Latest news with #CrimePreventionandSecurity
The Citizen
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
'Domestic abuse is not entertainment': Government slams 'Isencane Lengane'
Moja Love has responded to the backlash... South Africa's Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS), along with advocacy groups and concerned viewers, has criticised Moja Love's reality show Isencane Lengane for allegedly showcasing domestic abuse. The backlash follows a recent episode, on 20 April, of Isencane Lengane that sparked public outrage, leading to growing calls for the show's cancellation. In the episode of the show that follows a young married teenage couple, Thando Msomi and Siyacela Dlamuka, Siyacela threatened to beat Thando with a sjambok during a heated argument. JCPS condemned the channel, saying airing content that portrays domestic abuse under the guise of entertainment is dangerous. 'Media platforms have a moral and social responsibility to promote content that upholds the dignity, safety, and rights of all individuals. 'Broadcasting acts of domestic abuse or violence in any form — whether under the guise of reality television or entertainment — is a gross violation of this responsibility. It sends a dangerous message that violence can be exploited for public spectacle,' the statement reads. [DOMESTIC ABUSE AND GBV ARE NOT ENTERTAINMENT!] Media platforms have a moral and social responsibility to promote content that upholds the dignity, safety, and rights of all individuals. Broadcasting acts of domestic abuse or violence in any form — whether under the guise of… — South African Justice, Crime Prevention & Security (@RSA_JCPS) April 22, 2025 Activist group Women for Change also slammed Isencane Lengane, accusing the channel of normalising and trivialising gender-based violence. 'By broadcasting such abuse without adequate intervention and accountability, Moja Love is normalising and trivialising gender-based violence, sending the harmful message that abuse is acceptable if it brings in viewers. 'In a country where women and children are raped, beaten, and killed every day, this kind of programming is not only tone-deaf — it is a betrayal of every victim and survivor.' ALSO READ: Moja Love didn't want to 'throw Xolani Khumalo under the bus' as 'Sizok'thola' host returns Moja Love responds to 'Isencane Lengane' backlash Responding to The Citizen's media enquiry, Moja Love said that complaints have been lodged with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) and are being handled by the channel's legal department. 'It is important to mention that the show is a reality series that showcases real-life stories and embraces various cultural aspects of the lives of the main cast. 'The channel does not condone any acts of violence and/or intimidation,' the channel added. Moja Love further cited a 2023 BCCSA Tribunal ruling, which found that the show had not violated any broadcasting codes in a previous case. The tribunal reviewed an episode aired on 22 January 2023, in which the channel was accused of airing gender-based violence without critique. According to the judgment, the BCCSA found no breach of Clause 10 of the Code of Conduct, stating that there was no incitement to violence or advocacy of gender-based hatred. NOW READ: Dr Brian addresses 'malicious' rumours about his breakup with Minnie Dlamini
Zawya
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
South Africa: Government launches 90-day blitz to crush Gender-Based Violence and Femicide
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).
