Government has reaffirmed its commitment to confronting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) with urgency through a four-point recovery plan announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, to strengthen the national response.
The plan seeks to strengthen the systems of policing, investigation, forensic processing, prosecution and community safety required to protect women and children and ensure that victims and survivors have access to justice.
Among the measures is a national case-recovery operation targeting unresolved cases involving murders, attempted murders, rape and serious sexual offences against women and children.
The recovery plan also includes measures to reduce forensic backlogs and improve turnaround times for priority GBVF cases.
In a statement issued by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Thursday, Government said the measures were aimed at strengthening the criminal justice response and ensuring that cases involving GBVF are dealt with more effectively.
The intervention comes amid continued efforts to strengthen the State's response to GBVF and improve the ability of law-enforcement and justice institutions to investigate cases, process evidence and bring perpetrators to justice.
Communities urged to play their part
Government has also called for heightened community vigilance and participation in local structures to help make neighbourhoods safer.
Communities have been urged to work with law-enforcement agencies by reporting criminal activity, providing information that can assist investigations and supporting survivors of GBVF.
“The fight against GBVF and crime requires Government to act decisively, institutions to perform effectively, communities to remain vigilant and every sector of society to reject violence,” Government said.
The call extends to all sectors of society to challenge attitudes and behaviours that contribute to violence against women and children.
Government has particularly called on men and boys to play an active role in confronting GBVF by speaking out against violence, challenging harmful behaviour and rejecting notions of masculinity that normalise domination, abuse and violence.
“Silence and turning a blind eye to abuse cannot become normalised,” Government said.
Government said South Africans must stand together against GBVF, crime, intimidation and violence, while exercising their constitutional rights peacefully and within the law. – SAnews.gov.za
