The following is the response provided by the Office of the Premier of the Western Cape on behalf of the Western Cape Government on December 5, 2024 to Waging Justice for Women initiative at the Clooney Foundation for Justice:
“This is invaluable research that the Western Cape Government will be able to put to good use for our residents. While tragically it confirms much of what we already know, we deeply appreciate constructive efforts to better understand the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) so we can work even more closely with our partners both in civil society and in other spheres of government to combat this scourge. This kind of empirical data can only strengthen the on-the ground knowledge and experience of our officials and help us improve the work we currently do. We welcome research that adds to our body of knowledge and provides concrete evidence that highlights the various challenges survivors of GBV face.
GBV affects not only residents of the Western Cape. It is, tragically an issue that knows no borders, impacting people worldwide.
Many of the issues raised by survivors in the report must be addressed by the South African Police Service (SAPS), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Judiciary – over which we as the provincial government have no control. If the Western Cape Government had more authority over the SAPS for example, an issue we have been continuously agitating for, we could remedy many of the deficiencies in policing and supporting survivors of GBV to ensure that they get the justice they rightly deserve.
We agree that GBV survivors must be helped and empowered by a functional, empathetic system that provides the care, respect, and dignity they deserve and have a right to. We furthermore agree that increased accountability and survivor-centered training for police, medical practitioners, prosecutors, judges, and others working with survivors in the justice system is an immediate necessity, as well as enhanced accessibility to and provision of survivor-centered services in police stations, hospitals, courts, and at every touchpoint for survivors in their fight for justice.
We agree that more training is needed for frontline officials in survivor-centered training and enhancement of accountability mechanisms to ensure officials are conducting themselves appropriately. The need for increased funding and resource allocation highlighted by the report cannot be emphasised enough. This is something we as the Western Cape Government are continuously fighting for: fair funding that allows us to adequately bolster support services that are critically needed such as those for GBV victims and survivors.
Increased coordination and case tracking at every phase is critical to ensure that survivors are adequately supported. Fighting Gender-Based violence is complex and programmes and processes should be monitored and reviewed. The Report on Barriers to Justice makes a meaningful contribution to that fight.
Our government also believes strongly in addressing the root causes of violent crime, including GBV. We have established a Violence Prevention Unit, which is managed by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness. Utilising health data for example this approach allows us to better understand the nature of crime so we can more optimally make use of our health resources.”