Calls for govt to strengthen support for GBV victims

A civic organization in the Free State province has urged the government to bolster support for families impacted by gender-based violence and femicide. Thoko Nogabe, the founder of Buang Basadi, stated that the province is currently grappling with a GBVF crisis and that organizations require sufficient funding to aid affected families.

Nogabe emphasized that government assistance should not only encompass psychological counseling but also involve regular check-ins, providing basic necessities, and offering emotional support to families who have lost loved ones due to GBVF. She lamented that numerous families are grappling with the consequences of losing breadwinners.

"When we claim we will distribute food parcels, let us provide those food parcels. If we promise to purchase school uniforms, we must fulfill that commitment. We cannot simply show up during funerals or after learning of someone's brutal demise and then vanish; they need ongoing support. When perpetrators are brought to court, we must be present, as there is no greater pain than seeing family members in court."