of the challenges POWA faces?

Nhlanhla Mokwena: As a women’s rights organisation addressing violence against women and girls, the organisation struggles for funding, as is the case with many NGO’s.

Women have come a long way since the first National Women’s Day in 1994. What do you feel has been the most significant achievement?

NM: South Africa has a progressive constitution that is respected globally, and the country has national legislation enacted to curb violence against women and girls, but the problem is a lack of implementation.

Which women have had the biggest impact on your life? How and why?

NM: My late grandmother and mother. From a very young age they always built my confidence and taught me that a girl has to get educated and work hard for herself. They did not raise me with gender stereotypes of my role as a girl or woman. I am thankful to them both for the values they have instilled and I am passing their teachings onto my daughter.

Women play so many different roles in society to great success. What is your role in society, be it at home, work or otherwise?

NM: I am a women first and that means I am a feminist who believes in equal rights for women and men; a mother who nurtures my daughter and other loved ones and also play a teachers role to them. I am an activist as well.

What’s the most important misconception about women that still needs to change?

NM: Women mean yes when they say no. Women should be submissive then the violence will end. Women being blamed for the abuse they experience.

What makes you feel powerful?

NM: I believe in myself. I love myself, flaws and all. I don’t associate with negative people but with people who build me. My humility makes me powerful.

What makes you feel beautiful?

NM: Beautiful clothes, shoes and a healthy mind and body.

Do you believe in style as a form of personal everyday activism? How do you practice this?

NM: I always wear clothes that make me comfortable to present my self for every occasion, work, business and social occasion.

Tell us about a moment in your life when you’ve felt really proud to be a woman.

NM: Everyday when I have conversations with my daughter. She is turning out to be a confident young women, who is intelligent, works hard and very humble. She is beautiful too.

If you could live the life of any famous fictional female character, who would it be and why?

NM: Catwoman, because she saves the world and I am passionate about living in a good world. She is intelligent, strong, beautiful and sexy.

Which personal achievement are you most proud of?

I completed my masters in one year at 45 and have raised a phenomenal young woman as a single mother.

In celebration of Women’s Month, join Poetry and POWA in the fight against violence and abuse against women and girls. You will have the option to donate R10 to POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) with your Poetry purchases made in August, and we will match every donation made to this worthy cause. Read more about it here.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY    

POWA was the first organisation to establish a shelter for abused women, in 1981. The organisation also pioneered second-stage (or transitional) housing for women in 2009 in Gauteng. The direct services delivery component of the organisation forms the basis of and informs all advocacy interventions – at local, national and regional level.

POWA currently has seven physical working sites in Gauteng that provide counselling, sheltering and legal support to women at face-to-face level. We also have a national reach and presence through our telephonic counselling, advocacy, public awareness and sector-strengthening work. Over the years we have become an organisation that is considered to be an expert on issues of women’s rights and are consulted by the private sector, government and civil society on educational and decision-making matters pertaining to women’s safety and enjoyment of their rights.

As an organisation, our aim is to ‘open spaces for us as women and girls in all our diversity to enjoy our fundamental human rights’. In order to achieve this, we have structured our organisation in a manner that allows us to engage with women’s groups and organisations in various provinces as well as engage and influence national institutional structures such as the legislature, regional forums such as the African Commission on People and Human Rights (ACPHR) and international forums such as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). POWA is also a member of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR), a coalition consisting of 27 civil society organisations and development partners based in Africa. The work of the coalition is to ensue domestication and implementation of the African women’s rights instruments as well as the African Charter for the realisation of women’s human rights.

This annual report therefore brings codifies the work that done by the Organisation from April 2016 to March 2017 with an intention of achieving the vision of a safe and equal society intolerant of all forms of violence against women and girls. Where women and girls rights are promoted and respected. It is on this note that this report entails amongst others, the Chairperson of the Board’s report, the Executive Directors report and the programmes report from various departments offering services to survivors of violence against women that include providing shelters.

