Power crisis exposes women to sexual abuse

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO

Crippling power crisis has exposed hordes of women in Bulawayo to potential sexual abuse as they are now forced to fetch firewood from the bushes, the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) coordinator Khumbulani Maphosa has said.

He disclosed that MIHR last week conducted a monitoring visit to Pumula high density suburbs in Bulawayo where mostly women and girls were seen emerging from the bushy areas with firewood.

Maphosa said women and girls should never go to the bushes to collect firewood alone or in pairs.

“Our organisation calls on families, men and responsible authorities to prioritise women and girls’ rights protection. Women and girls should never go to the bushes to collect firewood alone or in pairs but instead go in groups of at least four and above and be accompanied by at least one relative male adult,” Maphosa said.

He said parents should be responsible and desist from sending children (especially the girl child) alone to collect firewood as this exposes them, urging the police to patrol areas that are on the edges of the city as they will soon be potential sexual abuse crime spots.

“Due to the high demand for firewood, council should also be on high alert and monitor the operations of rangers in order to ensure that they do not get involved in gender crimes such as ‘sex-for-firewood’ practices,” Maphosa said.

He said communities, especially those staying on the edges of the city of Bulawayo, should have active neighbourhood watch committees and work with the Bulawayo City Council Rangers and the Zimbabwe Republic Police to report suspicious persons and activities within the nearby bushes.

“The protection and promotion of human rights is a collective effort that needs the individual citizens, their families, the community and the responsible authorities to all play an active role,” Maphosa said.

The high demand for firewood comes in the work of crippling power cuts due to low generation at Kariba Power Station on low water levels.

The Zimbabwe River Authority initially shut down the Kariba South Hydroelectric Power Station, which has been supplying more than 60% of electricity for Zimbabwe, after it utilised all its allocated water for power generation.

However, the power station, which is operated by the Zimbabwe Power Company, was allowed to use some water allocated to Kariba North Bank Power Station, operated by ZESCO of Zambia.

Consequently, Kariba South Hydroelectric Power Station is currently generating up to 300 megawatts (MW) from 1050MW.

Chief superintendent Lethiwe Mhandu, who is also ZRP Chairperson for women network said they were planning to create a crime free environment by arresting and prosecuting accused persons.

“The rate at which gender-based crimes are increasing is quite alarming. As a province we are not spared from this pandemic of gender-based crimes of passion like rape, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault among others.

“As police we envisage to create a crime free environment by arresting and prosecuting accused persons for the crimes of passion, drug dealing, human trafficking and other offences involving women and children,” she said.