DEPUTY DIRECTOR -GENERAL SHOKI SHABALALA UPDATES MINMEC ON GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO GBVF NATIONAL DISASTER

By Precious Mupenzi

• Government has established eight interdepartmental workstreams to coordinate and strengthen the national response to GBVF.
•  Victim support services have been expanded through the establishment of additional Thuthuzela Care Centres and shelters in previously underserved districts.
• A stronger focus on prevention, accountability and community mobilisation is being prioritised to address the root causes of violence.

Members of the Social Development MINMEC received a progress report on the implementation of measures following the classification of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster. The report provided an update on actions undertaken across all three spheres of government to strengthen coordination, improve service delivery, mobilise resources and accelerate interventions aimed at addressing the GBVF crisis.

Presenting the report, Deputy Director-General for Social Development in the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Shoki Shabalala, outlined the progress made in implementing measures arising from the national disaster classification. She reported that eight interdepartmental workstreams have been established to coordinate efforts related to prevention, law enforcement, legal reform, data management, communication, monitoring and evaluation, accountability, and funding.

She noted that departmental plans have been aligned to the national response framework, while the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has been activated to coordinate implementation and strengthen collaboration across government.

Ms Shabalala also highlighted progress in expanding support services for survivors of GBVF. This includes the establishment of two additional Thuthuzela Care Centres and the expansion of shelter services, particularly in districts where such facilities were previously unavailable. These interventions have improved access to psychosocial support, healthcare services, skills development opportunities and other survivor-centred support programmes.

Addressing policy challenges, Ms Shabalala noted that inconsistencies remain within legislation and policy frameworks relating to the age of consent, access to contraceptives, termination of pregnancy services and child protection measures. To address these challenges, the Department has requested the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to convene a colloquium aimed at exploring the harmonisation of legislation and service delivery frameworks.

On prevention, Ms Shabalala acknowledged that greater progress is needed to address the root causes of violence. She highlighted the Positive Masculinity Programme, a G20 legacy initiative scheduled for launch in Mpumalanga and targeted at GBVF hotspot areas. The programme seeks to challenge harmful gender norms, address toxic masculinity, and tackle the links between GBVF, alcohol abuse and substance misuse.

She further emphasised the need for a deliberate shift towards prevention-focused interventions, cautioning that government would continue to bear the costs of remedial programmes if sufficient investment is not directed towards prevention and behaviour-change initiatives.

The report also highlighted ongoing capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening the skills of law enforcement officials, healthcare workers and social service practitioners to deliver survivor-centred services and improve integrated responses to GBVF. In addition, a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, anchored in a Theory of Change and measurable indicators, is being developed to strengthen implementation tracking, accountability and coordination.

Addressing the financial implications of the national disaster classification, Ms Shabalala reported that significant funding gaps remain across national, provincial and local government. While departments have been requested to prioritise GBVF interventions within existing budget allocations, many municipalities continue to face financial constraints that limit implementation.

In response, she encouraged municipalities to strengthen community mobilisation efforts and forge partnerships with business, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders and civil society structures.
“Municipalities do not always need large budgets to make an impact. They can mobilise society and encourage businesses and communities to work together against crime and gender-based violence,” she said.

Concluding her presentation, Ms Shabalala stressed that ending GBVF requires a coordinated whole-of-society response, with government, communities, civil society and the private sector working together to prevent violence, support survivors and create safer communities for all.