Report on gender-based violence out for public comment

Murdered Karabo Mokoena's charred body was found in a shallow grave in Johannesburg. FILE PHOTO: Supplied/ Mokoena's social media

Murdered Karabo Mokoena's charred body was found in a shallow grave in Johannesburg. FILE PHOTO: Supplied/ Mokoena's social media

Published Sep 7, 2019

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Johannesburg - When Karabo Mokoena was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend last year, it shone light on an increasing problem of femicide in the country and President Cyril Ramaphosa initiated a steering committee to look into the issue.

The draft report by the gender-based violence and femicide steering committee was released for comment last month with little fanfare.

After the death of Uyinene Mrwetyana, the UCT student who was raped and murdered at a Post Office, female activist groups around the country have been calling for institutional change into how the government deals with GBV and femicide.

The report titled “National Gender-Based Violence & Femicide Strategic Plan” looks into possible legal, social and economic strategic solutions that would stem the rate of femicide and GBV in SA.

If the report does pass through Cabinet, it would require government to commit to invest more in women shelters for GBV victims, addressing pay parity in government and private sectors, municipal safety audits, a reconfiguration of the SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority) along gender lines and a JSE listing requirement of 50% women representation at board level over the next five years.

While the report acknowledges the laws and legislation put in place to protect against abuse, it calls on more effective response from the Saps.

“Filling the gaps in implementing existing laws and policies will improve the quality and consistency of already legally mandated police, judicial and health services. Existing legislation directly addressing different forms of violence against womxn(sic) should be reviewed and revised to align with international law and best practice,” the report says.

The report draws parallels between the economic disparity between men and women and how women denied socio-economic rights have a higher exposure to being abused.

“The prioritisation of womxn in land ownership access and control. Womxn’s access to a basic income grant. The need to do away with labour brokers and other forms of outsourcing. An immediate stop to all farm evictions (and) an investment into the education of girls, particularly within the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) area,” the report suggested as solutions.

The report also calls for an increase in maternity benefits so that women can still provide for their families during maternity leave.

Mandlakazi Masindeni, a member of the women’s intersectional movement, The Total Shutdown, said the report was in line with the organisation’s demands of government reform.

“Most of the 24 demands are incorporated into the report, so we are happy about that. We need a budget,” she said.

Comments on the report can be emailed to [email protected] and the deadline is September 15.

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