More: POWA AGM REPORT 2016-2017

Seven years ago POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) filled a complained with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against Jon Qwelane for hate speech.  The complaint was endorsed by FEW (Forum for the Empowerment of Women), OUT Well Being and Gay and Lesbian Archives (GALA). Qwelane published an article called ‘Call me names but gay is not okay’. The article was published in the Sunday Sun in 2008. On Monday 29 August until 9 September 2016 the matter for SAHRC v Qwelane will be proceeding in the Johannesburg High Court. The matter is going to be heard as the Constitutional and Equality matter. POWA is going to be on the witness stand based on the complaint it lodged. POWA found the article to be offensive to black lesbian women who are harassed, assaulted, raped and killed daily in our townships. Qwelane’s utterances were irresponsible and callous to all the black lesbian who have been killed, raped and maimed.

People like Qwelane who are in positions of power should not use their positions of power and influence to promote hate and unlawfulness when presented with platforms where they can unite, educate South African citizens about the Constitution, and the importance of tolerance and respect for human rights and the rule of law. In this article Qwelane bluntly agrees with Mugabe’s utterances that ‘homosexuality is sub- animal behaviour” and compared it to that of pigs and dogs. To illustrate his position he added a cartoon in his article which shows a man marrying a goat.  This kind of public stance against the LGBTI community dehumanises and ‘others’ them in a country with a violent history and continues to use violence to resolve conflict, and we cannot condone such hate speech from Qwelane. Black lesbians have been lost due to being called ‘setabane’ ‘inkonkoni’ names that ‘others’ them. Our foreign brothers and sisters have been killed for being called ‘makwerekwere’.

Not only is Qwelane a homophobe, he is a misogynist, who wants to keep his privileged position of a patriarch who sees women only as objects created on earth to serve and please men. Therefore any women who dares and defies his privileged position are unwomanly.

Homophobia must stop!  Othering other human beings must stop! Women abuse must stop!

For more information contact:

Nhlanhla Mokwena, Executive Director POWA at 011 642 4345/6 0R 082 785 2116

Palesa Mpapa, Legal and Advocacy Manager at 011 642 4345/6 0R 062 215 68 26

Qwelane the HOMOPHOBE

Oscar Pretorius murder Case back to Court once again applying for leave to challenge Judge Masipha’s decision:

Today on the 26 August 2016, the National Public Prosecution will be applying for Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal against the sentence that Judge Masipa passed against Oscar which was lower than the minimum sentence of 15 years for murder.

POWA is encouraged by the NPA of pursuing the case this far as the sentence that has been granted undermines the criminal justice system. To us this mean that we are not alone in the struggle, while other citizens still feel that justice is been served for Reeva’s case, it is encouraging to see such endeavours from other law enforcement agencies who are willing to take the case to its limit in order to ensure that “violence against women is not trivialised” for protection of women and girls in South Africa. We are very encouraged looking forward to the ends of justice been stretched for the rights of women, says the Legal Manager POWA.

Hopping that the appeal is granted in order for Oscar’s sentence to be considered by the Supreme Court of Appeal, as POWA continually calls for strong action against perpetrators of Violence against Women & Children.

For more information and assistance through counselling and legal advice on violence against women, kindly contact POWA at (011) 642 4345, email info@powa.co.za/ legal@powa.co.za or visit our website on www.powa.co.za to learn more about services that POWA offer.

 

POWA in partnership with Jenny Nijenhuis is asking for new panties/underwear to highlight rape issues in preparation for 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.

The case proceeded on the 19th of April 2016 with sentencing submissions at Palm Ridge Magistrate Court in Alberton.

During the proceedings in court the Defence Attorney emphasized that the accused is taking responsibility because he states that he could have acted differently on the day of the incident, therefore killed the deceased unintentionally. It is the defence submission that the court should deviate from the minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment when sentencing the accused because at the time of the commission of the said offence the accused was 50 years of age, he therefore recommends 5 years imprisonment.

On the other hand the Prosecution states that the accused denied any responsibility, now that the state proved its case beyond reasonable doubt he admits that he was negligent. One would agree with the prosecution that he is not showing any remorse because he could have pleaded guilty from the onset. The prosecution recommends a harsher sentence against the accused, imposing a lenient sentence will be unjust.

POWA is praying for a harsher sentence against the accused because his actions were not the actions of the responsible father. The interests of the community should be taken into consideration and the circumstances of it having happened in a domestic setup. A harsher sentence will set a good precedence for future offenders and will also deter future perpetrators of the similar offence.

POWA is calling for strong action when dealing with perpetrators of Violence against Women & Children.
For more information and assistance through counselling and legal advice on violence against women kindly contact POWA at (011) 642 4345, email info@powa.co.za/ legal@powa.co.za or visit our website on www.powa.co.za to learn more about service that POWA offer.

