The newly launched Information Communication Technology will assist to track down Gender-Based-Violence cases within the province of Mpumalanga.
The Enhlanzeni district municipality had partnered with PHEPHA Africa (Be Safe Africa) with the aim to introduce a faceless way of reporting cases without intimidation and using the South African Police Service database to fast track cases of women and children abuse
According to PHEPHA Africa founder, Khensani Mathebula, the app will be available without costs with trained social auxiliary moderators to assist and assess incoming calls made by gbv victims.
“This initiative was born after we have realized that when we talk about gbv, we go to the streets and protests, we realized that we needed to come up with something unique that will reach to the ears of men and women. We are not only standing for women in particular but we standing for both genders because the abuse happens both sides”.
Mathebula added that they are not promoting that gbv is a result of men being triggered.
“When we say the abuse happens both sides, we mean that when it is being triggered on the other side without being attended to it ends up bringing bad results to the responder,” He added.
The Ehlanzeni Moyar, Cllr Jesta Sidel also expressed her excitement with the ICT program.
“The question of our women being killed every day by partners and kids being raped among others, we are angry and we need to channel our anger to responding to this challenge. We want to call all our local municipalities to follow what the district municipality has done in terms of us adopting a gender strategy in which the objective seeks to encourage our women to come out and talk about these experiences of abuse that they are experiencing in their homes”.
The initiative also boasts partnerships with the Department of Home Affairs, the South Africa Police Service (SAPS), and the Department of Social Development.
The Moyar added that they are aware that even in churches the abuse is also rife in women and children adding that this program will enable victims to record incidents of violence anywhere at home and in public places.