​The Gauteng Department of Social Development, Ekurhuleni Regional Office, has recorded over 637 cases of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) between the months of October 2023 and November 2023.
According to Social Work Manager, Grace Moloi, Etwatwa was amongst the areas with a high rate of GBVF cases in Ekurhuleni. 
This led to the Gauteng Department of Social Development in partnership with the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality Council, law enforcement, civil society and other government departments, to organise an awareness a march against the abuse of women and children in Etwatwa on Tuesday, 28 November 2023. 
"We are here in Etwatwa to commemorate 16 Days of Activism and to raise a voice against the brutal and violent behavior perpetrated by men against innocent women and children." 
"As a Department through our GBV Unit we assist victims with their court orders, we offer counseling and place them in our shelters for abused women and children. These shelters also assist with skills development programmes so that survivors exit shelters with a proper plan that will sustain them and their families," said Moloi.
She added, "We also work in collaboration and fund non-profit organisations such as People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), Sechaba Community Care Centre, and Lifeline so that they reach out into places that we cannot reach as the Department."
Lt. Colonel KT Mabilu from the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Etwatwa, said that femicide, rape and domestic violence still plague the country at a rapid pace. 
"From April 2023 to November 2023, Etwatwa SAPS recorded 343 criminal cases of domestic violence, rape, assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH) which were reported in the area".
"Assault with grievous bodily harm remains a problem in Etwatwa and happens mostly during weekends. The causes of these crimes are liquor related. So, we found out that in a month, we report about 30 cases of assault GBH," said Lt. Colonel Mabilu. 
Nokuthula Mahlangu, a survivor of gender-based violence from Daveyton, said that due to life circumstances, she found herself in a shelter for abused women and children, the Theodorah Ndaba Victim Support Centre in 2014.
"I was placed in the shelter with my son because I had challenges growing up and the violence that took place. I was able to complete my matric, and they assisted me in applying for NSFAS to study towards a degree in social work with the University of South Africa." 
"Currently, I work as a qualified Social Worker in the very same shelter that accommodated me when life gave me the worst, they also took my son to a day care facility at no cost," said a proud Mahlangu.
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign for No Violence against Women and Children is an annual United Nations (UN) awareness campaign that begins on the 25th of November until the 10th of December. 
South Africa adopted the 16 Days Campaign in 1998 as one of the intervention strategies towards creating a society free of violence. The campaign has also been extended to include issues relating to violence against children. It primarily focuses on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children, people with disabilities and older persons as the most vulnerable groups, as well as the society as a whole.