South Africa is grappling with a surge in gender-based violence, particularly in the Gauteng province, where eleven women's bodies were found across Ekurhuleni. The government has responded by establishing a multi-disciplinary task team and appealing to families of the missing to come forward for DNA identification. However, a quieter and more consequential story is unfolding in Grabouw, Western Cape, where a diplomat-turned-activist, Ruby Marks, and Transnet's Phelophepha health train are taking the fight against gender-based violence to rural communities.
Ruby Marks, who carries the GBV portfolio for the Beijing+30 Platform of Action in South Africa, believes that interventions must be located in grassroots communities, particularly in rural areas. Her organization has partnered with Transnet to bring GBV counselling and training to the Phelophepha health train, a travelling clinic that visits 73 communities annually, providing primary health care services to rural communities. The train has reached 24 million clients over the years and is now being used to offer GBV counselling services.
The Phelophepha health train has been equipped with clinical psychologists who have developed a GBV counselling training manual. Marks's team will offer individual and group counselling sessions, as well as a workshop for men, in an effort to engage them in the fight against GBV. This approach is significant, as Deputy President Paul Mashatile has emphasized the need for men to be at the forefront of condemning such violence.
According to Marks, the need for GBV services is huge in Grabouw, with between 80-100 protection orders issued monthly, but only about 5 cases receiving follow-through. She attributes this to an economic trap, where women are enmeshed in relationships of dependency with their partners, making it difficult for them to leave. The National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has also warned that economic dependence traps women in danger.
Geography also plays a significant role in perpetuating GBV, with most incidents concentrated in settlements housing seasonal workers on apple and grape farms. The inaccessible roads and lack of proper land allocation and basic services make it difficult for authorities to follow up on cases. Marks criticizes the use of the term "informal" to describe these settlements, arguing that they have been in existence for a long time and require proper services.
The Phelophepha health train has created a safe and clean environment for women, men, and children to receive assistance, with dignity being a key aspect of the intervention. Marks praises the dedication and professionalism of the healthcare staff on the train and expresses gratitude to Transnet and Phelophepha for their willingness to include GBV counselling and training.
The initiative in Grabouw serves as a model for addressing GBV in rural communities, highlighting the importance of community-based interventions and the need for a holistic approach that includes job creation, domestic violence shelters, and economic empowerment. As South Africa continues to grapple with the scourge of GBV, innovative approaches like the Phelophepha health train offer a glimmer of hope for a more effective response.
Key points
- The Phelophepha health train has reached 24 million clients over the years, providing primary health care services to rural communities.
- Only about 5 out of 80-100 protection orders issued monthly in Grabouw receive follow-through.
- The initiative in Grabouw serves as a model for addressing GBV in rural communities, highlighting the importance of community-based interventions.
