Josina Machel's quest to fight GBV working with Traditional Leaders

by HRH Stella Sigcau

Princess ZamaFaku Sigcau, Princess Stella Sigcau II, Ms Josina Machel and Cllr Maphetshana from Mbizana Municipality

21 September 2021

Kuhluka Movement founder, gender activist and Gender Based Violence (GBV) survivor Ms Josina Machel held meetings and introductory sessions in the Eastern Cape working with the South African Royal Princess Network to create awareness on GBV whilst trying to seek solutions to this pandemic. This to also establish working relations and forge partnerships with the institution of Traditional Leaders to address GBV.

On 9 September she held an introductory session on GBV at Mt Zion School in Mbizana which was attended by the representatives from municipality, school governing bodies, learners, Traditional Leadership, community members, women groups and youth.

She had engagements with Principal Styles Notshe of Mt Zion and Nkosi Hlamandane of the area to establish programs on GBV that Kuhluka Movement can partner on with these stakehokders. On 10 September, she had another session on GBV at Ntsikayezwe Senior Secondary School in Ntabankulu and engaged the youth on GBV.

In these two sessions she worked with Princess Stella Sigcau II who is the founder of the South African Royal Princess Network and also a GBV activist and culture curator. Ms Machel also held discussions with the principal of Ntsikayezwe SSS Diko and Nkosi Jongilanga Sigcau who is the Senior Traditional Leader of Lwandlolubomvu Traditional Council in Ntabankulu, Mpondo Kingdom and Chairperson of the Alfred Nzo Local House of Traditional Leaders on working together including with council and communities to address the pandemic of GBV.

SEE ALSO: Women, Culture and Tradition

On 11 September 2021 she presented on GBV during the Dialogue on the Gender Based Violence at Lwandlolubomvu Great Place in Ntabankulu. On the 12 September she met with His Majesty King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo of the Thembu Kingdom. On this leg of the visit she worked with Princess Zanele Dalindyebo of South African Royal Princess Network. The meeting was followed by an engagement on GBV with Nkosi Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, Chairperson of the Moral Regeneration and Princess Lukho Matanzima of the South African Royal Princess Network. The last leg of the visit on 13 September included a session with Nkosi Dudumayo of Gqubeni Traditional Council who is also a member of the executive of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders.

Kuhluka Movement is a non-profit civil society mass organisation directed at combating the violation of rights of women. Founded on the principle of advocacy and mitigation, Kuhluka bridges the gap between giving a voice to women survivors through education and rehabilitation, whilst providing them with a safe haven in their time of need. Through this initiative, Kuhluka seeks to find a platform that prevents abuse of women by bringing custodians of culture together to find ways that interrogate harmful practices & traditions, and questions the behaviours that foster an environment that tolerates violence towards women. Kuhluka Movement seeks to serve as a platform for engagement by bringing together various groups, including custodians of culture through dialogue and campaigns for the elimination of Gender Based Violence. Ms Josina Machel is the daughter of the late Mozambican liberation activist and its first President Samora Machel and Mrs Graca Machel.