Pretoria - Minishter of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille has committed to making state-owned properties available for the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
She said this when visiting three Tshwane police stations, where new anti-GBVF billboards were erected.
She said this was to show the government's solidarity with communities and families affected by GBVF.
This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s launch of the GBVF Response Fund1 in February, which is being led by the private sector, and for which R128 million has been pledged by companies to fight the scourge.
Commemorating Women's Month, De Lille visited the Eersterust, and Mamelodi east and west police stations, where the billboards were erected, following on from the erection of an anti-GBVF billboard on Kgosi Mampuru Road in Pretoria.
De Lille said the department was working to expand the anti-GBVF advocacy communication campaign to all provinces, and 12 properties had been made available to house shelters for GBV victims, split evenly between Gauteng and the Western Cape.
She said: “The billboards are placed in areas most afflicted by crime, to ensure that we put these messages in the faces of those who hurt and kill our women and children. The billboards also publicise the number of the GBV command centre, where communities and victims of GBV can get help to ensure that we save more lives and put an end to this scourge.
“My appeal, to families and community members, is to also work with us and help victims by supporting them and helping them to report abuse, as this can save a victim’s life.
“Too often people are afraid to speak out for fear of tarnishing the family’s name, but the lives of our women and children are worth more, and we must do all we can to protect them and bring those who hurt them to book.”
Pretoria News