MBABANE: Women rights groups marched to the Police Headquarters on Thursday to seek an audience with National Commissioner William Dlamini as cases of Gender Based Violence(GBV) and killing of women perpetrated by members of the law enforcement agency intensifies in eSwatini.

This comes after two cases of domestic violence where a senior police officer and a warder killed two women, both members of the security agencies subsequently killed themselves.

Speaking to this Swaziland News shortly after the march, Colani Hlatjwako, the One Billion Rising Africa Coordinator said as women’s rights groups and activists they visited the Police Headquarters to engage the National Commissioner over the increase in cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) perpetrated by law enforcement officers, unfortunately they were unable to meet him. She said instead of meeting the Police boss, they were addressed at the entrance by Legal Officer Madam Bonisile Masuku who was in the company of Hhohho Deputy Regional Commissioner.

“We requested that the National Commissioner publicly condemn this act as a commitment by the law enforcement agency in addressing these issues. We also want immediate internal interventions; screening of police officers for on mental health like anger and depression as these might contribute to violence perpetrated by them. The accessibility of guns should be controlled and a well-ness and social service response internally be established,” said the Coordinator.

Other women’s rights groups that visited the Police Headquarters include the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA), Eswatini Domestic Workers Union (EDWU) , Women Unlimited (WU) among others.