TIME HAS LONG BEEN UP ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Images: Supplied

While the world finds itself in the tumultuous ebb and flow of a global health pandemic, South Africa continues to fight its first pandemic that far precedes the COVID onslaught.

This country has earned infamy as “the destination of femicide” and the place where “women are endangered as a demographic”, and this notoriety reflects in the numbers too, as intimate partner violence in South Africa is five times the global average.

Additionally, statistics provided by SAPS revealed that reported rape cases for 2019/2020 tallied 42 289 and for sexual assault, 7 749 (Department of Police, 2020). Not taking into account the number of cases that remain unreported.

Of the widely publicised women who lost their lives to gender-based violence, Nosicelo Mtebeni, Uyinene Mrwetyana, Tshegofatso Pule, Anene Booysen, Reeva Steenkamp, Lulama Mvanadaba, and Gloria Sekome - amongst several other names - make up just a handful of names that fall under this chilling statistic:

“In the five-year period between 2015 and 2020, a total of 13 815 women over the age of 18 years were murdered, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS). That’s an average of 2 763 murders a year, or about seven women a day.” Mail & Guardian

South African women have marched - year after year, headline after headline - in a bid to garner the attention and action of our government. Several organisations continue to fight the good fight against the societal ill of GBV, rehabilitating survivors, creating awareness, and lending their resources and voices to annual causes such as that of the 16 Days of Activism.

But 16 days are never enough.

This is why the NS Impact Foundation and ERA by DJ Zinhle are offering awareness that lends itself to being better etched in the minds of South Africans. Because as many times in a day that you check the time on your wrist, a woman or a child's body is at risk of being a crime scene.

So this December, philanthropic organisation, NS Impact Foundation, proudly announced an exclusive partnership with ERA by DJ Zinhle and Superbalist.com to raise awareness for 16 Days of Activism and beyond, for 'No Violence against Women and Children'.

Exclusively partnering with leading online fashion retailer, Superbalist.com, NS Impact Foundation together with ERA by DJ Zinhle are running a campaign to raise funds for an anti-GBV shelter through the sale of the limited-edition watch. This exclusive watch represents a declaration against gender-based violence and stands as a badge of honour in support of the global #16DaysOfActivism campaign and beyond.

By purchasing the #TimeForChange watch, consumers will be raising awareness around the jarring statistics of violent crimes against women and children prevalent in our country.

“The statistics of gender-based violence in South Africa remain shocking, which is why we felt it was important for us to partner NS Impact on this initiative. We believe that this initiative will not only help raise awareness about gender-based violence in our country, but that the funds raised will make a difference in the lives of women and children at Green Door,” says David Cohen, co-CEO at Superbalist.

NS Impact Foundation CEO, Nosipho Fakude, had this to say about the significance of this collaborative campaign:

“As an NGO that has firmly adopted the United Nations’ sustainability goal for gender equality, we hear of different GBV cases daily. This forms part of our core focus and this has served as an important reason to drive a campaign that uplifts women who are in domestic abusive homes, especially during this awareness period against GBV.”

Further highlighting what the foundation stands for, Nosipho expresses that their “core belief and value at NS Impact Foundation is to aid those less fortunate by doing a good deed a day.”

“We have had an incredible year as a foundation with our various campaigns such as Breaking Bread, where we fed over 1000 people in KZN communities; and more recently, where we aided the elderly community in Soweto with a physical wellness day. As 16 Days of Activism wraps up across the globe, we knew we had to do something impactful and meaningful to highlight what this period stands for and continue in the fight against gender-based violence.”

ABOUT THE WATCH

Set in a classic ERA by DJ Zinhle casing, the #TimeForChange watch powerfully reaffirms that “a woman is a rock” - the well-known isiZulu adage; “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ iimbokodo”.

The watch is now available for purchase on Superbalist.com, with all proceeds of the watch going towards Green Door - a GBV Safe Haven for survivors, which has been identified as a beneficiary for this campaign.

Located in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, Green Door offers a lifeline that includes shelter, counseling, and support to victims of gender-based violence. The NGO, founded and led by Brown Lekekela, has been aiding survivors since 2013 when it was launched in conjunction with South Africa’s 16 Days of Activism.