Western Cape social development held a GBV summit in Moorreesburg along 240 NGO representatives. Image: Western Cape Government Department of Social Development
‘Dreams’ of ending GBV can’t be achieved without communities
Social development’s Sharna Fernandez says ‘dreams’ of ending the gender-based violence and femicide pandemic unrealistic without communities.
Western Cape social development held a GBV summit in Moorreesburg along 240 NGO representatives. Image: Western Cape Government Department of Social Development
In the wake of national statistics indicating over 1400 attempted murder of women cases for the first quarter of the 2023 year, the Western Cape’s social development department held a one-day summit in Moorreesburg, focusing on solutions to the gender-based violence and femicide (GBV-F) pandemic.
Police minister Bheki Cele reported, “969 women were killed in the same period, and over 15 thousand women were assaulted, and the South African Police Service (SA police service) are investigating assault GBH cases.”
GBV plans will amount to nothing without on-the-ground input
At a town hall meeting involving 240 NGO representatives, Sharna Fernandez said, “National and provincial governments can dream up the best plans, but without municipal- or community buy-in, these will come to nought.
“My hope for today’s summit was for different role-players to collaborate to find sustainable solutions to the scourge of violence plaguing women, children, members of the LGBTQIA+ community… who are abused by their partners,” she said.
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Fernandez said a unique situation existed on the West Coast, directly proportional to the resources residents have at their disposal.
West Coast District deputy mayor Sandra Crafford said with funding, a GBV referral pathway is on the cards to be digitised. The pathway focused on the steps for abuse victims to follow.
“We are in the process of also creating a digitized version of this booklet, which will be distributed in all public spaces,” Crafford said.
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Municipal spokesperson Heinrich Robertson said the funding would help serve a plan for five municipalities – Swartland, Saldanha, Bergrivier, Cederberg and Matzikama.
“We are heavily dependent on statistics from the SAPS, but as the district municipality, we believe that sharing of information and awareness can reduce GBV in our region. To aid this, we have adopted a 365-Day approach to partner with various stakeholders to address GBVF in communities,” Robertson said.
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