Men who abuse women are animals - Makhura

Pretoria - The Gauteng provincial commemoration of Women's Day was dedicated to the plight of abused children and women, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said on Saturday.

"I want to say this on behalf of men. Those men abusing, raping women, killing children are not doing it in our name," Makhura said in his keynote at the Women's Day commemoration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

"We are saying as men, those are not men but animals. They are vicious animals. They are not even the animals that we have in our homes."

Abuse

He called on people in the province to assist authorities in the fight against children and women abuse.

"We gather today, having buried Taegrin Morris who was mercilessly killed in front of his mother in Reiger Park [ in the east of Johannesburg)."

"Yesterday [Friday] another child passed on, after being ruthlessly killed by criminals in Westbury."

The march should also pay tribute to all the children who have been killed by criminals, said Makhura.

Women should not to protect criminals.

"If you are hiding your son who is committing crime against another woman, that son is going to commit crime against you one day.

"Let us work with the police. We are going to win the war against children and women abuse. We shall also win the war to ensure that we build an inclusive economy of which women will be at the center of."

Development goals

He said all political parties represented in the Gauteng legislature would be given opportunities to contribute to provincial developmental goals.

"All parties in our legislature were invited here. Those who did not come, it means they had no legs. We gave them an opportunity."

Members of the Democratic Alliance were represented at the event, and delivered a message of support.

Many people attended the event wearing green and black ANC Women's League regalia.

The crowds, including police officers, went into a dancing frenzy as a DJ played house music, including popular group Uhuru's hit song, Y-tjukutja.

Several female artists performed on a giant stage erected in the lower lawns area of the Union Buildings.