The South African Police Service says gender-based violence is among the specific areas of focus in its annual National Safer Festive Season Campaign.
The campaign is being launched in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.
#sapsHQ Members of the community and various invited dignitaries are starting to arrive at University of Venda Stadium in Thohoyandou to witness the national #SaferFestiveSeason launch. #PoliceVisibility ME pic.twitter.com/IkaMwY0ZXl
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 3, 2022
It is a precursor of the festive season operations which will be rolled out in each province to ensure the safety of members of the public, businesses, and holidaymakers in the country.
Police spokesperson Major-General Mathapelo Peters says:,“Our first focus area will be around GBV and Femicide and domestic violence. We’ve said before that we cannot really as the police prevent that because most of the GBV-related crimes happen behind closed doors. But, in terms of our awareness campaigns, we’ll assist victims of crime, as well as how we treat them when they arrive at our police stations, and to prioritise the investigation of these crimes.”
Increase in GBV incidents
President Cyril Ramaphosa told the second Presidential Gender-Base Violence and Femicide Summit (GBVF) in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, that he and his ministers must account to the public for the continued high number of attacks that continue to be perpetrated by men on women and children in the country.
Ramaphosa has acknowledged that the incidence of GBVF continues to increase despite government efforts to counter the problem.
The President says the high number of attacks on women and children is worrying.
He says the amendment acts he signed into law earlier this year is one of the many efforts by government to address the scourge.
Slow pace
Activist, Sibongile Ndashe says little has been done to address the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa.
Women’s groups and civil society organisations have long called for government’s urgent intervention on the matter.
Ndashe says much of the summit’s work was hindered by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She elaborates in the video below:
