Johannesburg - Police top brass led by Minister Fikile Mbalula and other stakeholders will on Thursday hold a dialogue session on how to best fight gender-based violence. The indaba will run for two days.
"The Indaba which will be hosted under the theme 'Ayihlome Against Gender-Based Violence' and will afford the minister an opportunity to unpack his six-point plan on gender-based violence and encourage role players to work together on initiatives that will prevent and reduce the scourge of women and child abuse,'' said police spokeswoman Colonel Athlenda Mathe.
August is women's month in South Africa, but comes as violence and crime against females and children have increased in recent times.
Mbalula is leading a campaign to clamp down on these crimes, working with the Department of Social Development and non-governmental organisations.
NGO People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) on Tuesday launched a mobile app called the POWA GBV, which enables access to emergency assistance and the sending of distress messages by victims. The app was developed by POWA in association with mobile operator Vodacom, the SA Police Service (SAPS) and the department. The services requested through the app would be coordinated and implemented through a command centre at the department.