GOOD Statement by Patricia De Lille,
GOOD Leader & Minister of Public Works
11 December 2022
While the “16 Days of Activism” campaign has come to an end the objective of eradicating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) will not be achieved through ad hoc campaigns themed around Women’s Month and 16 Days.
The fight to eradicate GBVF should continue for 365 days a year.
On Women’s Day, in August this year, I committed GOOD to continue to campaign, on an ongoing basis, against Gender Based Violence and Femicide until every woman and child is safe.
As part of this, GOOD invested resources in our “Don’t Shut Up, Speak Up!” Campaign launched in Langa, Cape Town, encouraging communities to break the silence. Too many victims suffer in silence while the rest of us simply turn a blind eye. This allows the scourge to continue.
We understand that reporting abuse, as a victim or to assist a victim, is complex. Economic and gender power dynamics in domestic relationships and households create barriers for victims of violence and abuse to escape it.
Our campaign encouraged victims to report their abusers and to alert them to the support that is available to them by calling Government’s GBVF helpline, 0800 150 150.
We have continued to run this campaign since we launched it in August, into the 16 Days and will continue to do so, long after today.
We are encouraged by the reach of our campaign on social media and on radio.
Our “Don’t Shut Up. Speak Up!” social media messaging has already managed to reach over 2.5 million people, while our radio campaign was pushed out across 17 radio stations to a combined listenership of 783 00 people per week.
Out of all of these people reached, if we managed to save one life, or assist just one victim, then we will forever be grateful for the intervention and our campaign would be more than worthwhile.
One in every five women in South Africa experiences some kind of abuse and statistics show that more than 50% of these cases include close family members or friends.
This horrible reality needs drastic action.
However, change will not happen overnight and will not possible without consistent efforts and ongoing support for our vulnerable communities, including the LGBTIQ+ community, who are living in fear, many even in their own homes.
At the same time, in my capacity as the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure I have initiated and led our Department to join the fight against GBVF using our public property portfolio, which we are the custodians of.
We launched a communication campaign flighting 20 anti-GBVF billboards on prominent public buildings and at Police Stations across the country.
We have also so far released released 12 unoccupied state-owned properties to the Department of Social Development in Gauteng, Western Cape and most recently in the Free State for safety shelters for victims as well as a GBVF command centre. More than 20 other properties are in the process of refurbishment and will soon be able to support our most vulnerable communities.
This work has also been complemented through donations of much needed secondhand furniture to non-governmental organisations, which provide shelter and services to victims of GBVF.
As South Africans across all sectors we need to tackle this scourge from every side – and on every day of the year. GOOD remains committed to doing this.
Media Enquiries:
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za