Deputy Police Minister, Cassel Mathale says the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide is a 365 day a year strategy.

Mathale was answering questions during a Peace and Security Cluster oral reply session in the National Assembly.

Thursday  marks the beginning of the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign of No Violence against Women and Children.

Mathale says, “Our fight on the 16 days of Activism is a problem that the SAPS has declared a fight against GBV to be a 365 Days intervention. In addition to this, the Ministry has ensured that matters of GBV remain part of all our community engagement activities. Provinces were also requested to develop plans for ongoing campaigns for Gender Based Violence to be conducted throughout the year.”

Western Cape

Police in the Western Cape have launched the province’s 16 Days of Activism campaign of No Violence against Women and Children, calling on each citizen to be an activist against this type of violence.

Provincial Commissioner General Thembisile Patekile says the province is one of only two in the country that showed a decrease in gender-based violence numbers, when the quarterly statistics were announced last week.

Women and children say they live in fear and need authorities to step up action against perpetrators of gender-based violence.

Calls have been made to members of the community to pledge to work in unity to clamp down on the scourge, with the youth especially making an impassioned plea, also calling for an end to the scourge.

VIDEO: Western Cape police launch 16 Days of Activism against GBV campaign: