23 June 2025
Girl Guides marched to the Nquthu police station on Saturday to demand better policing and services for victims of gender-based violence. Photos: Bongane Motaung
About 100 school girls, between 10 and 14 years old, marched through the streets of Nquthu in KwaZulu-Natal to demand better policing and services for victims of gender-based violence.
They were led by members of Girl Guides South Africa and handed over a memorandum to the Nquthu Police Station on Saturday.
They are demanding that police provide adequate support services for GBV complainants and improve training for officers dealing with these cases. They want cases to be properly investigated to hold perpetrators accountable.
The girls were from Batshe Primary, Patsoana Primary, Luvisi Primary, Zindlalele Secondary, Maceba Secondary and Mgazi Full Service schools.
Zanele Maphumulo of Girl Guides said they want to raise awareness and demand a dedicated GBV unit with standardised protocols and more collaborative work with support organisations in the area.
Detective Mandlenkosi Nkosi of the Nquthu Police Station received the memorandum and thanked the young leaders for their action. “As a police officer I promise we will work together because you have shown us a willingness to work with us,” Nkosi said.
Senamile Xulu, a Girl Guide member from Batshe Primary, holds up a placard during the march.