South African lawmakers are urging the government to reclassify gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster, using a section of the Disaster Management Act that would provide emergency funding to address the crisis. The call comes after a recent surge in GBVF cases, including the murder and sexual assault of several women in Ekurhuleni.
The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and People with Disabilities noted that the GBVF crisis has worsened despite being declared a national disaster last year. Committee chair Liezl van der Merwe stated that the current classification does not seem to have "teeth" and is merely ceremonial without dedicated funding.
In November last year, the government classified GBVF as a national disaster under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, allowing government departments to reprioritize existing funds and strengthen coordination across spheres of government. However, this classification did not provide additional funding, and MPs argue that it has not led to tangible improvements for affected communities.
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has also expressed concerns about the classification, stating that the government opted for a section of the Act that is under existing frameworks and budgets, rather than Section 27, which has been used for natural catastrophes like floods and Covid-19 and unlocks funding and extraordinary executive powers.
Calls to South Africa's GBV Command Centre surged to 589 in a single day as demand for support climbed sharply in September. Shoki Tshabalala, a deputy director-general at the department of women, youth and persons with disabilities, confirmed that the classification did not receive any funding and that it called for the reprioritization of budgets from existing departmental baselines.
Van der Merwe stated that the classification of GBVF as a national disaster gave people "false hope" and that declaring GBVF a national disaster without allocating funding appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction. She called on the government to invoke the section of the act that would allow the National Treasury to release funds, which could be used to employ more social workers, buy more rape kits, and train police officers on GBVF issues.
The MPs' concerns highlight the need for a more effective response to the GBVF crisis in South Africa. The government is urged to take concrete steps to address the crisis, including providing dedicated funding and implementing measures to prevent and combat GBVF.
Key points
- MPs are calling for the government to reclassify GBVF as a national disaster using a section of the Disaster Management Act that would unlock emergency funding.
- The current classification of GBVF as a national disaster has not led to tangible improvements for affected communities due to a lack of dedicated funding.
- The government is urged to provide additional funding to address the GBVF crisis, including employing more social workers, buying more rape kits, and training police officers on GBVF issues.
