Social Development Minister Dina Pule has called on South Africans to speak out against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and not wait to report abuse before it escalates into tragedy.
Pule’s call comes as the country prepares to mark Women's Month in August.
The Minister said ending GBVF requires collective action from both men and women, stressing that early reporting could save lives.
"When you see the signs of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, you must not wait until it is too late. You must immediately inform the police and social workers, who will come in to assist so that we avoid bigger challenges. If we don't break the silence, we end up in very serious situations," Pule said in an interview with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
The Minister said her involvement in women's organisations while growing up, gave her first-hand insight into the challenges faced by women and girls, as well as elderly women, many of whom continue to experience abuse.
She said the prevalence of GBVF had prompted government to treat the crisis as a national priority, with President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring it a national disaster.
Pule also appealed to men to play a leading role in preventing violence against women.
"Men are the protectors of women, including wives, mothers and children. There is no man who was not born of a woman, and I don't understand how any man would want to hurt women," she said.
While incidents of GBVF often receive increased public attention during Women's Month, Pule said South Africans should strive to make this year's commemoration in which fewer cases of abuse are reported, to show that men have learned a lesson, one or two to make sure that they protect women of the country.
Women's Month is commemorated annually in August to honour the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the apartheid government's pass laws. The march has become a symbol of women's courage and the ongoing struggle for gender equality, with the month serving as a platform to celebrate the achievements of women while highlighting the challenges they continue to face.
Despite constitutional protections and a range of government interventions, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide remain among South Africa's most pressing social challenges, with government, civil society organisations and communities continuing to intensify efforts to prevent violence, support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. – SAnews.gov.za
