Why hasn't the government's 2019 Emergency Response Action Plan (ERAP) achieved better results?
It has achieved a lot. Its purpose was to unblock blockages in the criminal justice system, for example to ensure that GBV case backlogs are being moved.
They're still significant, aren't they?
Yes, because of forensic evidence processes and all those things. But ERAP has been facilitating improvements at police stations.
Why are so many domestic violence cases not followed up?
I'm not saying things are OK, but government is working on it. There have been many efforts and innovations and initiatives.
Why were almost 900 women murdered between July and September this year? Why are 116 women and girls being raped every day?
Preventing GBV is for society as a whole, it's not just the responsibility of government. That is why GBV continues, because everyone continues doing nothing to address it.
Civil society organisations say they're doing what they can but don't get adequate funding from government.
Who do they account to? You can't say they're not adequately resourced when we don't know what they're doing.
What happened to the president's GBV response fund?
The private sector GBV fund has been established, it's there. And they can't say government is controlling it, it's a private sector trust that determines who gets funding.
You question what civil society is doing, but where are the prevention efforts from government?
Different government departments are responsible for different things. For example, the department of basic education has amended its curriculum to inculcate the culture of no violence in learners.
Why aren't we seeing behavioural changes?
What kind of question is that? It starts from your family, how you are raised. That is why we are saying the national council on GBV is critical, because it is going to work with families. The challenge in South Africa is the collapse of the family structure in which a child can grow and be taught values.
Why has government dragged its feet over such a critical council?
I'm not sure how government dragged its feet. My department started developing this bill in 2021. It's been endorsed by the House of Assembly, now it's before the select committee of the NCOP. From there it will go to the president.
It starts from your family, how you are raised. That is why we are saying the national council on GBV is critical, because it is going to work with families
When will it be up and running?
That depends on when the president signs it. Then the process of developing the regulations, and then it needs a budget. Everybody knows National Treasury has a challenge in terms of finances, so it will also depend on that.
Do you have any influence in terms of improving the response of the criminal justice system to GBV?
Our mandate is to facilitate mainstreaming of women, youth and persons with disabilities in the entire business of government. That includes the criminal justice system.
So why are protection orders not providing protection?
A protection order requires a citizen who is law-abiding, who when the order says don't go near that woman will not go near her. The Domestic Violence Act as amended says if that person continues harassing her that person will be arrested.
Why isn't it being enforced?
Not all police are not implementing it.
