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South Africa – Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has said silence on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is “not an option” and has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating GBV and femicide in South Africa.
Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation’s Women Empowerment 365 Days Against Gender-Based Violence dialogue in Soweto, the Minister emphasised the importance of a united approach to combating this crisis.
“Our country adopted The Gender-Based Violence and Femicide National Strategic Plan (GBVF NSP) that sets out to provide a cohesive strategic framework to guide the national response to the hyper-endemic GBVF crisis in which South Africa finds itself,” she said.
The National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF NSP), adopted in 2020, provides a structured framework to combat GBV across all sectors of society. It is built on six key pillars to prevent GBV, strengthen the criminal justice system’s response, and ensure survivors receive the support, care, and protection they need to heal.
The Minister added that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is actively working with civil society organisations to achieve the aspirations of this plan.
The Impact of GBV
Kubayi noted that GBV affects women and girls across all socio-economic classes, attributing its prevalence to patriarchal practices, toxic masculinity, and systemic gender inequalities. These factors perpetuate cycles of violence, family dysfunction, and solo parenting.
Citing a report from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), she revealed that 33.1% of South African women aged 18 and older have experienced physical violence, with Black African women disproportionately affected.
“This translates to an estimated 7,310 389 women who have experienced physical violence in their lifetime … This means at least three out of ten women aged 18 years and older you meet have experienced GBV. This is not acceptable, and we should not accept [it] as a society.”
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Strengthening Prevention and Survivor Support
The Minister detailed the government’s preventative measures, including the expansion of sexual offences courts and the alignment of services with the National Strategy on Support Services for Domestic Violence Survivors.
“In line with the newly developed National Strategy on Support Services for Domestic Violence Survivors, the Department intends to upgrade 100 district courts to offer services that are custom-made for survivors of domestic violence.”
Kubayi explained that these efforts include same-day issuance of protection orders and the confidentiality of domestic violence cases to reduce secondary victimisation.
She further announced the introduction of Africa’s first Femicide Watch, a database to analyse and address femicide trends.
“This is a national repository of GBV-related femicide cases designed to provide the numerical analysis, the profile, and the severity of the pandemic of femicide in our country.”
Kubayi also highlighted the 78% conviction rate achieved in sexual violence cases processed through Thuthuzela Care Centres, exceeding the planned target of 70%.
“In the previous financial year, 221 life imprisonment sentences were imposed on all sex crimes finalised with a verdict and processed through the Thuthuzela Care Centres.”
A Call for Collective Action
The Minister urged South Africans to adopt a “whole of society” approach to combat GBV by addressing root causes such as childhood trauma, substance abuse, and inequitable gender norms.
“Viewed from this perspective, the solution to Gender-Based Violence lies in the whole-of-society approach in which all stakeholders play a role in building better communities, healthy and safe households, and the government provides enough resources to support victims and law enforcement agencies.”
Kubayi called for collective action, stating, “We believe that working together as a society, we can defeat the scourge of gender-based violence and achieve a South Africa free from violence directed at women, children, and LGBTQIA+ persons.”
Additionally, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu strongly urged victims of GBV to stand firm and pursue justice, warning that cooperation with perpetrators undermines progress in the fight against this scourge. The Minister expressed deep concern over incidents where victims have been coerced into withdrawing cases.
“We call upon all victims, especially women, to stand firm and refuse to be hoodwinked by empty promises or financial manipulation.”
“The SAPS is unwavering in its fight against GBV and will continue to provide the necessary support to victims. Such false assurances often never materialise and serve only to perpetuate cycles of abuse. We must work together to ensure that those who commit these heinous crimes are held accountable.”
