Ikageng community benefits from safety gadgets

The Ikageng police station is among those in the top ten on a national scale, with a high number of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) cases. As a means of intervention, the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management handed over 130 Memeza Safety Devices to the community, mainly targeting households headed by the elderly, women and children.

A Memeza gadget is an alarm device that is user friendly, pre configured to a network of people and is linked to a nearby police station. By a single press of a button, the alarm goes off to promptly alert neighbours and the police when one is confronted by danger. Knowing that help is only a button away, provides much needed relief to the most vulnerable.

One such, is 84 year old Mmakgang Bogatsu, who was identified by the Department of Social Development to receive the gadget. She has been living in Ikageng since the year 1960 and says over the years crime has escalated rapidly, as a result she often feels unsafe.

“Since the passing of my husband, I no longer feel safe because of the crime that we experience in the township. Sometimes we hear things happening outside but out of fear no one wants to get involved.

“I feel a great sense of comfort because I have an alarm system, that I can now use to alert the police, whenever I feel unsafe,” she said.

Speaking at the official hand over event, the Head of Department, Dr Hans Kekana underscored the importance of community participation in the fight against GBVF.

“GBVF will never stop unless we as a society rise against it together. In some cases, abuse happens behind closed doors and perpetrators are known to their victims. We want to empower victims of abuse to come forward, and report these incidents. This will allow the police to do their work effectively and for justice to take its course.

“We urge communities speak out against all forms of abuse, organise themselves and work with authorities to make a meaningful contribution to end the cycle of violence against the most vulnerable,” said Dr Kekana.

This initiative was made possible through a public private partnership with Memeza Shout to empower victims and put an end to GBVF incidents. In total, the province had received 170 household gadgets to distribute during the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence Against Women and Children.