Company fights women abuse
JOBURG - Anglo American South Africa challenges industry to get involved in the fight against women and children abuse.
Anglo American believes industry has a role to play in tackling social issues such as the abuse of women and children.
This is the view of Anglo American South Africa executive director, Khanyisile Kweyama who said industry has the economic muscle to tackle this monster head-on. “We have the economic capacity and influence to help change the society around us,” she said. “It makes good business sense to support projects that provide the most vulnerable with the necessary tools to further their personal development.”
She said economic modelling predictions suggested that violence against women tended to decline as alternatives outside the relationship improved. “In a business sense, this means empowering a woman through employment which affords them the stability to leave their abuser. If only for this reason, industry has a duty to encourage female participation in the economy.”
Kweyama said creating opportunities was just one step to ending the scourge of domestic violence. “Industry can, and must, contribute resources towards this struggle, but it will take a coordinated effort with government to create an environment conducive to change.
“Government needs to bring the full weight of the legal system to bear, in order to enforce the laws we already have, while industry can help fund safe havens for abused women and their children,” she added.
Through the Chairman’s Fund, Anglo American supports non-governmental organisations offering shelter to women brave enough to walk away from an abusive relationship. Havens such as the privately run Bethany Home in Johannesburg offer abused women and their children a safe place to rebuild their lives. Further, in partnership with government, Anglo American through its Thermal Coal business, has also been assisting the flagship Ikhaya Lethemba home in Braamfontein.
“At Ikhaya Lethemba we have helped provide equipment for the home’s residences and medical ward,” Kweyama said. “These interventions, however, come to nothing if government and business does not continue to support them with stronger legal arbitration, including establishing specialised investigative units and courts.” She said interceding to end the cycle of abuse was equal to fighting for the human rights of fellow South Africans. “There is an empowerment slogan that we should
remember – Strike a Woman and You Strike a Rock. Women are the rock of our society, and not offering the most vulnerable of them assistance to integrate back into communities, tears at the foundations of our country.”
