Latest news with #NationalStrategicPlan
The Citizen
29-06-2025
- The Citizen
Chikunga urges stronger GBV fight as stats paint grim picture
The Saps recorded 969 women murdered, over 11 000 rape cases, and nearly 15 000 assault cases involving women. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has called for a 'more deliberate partnership' between government and the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund to combat the ongoing scourge of violence against women. Chikunga delivered these remarks during a recent engagement with the Fund's leadership in Sandton, Johannesburg, where she stressed the urgency of aligning public and private responses. 'Let today mark the beginning of a more deliberate partnership, one rooted in shared responsibility, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to justice,' said Chikunga. 'Dire' statistics demand urgent action The minister warned that gender-based violence and femicide remain a national and global crisis. According to Chikunga, between January and March 2025, the South African Police Service (Saps) recorded 969 women murdered, over 11 000 rape cases, and nearly 15 000 assault cases involving women. 'Each of these numbers is a tragedy [and] a call to action,' she said. 'Violence continues where women should feel safest — in homes, workplaces, and places of worship.' Chikunga also drew attention to the plight of women with disabilities, noting that many experience violence without access to justice. 'These are the hidden faces of gender-based violence and femicide.' ALSO READ: 'Declare Limpopo a GBV disaster zone' – ANCWL GBVF Fund praised The GBVF Response Fund, which has reached over 772 000 people nationwide, was lauded for its efforts. However, Chikunga stressed the importance of coordination. 'We believe this is a critical moment to strengthen alignment… to ensure that survivors across all communities are supported with care and dignity.' Fund leadership, including interim CEO Zanele Ngwepe and Board Chairperson Faith Khanyile, joined the engagement with officials from the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. ALSO READ: Protection orders and police 'failing victims of GBV' National Council reforms in the pipeline Chikunga confirmed that the long-awaited National Council on GBVF will be operational by April 2026 and will anchor implementation of the National Strategic Plan. She also announced the expansion of Thuthuzela Care Centres, a GBVF Dashboard, and 100-Day Challenge models to boost frontline responses. 'This work is not easy. But it is a non-negotiable because there can be no freedom… where women and LGBTQIA+ individuals live in fear,' said Chikunga. She concluded by inviting the Fund to support ongoing legislative efforts, including the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill. NOW READ: Are police winning the war on gender-based violence?
The Citizen
25-06-2025
- The Citizen
Western Cape men get life for murder of disabled woman in R600k insurance plot
Western Cape men get life for murder of disabled woman in R600k insurance plot Two men convicted of the brutal murder of Nosipho 'Nomdundu' Mafani (23) from KwaNokuthula in the Western Cape have been sentenced. The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has welcomed the sentencing of Mboneli Msila and Monde Tshemese, who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court of South Africa Western Cape Division, sitting in Knysna, for their role in the conspiracy to commit the murder of Mafani, who had a mental disability. Msila, the adoptive father of Mafani, orchestrated the murder to claim funeral policy payouts totalling R600 000. He hired three men, Mbulelo Jack, Monde Tshemese and Lungisile Lucas, to carry out the hit. Chikunga says gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remains a national crisis in South Africa, with disproportionately high rates of violence against women, girls and vulnerable groups, including women in female-headed households, women with disabilities and black African women. 'GBVF is a deeply rooted societal issue. Women with disabilities, in particular, are often subjected to extreme forms of sexual and physical violence. Despite being one of the most vulnerable groups, their experiences continue to be overlooked and under-addressed in society,' Chikunga says. The minister highlighted that Pillar 3 of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, which places strong emphasis on justice, safety and protection, aims to address systemic shortcomings in the legal system and seeks to enhance the overall response to GBVF cases. It also aims to ensure that survivors have access to justice and are afforded safety and protection through improvements to the legal framework and its implementation. Although often committed in private settings, the minister warned that GBVF is not a private matter, but a serious public crime. She acknowledged that GBVF is an ongoing diabolic act of violation of human rights, particularly 'the rights of persons with disabilities should never be justified and must be confronted with all resources available'. 'It deprives women and girls of their fundamental human rights, including the right to live free from violence, discrimination and violation of bodily integrity. Failure to take meaningful action to prevent, prosecute and punish such acts constitutes a violation of human rights. 'All incidents of physical or sexual abuse, intimidation or threats must be reported to the nearest SAPS station to obtain a case number and/or protection order. Alternatively, victims of sexual offences can seek assistance from the nearest Thuthuzela Care Centre or similar support facilities,' the minister says. Government has established the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre to provide 24-hour support to victims of abuse and violence. 'We share a strong reminder that our government will continue to stand firm to protect and defend human rights as enshrined by the constitution,' Chikunga says. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Why a victim-centred approach is crucial in combating GBV in South Africa
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe addresses a roundtable on gender-based violence and femicide at Atteridgeville Community Hall in Pretoria, calling for urgent, victim-centred interventions. Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has called for an urgent, coordinated and victim-centred national response to combat gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), describing it as one of the most pervasive human rights violations facing women and children in South Africa. Speaking during a roundtable discussion held at Atteridgeville Community Hall in Pretoria on Friday, Tolashe said it was time to confront service delivery failures and legislative gaps that continue to deny survivors the justice and protection they deserve. 'This initiative is an urgent call for a more coordinated, victim-centred, and accountable approach to combating GBVF and ensuring justice and protection for women and children,' the Minister said. The high-level engagement was organised as part of Youth Month, responding to the increasing public outcry regarding the surge in gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases and the sluggish pace of government interventions. It brought together state officials, civil society groups, and shelter service providers to assess progress on the National Strategic Plan and chart a more effective way forward.
The Citizen
13-06-2025
- The Citizen
Fewer guns mean fewer funerals in South Africa
Gun violence still haunts South Africa despite crime drops. To save lives, we must urgently tighten firearm control laws. Every three months, we receive a new set of crime statistics. Numbers rise and fall and we talk about trends. But behind every number is a name, a family, and a future cut short. The latest Gauteng crime statistics, released by provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, show a 10.8% decrease in the murder rate – a welcome relief. But let's be clear: firearms are still the weapons most used to kill in this province and nationally. Imagine a taxi rank in Tembisa. Two men argue over a fare. One pulls a gun and suddenly, what could have been a fistfight, becomes a funeral. This is not a headline. It's real life for many in Gauteng. Road rage, alcohol-fuelled disputes, domestic fights – these situations turn deadly not just because of anger, but because someone had access to a firearm. ALSO READ: 13-year-old MP boy charged with attempted murder of cousin Despite the drop in murders, guns remain the leading method to murder in Gauteng and South Africa. That's like saying the fire is smaller – but it's still burning through homes. The statistics also reveal a chilling trend: 75 cases of multiple murders, with 191 victims. In two incidents, seven people were killed at once. Communities like Soshanguve and Kagiso are facing what can only be described as low-level warfare – yet it's often invisible to those watching from afar. What weapon makes it possible to kill that many people that quickly? You already know the answer. Kidnappings rose by 15.8%. Many of these abductions involved violence or threats – most often at gunpoint. The trauma doesn't end when a victim is rescued. Guns make it easier for criminals to control and intimidate. ALSO READ: Owning a gun can get you killed, says Gun Free SA The murder of 11 police officers – 10 off-duty, with these killings too often involving the officer's service gun being stolen, even after hours, when service guns should have been handed in by law, is a reminder that even trained professionals are not safe. If officers with firearms and training aren't protected, what chance does the average person have? We welcome the 2% drop in sexual offences and the awareness campaigns reaching thousands. But we cannot ignore this fact: a woman is five times more likely to be killed if her abuser owns a firearm. Removing guns from violent homes must be part of our gender-based violence strategy, yet SA's 2020-2030 National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide doesn't include a single mention of firearms. As Gun Free SA, we propose: Reducing the number of guns – legal and illegal; Accurate record-keeping is a pillar of effective gun control, yet our records are a shambles. We need to urgently fix the Central Firearms Registry, including reassigning management of the Registry if the SA Police Service can't deliver on it; Enforce the Firearms Control Act. It worked before – and saved thousands of lives. It can work again. But only with oversight, training and accountability; and Table the Firearms Control Amendment Bill to close loopholes. ALSO READ: South Africa's gun trade and its impact on Africa Four years of delay is four years too long. Parliament must table it, allow public input, and legislate for life – not death. What does gun-free safety look like? Like Thuli in Tembisa walking home without fear, like Sipho in Alexandra not flinching when a car backfires, like homes where anger doesn't end in murder by pulling a trigger. Let us recommit to making SA a gun-safe country. The fewer guns we have, the safer we are.
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'Love them, give them money': KZN premier's GBV poster slammed as 'patriarchal'
A government-issued gender-based violence (GBV) awareness poster has ignited a firestorm of criticism from gender rights activists who say the message is not only tone-deaf but dangerously reinforces harmful stereotypes. The poster, issued by the office of the KwaZulu-Natal premier, featured the slogan 'Asingababulali, Asibathande, Sibaphe imali', which translates to 'Let us not kill them, let us love them, let us give them money.' Hlanganisa Community Fund for Social and Gender Justice board chair Lebo Ramafoko has condemned the messaging as patriarchal and out of touch, especially given the alarming levels of GBV in the province. 'My first reaction after 35 years of doing this work was utter disgust and disappointment at a message that comes from a government that uses public funds in a province that has one of the largest cases of GBV,' she said in an interview with eNCA. 'After so many efforts, including a National Strategic Plan (NSP) on gender-based violence that had many sector stakeholders involved, not only is it tone-deaf but it reinforces stereotypes steeped in patriarchy about masculinity. If you read the message, it looks like it is directed at men, telling them to love women and give them money,' said Ramafoko. 'The *imali* (money) part mostly leads to abuse. It gives some men the impression that if I provide for her, she is my commodity. This vanity cannot be encouraged. The premier misread the room temperature on this one. This is a clear manifestation that our politicians are out of touch with reality,' wrote Lindile KaPhumelele Tshangisa Stuurman on Facebook. Another user, Nkanyiso Ngcobo, commented: 'Politicians are not in touch with the real societal issues. They just say things to grab public attention. This poster is dividing society and fuelling GBV.' Amid the widespread backlash, the premier's office removed the controversial poster from its official social media pages. The controversy comes at a time when KwaZulu-Natal continues to face alarming gender-based violence and femicide (GBV-F) statistics. The province has the highest rate of GBV-F incidents in South Africa, with cases ranging from domestic violence to femicide and sexual assault. During the provincial launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign last year, premier Thami Ntuli acknowledged the crisis. He revealed that the province has the fourth-highest ratio of rape cases at 17.3%, according to the police minister's second-quarter crime statistics for 2024. Speaking at the campaign's launch Ntuli noted that the province recorded 175 rape cases, 23 sexual assaults and 1,272 cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, all classified as domestic violence-related crimes. Some of these incidents occurred in educational settings: one at a crèche, 13 in schools and four at tertiary institutions. Ntuli said the campaign aims to tackle the root causes of GBV-F by promoting positive masculinity, advancing gender equity and creating economic opportunities for women and children. However, critics argue that the now-deleted poster undermines these very goals. 'This poster sends the wrong message,' said one activist. 'It reduces the solution to GBV to affection and financial provision, rather than addressing the deeper structural, cultural and economic inequalities that fuel it.'
