Gender-based violence now firmly in spotlight

Issues of domestic abuse and gender-based violence returned to the spotlight this week when popular musician Bongekile Simelane, aka Babes Wodumo, livestreamed being attacked on Instagram. The video went viral and, on Tuesday, her boyfriend – musician Mandla Maphumulo, better known as Mampintsha – was arrested. The alleged assault had South Africa split, with some vilifying Maphumulo and others coming out in support of him. It is too soon to judge the outcome of this case, but what it has done is reignite the debate around the growing epidemic of domestic violence in this country.

The Human Rights Commission, on its website, states that in South Africa three women die at the hands of their intimate partner every day. Victims of abuse are often too afraid or embarrassed to come forward.

In many instances, they are financially dependent on the perpetrator, or simply have nowhere to turn. As a result, these victims remain in unhealthy, toxic relationships.

There is a dire need for women’s shelters or places of safety for women who want to escape their abusive relationships. In the Buffalo City Metro (BCM), there are currently four safe houses where women can be referred to. However, there are no shelters on whose doors women can knock. The wheels of justice also turn too slowly for many of these victims.

The DA’s Bobby Stevenson, quoting stats from a parliamentary response last year, revealed that of the 5,187 incidents where violation of domestic violence protection orders was reported in the province during 2017-18, only 4,288 went to court and of those, only 866 were successfully prosecuted.

In 2017, the government declared violence against women a priority crime. Two years later and the country is still battling to effectively respond to the scourge.

However, not all hope is lost. President Cyril Ramaphosa has elected a steering committee made up of 30 people, including local women’s rights activist Lesley-Ann Foster, who will help establish a National Council on Gender-Based Violence.

One can only hope that, with this council, victims of domestic violence will finally have a voice and, more importantly, have their voices heard.

The HRC states that in South Africa three women die at the hands of their intimate partner every day