After nine years of trying to get her abusive husband punished for killing their son and landing another in jail, Phindile Hadebe hopes that justice will be served.

Yesterday, members of NGO People Against Women Abuse (Powa) and the Katlehong community protested outside the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court where David Hadebe appeared briefly.

He was to be sentenced for murder but the case was postponed due to the unavailability of a defence lawyer.

It took nine years for David to be prosecuted and convicted of killing his own son.

Powa said it had intervened in the case two years ago after being approached by the community about the abuse that was continuing while David was out on bail.

On Christmas Day in 2006, Hadebe and her two sons had gone to visit her family, leaving her husband behind at their home in Katlehong. When they returned, David had locked them out of the house.

Their son. Musawenkosi, who was 20 at the time, managed to open the door but when he went in, his father stabbed him three times.

David Hadebe was arrested after being captured and beaten by members of the community. He was later released on bail. While on bail, Hadebe’s eldest son shot him, leading to a conviction of attempted murder. The son is serving a five-year prison sentence.

“Had he not been released on bail my son would never have attacked him and he would not be in jail,” Phindile Hadebe said. “I have been through so much. I’ve lost both my sons because of this man. He must just be sentenced and go to jail for good.”

She said her struggle to get justice had been long and painful. Hadebe said the case docket had miraculously disappeared and that she had been told that that was the end of it. It was only when Powa wrote a letter to the National Prosecuting Authority asking for the charges to be reinstated that she had gained hope again. David Hadebe will be sentenced on April 4.

Dudu Dube

dudud@thenewage.co.za

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

POWA is a feminist organisation that was formed in 1979 by a group of women volunteers in order to provide referral services and sheltering to women who were experiencing domestic violence. Over a period of thirty six years, POWA has continued to provide shelter for abused women and their children, frontline services, including counseling and legal services and support.

POWA was the first organisation to establish a shelter for women who are abused in 1981.

The organisation also pioneered second stage (or transitional) housing for women in 2009 in Gauteng. The direct services delivery component of the organisation forms the basis of and informs all advocacy interventions, at local, national and regional level. Since 1979 the organisation has grown from a staff compliment of 18 to 36 staff members and 70 volunteers.

We currently have seven physical working sites in Gauteng that provide counselling, sheltering and legal support to women at face-to-face level. The organisation also have national reach and presence through our telephonic counselling, advocacy, public awareness and sector strengthening work.

Over the years POWA have become an organisation that is considered to be an expert on issues of women’s rights and therefore are consulted by the private sector, government and civil society on educational and decision-making
matters pertaining to women’s safety and enjoyment of their rights.

More: POWA Annual Report – 2014-2015

POWA members were again picketing at Westonaria Magistrate Court on the bail application of the accused in Zestah September’s case, a victim of intimate partner violence who was brutally murdered by her partner.

The decision of the court to deny the accused bail on the basis that the accused is suicidal and poses a threat to himself and community. The court sees a likelihood that he may not attend trial or he might commit a successful suicide if released. It was also mentioned by the court that the involvement of community members and civil society organisations like POWA shows how angry people are about this case and if ever he is released they would act out in revenge.

The court’s decision resonate with POWA is advocating for regarding bail for cases of domestic violence. POWA advocates for denial of bail because of the nature of the offence. The reasoning for this is in most cases the accused is always known to the family of the victim therefore by granting him bail, the family members might act in anger. Out of frustration they might “take the law in their own hands” by action in revenge, or commit other offences that could be prevented by keeping the accused in custody until trial. Denying him bail also prevents the likelihood of him interfering with the state witnesses who are usually the family members and friends of the victim that are known to him, says POWA Legal Manager Palesa Mpapa.

Now more than ever we are advocating for a stronger sentence to be passed by High Court in order to deter potential perpetrators of domestic violence. The statistics are continually alarming and the courts have not yet passed strong sanctions that sends a message across says Palesa Mpapa.

POWA is calling for strong action when dealing with perpetrators of Violence against Women & Children.

For more information kindly contact POWA at (011) 642 4345 he might commit a successful suicide if released. It was also mentioned by the court that the involvement of community members and civil society organisations like POWA shows how angry people are about this case and if ever he is released they would act out in revenge.