Ekurhuleni records high cases of GBV in October and November

The Gauteng Department of Social Development Ekurhuleni regional office has recorded over 637 cases of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) between October and November.

According to the social work manager Grace Moloi, Etwatwa was among the areas with high rates of GBVF cases in Ekurhuleni.

This led the Gauteng Department of Social Development, in partnership with the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), government departments, law enforcement agencies, civil society and faith-based organisations to lead a march in Etwatwa to raise awareness against the abuse of women and children last Tuesday.

“We are here in Etwatwa to commemorate 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children and to raise a strong voice against the brutal and violent behaviour perpetrated by men against innocent women and children.

“As a department, through our GBV Unit, we assist victims with their court orders; we offer counselling and place them in our shelters for abused women and children. These shelters also assist with skills development programmes so that survivors exit shelters with a proper plan that will sustain them and their families,” said Moloi.

She added, “We also collaborate and fund non-profit organisations such as People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), Sechaba Community Care Centre, and Lifeline to reach in places that we cannot reach as the department.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kitchener Mabilu from the SAPS in Etwatwa reiterated that femicide, rape and domestic violence still plague the country.

“From April to November, Etwatwa SAPS recorded 343 cases of domestic violence, rape and assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH).

“Assault with grievous bodily harm remains a problem in Etwatwa and happens mostly during weekends. The causes of these crimes are liquor-related. We found that in a month, we report about 30 cases of assault GBH,” said Mabilu.

Nokuthula Mahlangu, a survivor of gender-based violence from Daveyton, said due to life circumstances, she found herself in a shelter for abused women and children, the Theodorah Ndaba Victim Support Centre, in 2014.

“I was placed in the shelter with my son because I had challenges growing up and the violence that took place. I could complete my matric and they assisted me in applying for NSFAS to study towards a degree in social work with the University of South Africa.

“Currently, I work as a qualified social worker at the same shelter that accommodated me when life gave me the worst. They also took my son to a daycare facility at no cost,” said a proud Mahlangu.

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children is an annual United Nations (UN) awareness campaign from November 25 to December 10.

South Africa adopted the campaign in 1998 as one of the intervention strategies for creating a society free of violence. The campaign has also been extended to include issues relating to violence against children.

It primarily focuses on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children, people with disabilities and older persons as the most vulnerable groups and society.