{"id":94051,"date":"2024-12-19T16:46:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=94051"},"modified":"2024-12-19T16:46:59","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:46:59","slug":"festive-season-violence-sparks-concern-amid-calls-for-responsibility-giwusa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/festive-season-violence-sparks-concern-amid-calls-for-responsibility-giwusa\/","title":{"rendered":"Festive Season Violence Sparks Concern Amid Calls for Responsibility: GIWUSA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

3-minute read<\/strong>
\n19 December 2024 | 16:20 CAT<\/p>\n

\"\"

SAPS, City officers \u2018ready\u2019 for festive season safety. (File-Photo\/The Cape Towner)<\/p><\/div>\n

A troubling trend of violence during the festive season has prompted the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) to issue an urgent appeal for responsible behaviour from South Africans. GIWUSA\u2019s spokesperson, Mametlwe Sebei, spoke to Radio Islam International<\/a>, emphasizing the annual surge in domestic, street, and suburban violence that characterizes this period.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see an unfortunate rise in violence every festive season, fuelled by factors like alcohol abuse and societal frustrations,\u201d Sebei noted. \u201cOur call is for South Africans to approach this time with care and responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the year, Sebei highlighted ongoing struggles for the working class, including unemployment, poverty, and collapsing public services. \u201c2024 was a year of merciless toil for many. The rising cost of living and precarious work remain key challenges,\u201d he said. GIWUSA has been at the forefront of battles for minimum wages, housing, and against outsourcing, while continuing to defend workers from job losses and unfavourable practices.<\/p>\n

As the festive season unfolds, Sebei expressed concern over the conditions exacerbating dangers during the holiday period. \u201cThe carnage on our roads reflects systemic public transport and infrastructure failures,\u201d he remarked. Poorly maintained roads and the lack of affordable, safe transport options contribute significantly to accidents and fatalities.<\/p>\n

Sebei also pointed to the disparities in holiday experiences underpinned by inequality. \u201cFor the black working class, December is not about luxury vacations but survival. Many cannot afford festive spending, which often intensifies financial and emotional strain, leading to violence and gender-based abuse,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

In 2025, GIWUSA envisions renewed struggles for better wages, public transport, and improved infrastructure. \u201cThe elite cannot solve these crises; the working class must continue fighting for their aspirations,\u201d Sebei declared.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, the union urges citizens to act responsibly. \u201cAvoid drinking and driving. Walk away from fights. Enjoy festivities safely,\u201d Sebei advised.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Sebei expressed unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine amid ongoing tensions. He emphasized the importance of standing against oppression and highlighted parallels between struggles for liberation worldwide.<\/p>\n

Sebei stated, “The plight of the Palestinian people is a stark reminder of the need for international solidarity. Their resistance against colonialism and apartheid mirrors our own history and our continued fight for justice and equality.”<\/p>\n

He further urged organizations and individuals to advocate for human rights and challenge systems of oppression globally, linking the Palestinian struggle to broader movements for freedom and self-determination.<\/p>\n

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round Up<\/a> with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and GIWUSA\u2019s spokesperson, Mametlwe Sebei.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 3-minute read 19 December 2024 | 16:20 CAT A troubling trend of violence during the festive season has prompted the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) to issue an urgent appeal for responsible behaviour from South Africans. GIWUSA\u2019s spokesperson, Mametlwe Sebei, spoke to Radio Islam International, emphasizing the annual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":94052,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28,4995],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","category-south-africa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/download-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1706&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0QIf-osX","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-18 09:40:48","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}