Three Eastern Cape MECs will lead a march in Nelson Mandela Bay on Wednesday calling for the regulation of churches, while also protesting against gender-based violence.
This comes as high-ranking politicians and cabinet ministers are making their presence felt at the rape trial of controversial Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso.
Provincial transport, safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana, joined by her counterparts health MEC Helen Sauls-August and social development head Dr Pumza Dyantyi, will lead the march to the Port Elizabeth High Court.
Their visit comes after premier Phumulo Masualle attended the Omotoso court proceedings on Monday along with minister of women in the presidency, Bathabile Dlamini, and communications minister Nomvula Mokonyane.
The demonstration comes a day before Omotoso’s lawyer, Peter Daubermann, is expected to bring an application for leave to appeal against judge Mandela Makaula’s decision not to recuse himself.
“We are aware that the trial resumes on Thursday,” Tikana’s spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, said on Tuesday.
“The march is not only about the [Omotoso] trial itself, but also against genderbased violence in general as well as a call for the regulation of churches.”
Binqose said the MECs would be joined by “religious leaders along with the South African Police Service’s Women’s Forum and community members across the class, racial and gender divides”.
Asked why Tikana was only marching now when the case has been before court for more than a year, Binqose said: “We have always been in support of the victims – we’ve just not been public about it. This time however we’ve decided to step it up with the march.”
Tikana said she hoped the demonstration would “send a strong message to everyone that we’ll never tolerate any form of women abuse”.
“This is the call to all the women out there to draw inspiration from the first state witness, the young, courageous and very brave Cheryl Zondi, and report incidents of rape and be prepared to testify when they [the accused] go on trial,” Tikana said.
Eastern Cape social development spokesperson Mzukisi Solani said: “We have always been at the forefront, since his [Omotoso’s] arrest.
“We’ve been to court and we’ve also offered some of the alleged victims counselling because that’s our constitutional mandate. We have to be seen to be giving support to alleged victims.”
Omotoso and two co-accused, Lusanda Sulani, 36, and Zukiswa Sitho, 28, face 97 charges including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking.