​More than 120 000 cases of gender-based violence were recorded by the government run Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Command Centre in the first three weeks of the national lockdown.
This was revealed by the Gauteng Social Development, MEC Morakane Mosupyoe during a webinar on gender-based violence and femicide hosted by the Gauteng Department of Social Development on Saturday.

Mosupyoe added that a similar call centre in Pretoria was receiving up to 1,000 calls a day from women and children who were confined to abusive homes seeking urgent help.

MEC reiterated that according to research, the country already had five times higher than the global average and the female interpersonal violence death rate.

Before the outbreak of the coronavirus, South Africa was the fourth-highest out of the 183 countries listed by the World Health Organisation in 2016. Evidence has now emerged that suggests cases of violence against women are increasing.

“In addition, the national lockdown has prevented access to civil service groups dedicated to supporting victims of GBVF. Within our communities, there is also stigma associated with sexual violence. Together, these factors contribute to the under-reporting of GBVF cases. Women then die in silence, fearing secondary victimisation,” said Mosupyoe.

The department hosted this webinar to engage with the community of Gauteng on issues of gender-based violence as well as to consolidate new interventions.

The webinar called on government to relook at it’s interventions. Summarising inputs from participants, Social Welfare and Specialist Services Chief Director, Tebello Mkhonto, said there was a need for all government departments to reprioritise interventions on GBVF. They must also strengthen the perpetrator programme, so that they realise that whatever they are doing is wrong,”

Aspiring 17-year-old poet and a Grade 12 learner at Eldomaine Secondary School, Candise Khumalo said she wants to study a Law Degree so that she can stand up and advocate for the rights of women and children.

“After completing my matric, I want to study Law. I want to change the world, I believe that I can change someone’s mind set. Through my voice, I intend to speak for the voiceless,” said Khumalo.

She added that women should not let their gender determine their destiny.​