‘Educate against GBV’ as Ekurhuleni murders spark national outrage

The Ekurhuleni region has experienced a surge of murders that have shocked South Africa and sparked national outrage. Safer South Africa Foundation chair Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to combat gender-based violence (GBV), stating that it cannot solely rely on police efforts. Communities, professionals, and the judiciary must all play a role in addressing this issue.

Cebekhulu-Makhaza expressed concern over the criminal justice system's fragmented approach, as different agencies work in silos, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in monitoring offender behavior and producing accurate crime statistics. He criticized the police for their flawed crime statistics, which only focus on numbers rather than convictions, offender behavior post-sentencing, and reintegration outcomes.

To prevent violence rather than react to it, Popcru established the Safer SA Foundation, which has launched school-based programs nationwide to educate children about crime and criminality. The foundation plans to integrate GBV education into these programs, aiming to instill in young minds that violence against women is unacceptable.

Former national police commissioner and Safer SA Foundation CEO Ria Phiyega announced that the foundation targets hotspot schools across all nine provinces, inviting parents to participate and exposing pupils to the criminal justice system's workings. While some suggest employing school security guards, Cebekhulu-Makhazu dismissed this as a reactive measure and advocated for schools and communities to be informed about basic laws to combat the notion that ignorance of the law is a valid defense.