Activists caution political parties against using GBVF to gain votes

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Gender-Based Violence and Femicide activists in Kimberley in the Northern Cape are cautioning political parties against trivialising and using GBVF as a means to garner votes. Ahead of the 2024 provincial and national elections, political parties are promising to take measures to fight the scourge through various means. These include empowering the police and changing how the justice system deals with perpetrators of GBVF.

Violence against women and children remains a challenge in the country, with everyone seeking solutions to curtail it.

The governing African National Congress (ANC) has promised to expand victim support services, like the Thuthuzela Centres and GBV desks in police stations, among others. The Democratic Alliance (DA) says if it gets elected, it will embark on training staff at police stations for GBV-specific services, so that victims receive justice while their dignity is maintained.

However, activists want more.

“If anyone can say, we are attaching a time frame to what we have already said then I can maybe take that person on and say okay you have done this and we will be expecting an answer or accountability in three months or three days. But everyone is saying it for the hype, nothing serious about it,” says GBV activist Poppy Thebe.

In their manifesto, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says it will strengthen and resource forensic laboratories for the provision of quicker and more efficient DNA testing for GBVF crimes.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) promises to revisit legislation to ensure that bail is denied to perpetrators of violence against women and children, particularly murder. The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) says the parole system also needs serious revision, particularly when it comes to protecting victims.

GBVF Activist, Hebert Muller says she hasn’t seen the political parties support GBVF survivors.

“What is happening on the ground, you will not see them coming down to the people to the victims and support them. Sometimes they can speak big about Gender-Based Violence but to execute their promises, it is not showing on the ground.”

Hebziba Counselling And Healing Centre Founder, Charmaine Ramasedi says she is not convinced.

“It did not sound convincing for me, it did not sound genuine for me. It’s like they just do it because the nation is doing it because they are mentioning it but we don’t see the actual work. So for me, it’s not genuine and I think even those who are mentioning it, it’s for votes.”

Crime Statistics show that in South Africa, more than 8 000 women and more than 200 children were killed between July and September last year.

The women and men who work closely with survivors and victims of violence against women and children say they will be monitoring closely whether political parties will, in fact, keep their promises.

Northern Cape women call for more action against GBV and femicide: