South Africa: Government launches 90-day blitz to crush Gender-Based Violence and Femicide

Zawya

16-04-2025

The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster Ministers and senior officials convened a special sitting on Monday, 14 April 2025, under the leadership of Cluster Co-Chairs, Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu.
This urgent meeting was convened in response to the alarming surge in Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) incidents across the country. It culminated in the adoption of a 90-day acceleration programme to intensify the national response and fast-track the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.
Recognising the gravity of the crisis, the Cluster resolved to revitalise and urgently reconstitute the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on GBVF, with a formal request to the President for its re-establishment under the 7th Administration. The IMC's inaugural meeting is scheduled to take place within two weeks. It will serve as the central coordinating mechanism to expedite government interventions, resolve systemic bottlenecks, and ensure measurable progress.
A dedicated GBVF Priority Committee will also be established within the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), co-chaired by the Departments of Social Development and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. This structure aims to improve the coordination of frontline security and protection interventions.
Acknowledging the inadequacy of relying solely on the national government for local-level interventions, the Cluster directed the revitalisation of JCPS structures across all provinces. Provincial JCPS Committees, comprising security cluster executives and senior officials, will be established to drive targeted and localised implementation of GBVF interventions. The Cluster further directed the activation of government machinery at the grassroots level, with a strong emphasis on community mobilisation and the involvement of local structures in the fight against GBVF.
To address inefficiencies within the criminal justice value chain, a team of senior officials has been tasked with aligning police, prosecutorial, and correctional services systems to eliminate delays in GBVF case processing. Departments have also been instructed to identify critical institutional gaps and propose actionable, time-bound measures.
The meeting mandated the consolidation of GBVF-related statistics across the JCPS value chain, from arrest, prosecution, conviction to incarceration, into a single integrated report. This report, along with each department's intervention points, will be submitted to the IMC.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has been instructed to coordinate a national webinar on GBVF, led by government experts, and to deliver targeted communication training to officials. The training will focus on ensuring message alignment and professional public engagement. The Cluster also resolved to prioritise the accelerated rollout of Thuthuzela Care Centres across all provinces to provide holistic, survivor-centred support services.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development was specifically tasked with urgently addressing the repair and maintenance of SOS systems in court facilities. This is aimed at enhancing safety for survivors and witnesses, especially minors, and ensuring the prevention of secondary victimisation. Further, the meeting underscored the need to rebuild the social fabric of society, particularly the family unit, as a foundational step in the long-term prevention of GBVF. Departments were directed to develop results-driven action plans with clear timelines, defined target communities, and measurable outcomes.
To strengthen the National Council on GBVF, departments will propose sustainable funding models and nominate board members at Deputy Director-General level or higher to reinforce institutional capacity. The meeting further resolved to intensify training across the Cluster on the revised legislation, regulations, and guidelines for handling GBVF cases. In addition, concern was raised about the growing number of children arrested for sexual offences, prompting a directive for NATJOINTS to develop an appropriate and urgent response to this emerging crisis.
Importantly, the Cluster affirmed the need to reclaim the national narrative on GBVF and broader security matters, ensuring that government, not external actors, leads public discourse on these issues. This 90-day blitz marks not only a declaration of intent but the beginning of a coordinated, government-wide campaign to end GBVF. Implementation began immediately following the meeting, and the Co-Chairs emphasised that incremental change is no longer sufficient.
Government enters this period with full force, calling on every organ of state and sector of society to play an active, decisive role in eradicating GBVF.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).