The Ekurhuleni metro is marshaling its strategic partners and social services resources to bring to a halt the spiraling gender-based violence.
This is according to Themba Gadebe, metro spokesperson.
“As it has been observed recently across the country, and in Ekurhuleni as well, women and other vulnerable members of the society have been victims of both gender-based and other forms of violence,” said Gadebe.
He said the metro’s social workers, based at the customer care centres, are adequately able to deal with issues faced by victims of abuse.
“They provide counselling where necessary, place survivors at the places of safety shelters ran by non-governmental organisations and link them with the police where there is a need to open a case.”
Residents are urged to call the gender-based violence (GBV) national command centre on the 24-hour toll-free number 0800 428 428.
Alternatively, people can USSD (Please Call Me) *120* 7867# SMS “help” to 31531.
“When a survivor calls the centre from a mobile phone, the caller (with explicit permission), is geographically located, enabling the GBV command centre to determine the caller’s closest resources (social worker, police station, hospital, safe house),” said Gadebe.
The metro commemorated Women’s Month on Saturday, August 18 at the Germiston Lake.
Gadebe said the women’s event was another initiative to give women a platform to propel themselves forward and draw from the strength of peers to withstand challenges common to women.
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