CAPE TOWN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday announced the launch of a 90-day blitz -- a coordinated government-wide campaign -- as part of its intensified efforts to end gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
This came after a special meeting of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster ministers and senior officials on Monday, under the leadership of cluster co-chairs, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi and Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu.
According to a statement issued Wednesday by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), the urgent meeting was convened in response to the alarming surge in GBVF incidents nationwide, which culminated in "the adoption of a 90-day acceleration program to intensify the national response and fast-track the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF."
"This 90-day blitz marks not only a declaration of intent but the beginning of a coordinated, government-wide campaign to end GBVF. Implementation began immediately following the meeting, and the co-chairs emphasized that incremental change is no longer sufficient," it said.
A key resolution is to urgently reconstitute the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on GBVF, said the statement. A formal request for its re-establishment has been submitted to the president, with the inaugural IMC meeting expected within two weeks.
In addition, a dedicated GBVF Priority Committee will be established within the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), co-chaired by the Department of Social Development and the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
"To address inefficiencies within the criminal justice value chain, a team of senior officials has been tasked with aligning police, prosecutorial, and correctional services systems to eliminate delays in GBVF case processing," the statement said, adding that government departments have also been instructed to identify institutional gaps and propose practical, time-bound solutions.
The JCPS Cluster has mandated the consolidation of GBVF-related statistics -- tracking cases from arrest to incarceration -- into a single integrated report. This data, along with each department's intervention points, will be submitted to the IMC.
The cluster also resolved to fast-track the rollout of Thuthuzela Care Centers across all provinces. These one-stop facilities offer holistic, survivor-centered support services and have been critical to South Africa's anti-rape strategy by helping prevent secondary victimization and building strong prosecutable cases, according to the statement.
A further concern raised at the meeting was the increasing number of children being arrested for sexual offenses, and NATJOINTS has been directed to develop an urgent and appropriate response to this emerging crisis, the statement added.
