The National Prosecuting Authority has
partnered with Vodacom South Africa and the GBVF Response Fund to open a
Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) at Cradock Hospital in the Eastern Cape. TCCs
are a one-stop facility, established as part of South Africa’s strategy to
address gender-based violence, reduce secondary victimisation, improve
conviction rates, and expedite case finalisation.
The Thuthuzela project is led by the NPA’s
Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit (SOCA), in partnership with
various departments and donors as a response to the urgent need for an
integrated strategy for prevention, response and support for victims of
gender-based violence.
TCCs offer a holistic approach that allows
victims to safely report GBV and receive immediate medical attention and
counselling in one location. In this way, victims receive the appropriate
support without secondary victimisation. TCC staff also assist survivors in
opening a police case, whether immediately or at a later stage, and for cases
that proceed to trial, the TCC provides ongoing counselling and court
preparation.
“Establishing
the TCC at Cradock Hospital demonstrates our commitment to fighting the scourge
of GBV in this country through strategic collaboration with the key organs of
the state. As part of our pledge to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s GBVF Response
Fund, we are partnering with the NPA to implement TCCs across the country.
Through these efforts, we continue to empower survivors in safe spaces and
contribute to building an inclusive society. Our integrated GBV ecosystem
depends on critical partnerships between government, organisations, communities
and individuals to enhance efforts in overcoming this societal ill. Only by
standing together can we make a lasting meaningful impact in changing lives and
eradicating GBV once and for all,” says Sitho Mdlalose, CEO of Vodacom South
Africa.
The newly opened Cradock facility is one of 65
TCCs established since 2006, with Vodacom assisting with the building of
another centre in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga province. TCCs operate 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, ensuring that survivors have access to care and support
whenever they need it.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, National
Director Of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi says: “The objective
of the Centre is to be a one-stop centre that provides the most comprehensive
support and pretrial services (i.e. psycho-social, medical, legal) available to
GBV victims in South Africa. At the heart of the model is its focus on
minimising secondary victimisation of the victims once entering the system on
their journey to becoming survivors. This is achieved through quality trauma
containment assistance to victims, forensic medical examinations, the reduction
of case cycle periods in the finalisation of the cases and improvement in the
conviction rate of these cases.”
Sazini Mojapelo, CEO of the GBVF Response Fund
commented: “The pivotal role of funds lies in catalysing the establishment and
refurbishment of Thuthuzela Care Centres(TCCs), thereby strengthening the
Private-Public Partnership between the private sector, government and
other stakeholders. This collaboration ensures a concerted effort towards the
realization of Pillar 3 of the country's National Strategic Plan for
Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), which prioritizes the assurance of
justice, safety, and protection. Additionally, it aligns with Pillar 4, which
is focused on response, care, support, and healing, thereby reinforcing a
comprehensive approach to addressing GBVF issues”.
GBV is a pervasive and urgent issue and it
requires a comprehensive and sustained effort from all aspects of society to
effect widespread change and combat it. South Africa has one of the highest
rates of GBV in the world. According to the country’s latest crime figures, the
South African Police Service recorded 12 211 rape cases and 2114 sexual
assaults between October and December 2023. Statistically, the majority of
these offences were committed at victims’ residences.
Vodacom
through its Foundation has made an ongoing commitment to tackling GBV as part
of its gender empowerment strategy. Working
in partnership with government and civil society organisations, the telco’s GBV
ecosystem approach includes prevention and response; and victim support and
empowerment. This framework ensures that as a business, Vodacom takes concerted
action into overcoming this societal ill while making a sustainable impact on
the communities in which we operate. Vodacom’s GBV initiatives include training
victims of GBV in the Department of Social Development overseen shelters,
psychosocial support in schools, in partnership with the Department of Basic
Education, building Thuthuzela centres in partnership with the NPA for
referral of victims of GBV and the Bright Sky SA app, which offers risk
assessment and provides information on GBV and support services.
By: Nana Appiah
Acquaye