The Gauteng Provincial Government has completed 21 of the 67 directives aimed at strengthening the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), with another 38 currently underway. Premier Panyaza Lesufi released the progress update on Sunday, 1 November, approximately 33 days into the 90-day programme announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa following his address to the nation on 29 September.
The President called for urgent action to address the country’s GBVF crisis, issuing four key directives. These include resolving outstanding cases of murder, attempted murder, rape and serious sexual offences against women and children, clearing forensic laboratory backlogs, conducting safety audits in high-risk municipal areas and developing a coordinated plan to reduce alcohol-related violence. Following an Intergovernmental Relations meeting on 2 October, Gauteng developed a Provincial Implementation Plan and added a fifth priority focused on improving shelters and support services for survivors.
According to the latest report, eight directives have not yet started, while four that previously showed no progress have moved into implementation. To improve the handling of GBVF cases, the province has recovered crime kits from Thuthuzela Care Centres across all five districts and submitted them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for processing.
Investigating officers are also now required to take crime kits to medical examinations to prevent delays in collecting forensic evidence. Three key measures to address forensic backlogs have been completed, including establishing an Identification Task Team to conduct digital fingerprint audits of unidentified women and children. Priority DNA and forensic samples linked to rape cases and the murder of women and children have also been secured for focused attention. Municipal safety initiatives have also recorded progress, with Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni reported to be fully compliant with safety standards and submitting regular progress reports.
In Johannesburg, major risk areas have been mapped, while 10 previously hijacked or illegally occupied buildings have been prepared for public use. Tshwane has cleared overgrown vegetation around high-risk transport stations, while Ekurhuleni has inspected all local taxi ranks and identified broken CCTV systems for repairs.
The province has also intensified efforts to address alcohol-related violence. Officials have conducted 7,322 liquor outlet inspections, resulting in 20 closures, 459 notices for non-compliance and 566 referrals to the Liquor Inspectorate for further inspections. A further 41 joint enforcement operations have been conducted.
Support services for survivors have also been identified as a priority. Gauteng currently has 18 shelters providing 363 beds and seven Thuthuzela Care Centres, alongside expanded psychosocial support services. Despite the progress, the provincial government acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in clearing forensic backlogs, recovering outstanding case information and speeding up municipal safety interventions.
“Protecting our women and children is an absolute priority that demands immediate action, as delayed justice is no justice at all,” the provincial government said.
The government has committed to continuing with weekly progress monitoring and transparent reporting to ensure that the interventions lead to improved protection for women and children and that perpetrators are brought to justice.
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