How the Western Cape Government is tackling violence and supporting GBV survivors
The Western Cape intensifies joint efforts to prevent violence and support GBV survivors through strengthened partnerships, data-driven interventions and community volunteers.
Image: Supplied
Ahead of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, the Western Cape Government has highlighted its integrated approach to crime prevention, violence reduction and gender-based violence (GBV) support through engagements in Delft and Khayelitsha.
In Delft, where 130 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers work with SAPS daily, safety partners outlined successes and challenges. Delft Police Station Commander Brigadier Celani Sihlali said, “This is not an ‘us and them’ issue. We are all in this together in preventing and fighting crime.”
Premier Alan Winde said collaboration across government and civil society remained key. “We are utilising all the resources we have at our disposal to deal decisively with violent prevention. Every single person in this province deserves to feel safe,” he said.
Earlier, Winde and provincial Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais met Violence Prevention Unit (VPU) coordinators at Khayelitsha District Hospital. The VPU uses real-time trauma data to identify violence hotspots and guide coordinated interventions. It has also expanded its Planet Youth programme, surveying more than 49 000 learners in 123 schools to strengthen long-term violence prevention.
At the gathering, Winde stressed, “Violence prevention is a long-term investment because we have got to change the way people behave. It is not a quick fix. We need to stay the course and showcase more of this work being done at the grassroots level to give hope and opportunities to the children at risk of getting involved in crime and violence.”
Marais added, “Safer communities are our shared responsibility… We all need to work together: Government, residents, and civil society.”
In Khayelitsha, 91 mobile phones were handed to social workers for the Social Work Integrated Management System (SWIMS) application. The Premier and Social Development Minister Jaco Londt also met GBV Ambassadors, part of a programme with more than 600 volunteers. Ambassador Soeraya Davids said, “People can rely on us because we’re taking their hand… to the last step.”
At Bishop Lavis Police Station, Sergeant Sheldon Daniels said, “Some survivors come here in tears and leave with a smile.”
The province also noted the call for a national shutdown on Friday protesting violence against women and children.
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Cape Argus