Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Monday that the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide persists in South Africa and requires a full year of action, not just 16 days, as he gave the keynote speech at the opening of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women And Children campaign in Rustenburg.

The campaign runs between November 25 and December 10, and this year’s theme is ‘30 Years of Advancing Collective Action to End Violence Against Women and Children’.

Mashatile pointed to the recent statistics, released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), which show that one in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence, while one in five has been sexually abused.

Further, the HSRC’s first-ever GBV survey showed that more than 33% of South African women have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, while 9.8% have faced sexual violence. About 7.3-million women have experienced physical abuse, while 2.1-million have experienced sexual violations.

The prevalence of physical abuse was significantly higher among Black African women who were cohabiting or not married, as well as women aged between 18 and 24 years.

About one in four women have been victims of emotional abuse in their lifetime.

“These data present a bleak picture of the scope of GBV in our society. This catastrophe impacts millions of South Africans while undermining the pillars of our democracy and economic prosperity. This is not the South Africa we want!” he said.

Data that shows an intimate partner or family member kills a woman in South Africa every three hours, underscores the urgent need for continued efforts, said the Deputy President.

He called for collaboration to make government’s vision of no GBV and femicide by 2023 a reality.

Further, he pointed to a “moral decline in standards” when speaking of child pregnancies, many of which he said were the results of rape and sexual abuse.

According to Stats SA, last year's births to teenage girls aged 10 to 19 years represented 12% of all births, totalling 102 648.

“These are not just numbers. They are young girls who should be in school, playing with their friends, dreaming about their futures, and building their hopes. We must understand that child pregnancies do not happen in a vacuum. They are the result of deep-rooted socioeconomic, cultural, and educational issues," Mashatile said, urging society to report these cases to the police.

He assured of the government’s commitment to combatting GBV and femicide and pointed to various initiatives and laws passed in the last year.

He also spoke of using technology in the fight against GBV.

“We must have zero tolerance toward gendered violence in online and digital spaces. The rise of the digital economy and the increasing use of technology in our daily lives have introduced new avenues for perpetrators to harm, exploit, and abuse women and children. From cyberbullying and online harassment to the dangers posed by social media platforms, digital spaces can become breeding grounds for violence,” Mashatile said.

He added that mobile apps and AI should also be harnessed in the pushback against GBV and femicide.

Meanwhile, Mashatile urged a collaborative approach between all sectors of society, but particularly from men and boys.

“We must engage men and boys in this struggle because their participation is essential to ending GBV and femicide. We cannot build a society free from violence if we do not challenge the harmful attitudes, stereotypes, and toxic masculinity that perpetuate it. These deep-seated beliefs are learned and passed down through generations, and it is only through collective action that we can begin to shift this culture. We must fight GBV from its root causes,” he said.

Mashatile called on government, traditional leaders, faith-based communities, civil society, business, development partners, communities, and individuals to commit to the fight against GBV, which he said would determine the future of South Africa.

“As we mark these 16 Days of Activism, let us renew our resolve and stand united in this fight for the sake of our mothers, daughters, sisters, and all women in our land. To all women who currently find themselves victims of GBV, we want you to know that we are here for you, we love you, and we encourage you to speak out, and step out. As the government, we will do all it takes to protect you and ensure you have a prosperous future,” he ended.