Gender-Based Violence

The Portfolio Committee on Police was briefed by the Civilian Secretariat for Police on the statistics relating to the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act. Despite previous outstanding reports, the reports tabled and discussed in the meeting showed that there were significant challenges that the SAPS faced in complying with the prescripts of the Act.

The Civilian Secretariat reported that none of the 546 police stations surveyed had achieved 100% compliance ratings. Furthermore, a total of 185 SAPS members were reported to have been offenders of domestic violence within the police stations visited. The Western Cape had recorded the highest number, with 74 members, and KwaZulu-Natal had recorded the lowest number, with two members. About 84% of the police stations visited had a Victim Support Centre (VSC), but the functionality of these centres varied.

The Committee was also briefed by the Wits City Institute on police accountability. The Institute’s study examined what oversight had changed in the policing of domestic violence, how oversight of the policing of domestic violence had changed between 2000 and 2016, and ultimately what needed to change in the policing of domestic violence.  This study had drawn information from annual and other reports produced for Parliament by the Independent Complaints Directorate, the Civilian Secretariat for Police and the South African Police Service, over the past 16 years. It had found that the Police Service reports were mostly inadequate, and the report of the ICD was the most detailed in assessing police accountability. It was pointed out that more frequent oversight was necessary. Committee Members and guests from the Women in the Presidency urged that greater compliance be emphasised through policy development, member training and harsher disciplinary measures.

In assessing police performance, the Commission for Gender Equality found that station commanders displayed some knowledge and understanding of the key challenges relating to gender-based violence in their areas. However, they were largely unfamiliar with some of the key national policy and legislative frameworks, other than the Domestic Violence Act, in dealing with gender-based violence and violence against children and women. The Committee is expected to have a follow up meeting with provinces in August.

In a separate meeting, lawmakers were briefed on the impact of the Gender Based Violence Command Centre project. The project serves as a response to establish a national Command Centre as one of the vehicles to implement gender based violence prevention.

The Command Centre operates a national 24/7 call centre facility with two 12 hour shifts starting at 7am. The facility employs social workers who are responsible for call taking and call referral. The centre operates an emergency line number – 0800 428 428. This is supported by a USSD ‘please call me’ facility *120*7867#. A skype line ‘Helpme GBV’ for members of the deaf community. An SMS based line ‘31531’ for persons with disability. (SMS Help to 31531). The centre is able to refer calls directly to SAPS (10111) and field social workers who respond to GBV victims. The centre presently employs 48 social work agents, 8 social work supervisors, 4 quality assurers and 1 centre manager on a three-year contract (1 April 2015 to 1 March 2018), to operate and offer services to victims of gender based violence. From 1 January - 31 May 2017, 54 332 telephone calls were received, 232 SMSes were received and 6 298 USSD messages were received. Calls were about a range of issues including physical violence, rape/correctional rape, indecent assault, bullying, incest, xenophobia, child custody, molestation, elderly neglect, child neglect, emotional abuse, substance abuse, human trafficking, forced initiation, child maintenance, labour dispute, as well as many other topics. The success of the project depends entirely on sound inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination on victim empowerment services. It has broadened the base of service delivery to the remotest and most underdeveloped areas of the country. Committee Members voiced concern that the incidents of GBV is escalating and that the statistics used by the Department of Social Development was largely based on police reports when most people do not report violence to the police. They pointed out that relying on government, rather than the people in the community, has gone wrong. Faith leaders, families, parents, women are very important in the prevention, care and support of GBV victims.  As part of its strategy, the government will arrange a mass media campaign which involves Brothers For Life and USAID. This will take place in August which is Women’s Month.