R186m GBV budget risks becoming ‘lip service’, warns Action Society

Action Society has warned that the R186-million allocation for forensic and investigative capacity in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement may not improve justice for women and children unless government publishes a detailed, costed implementation plan.

The warning comes after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced at least R4 billion in additional funding for interventions dealing with the causes and consequences of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

“Government cannot expect applause simply for attaching a rand value to its promises,” said Juanita du Preez, national spokesperson for Action Society.

“A woman waiting for DNA results or a family watching a murder case stall needs to know when the evidence will be processed and who is responsible for moving the investigation forward.”

What Treasury announced

Godongwana told the National Assembly that the government would make R3.8 billion available to employ 3 500 social workers to strengthen GBVF prevention.

Forensic and investigative capacity will receive R186 million, while the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities will receive R157 million to improve oversight of the government’s GBVF response.

The minister also announced plans to increase the number of specialised sexual offences courts from 55 to 101, and Thuthuzela Care Centres from 72 to 80. However, these are targets for 2029, not immediate commitments.

“We are making additional resources available to implement these measures, but this progress is no reason for complacency,” Godongwana said.

Questions over the R186m

Action Society said the R186-million allocation lacks basic delivery details, including how much will reach specialist police units and forensic laboratories, which vacancies will be filled, and what improvements victims can expect and by when.

It wants Treasury and the responsible departments to publish the funding periods, departmental breakdowns, recruitment and deployment plans, forensic turnaround targets and deadlines for stalled cases.

“The public deserves to know how government decided that R186 million would meet the forensic and investigative needs identified in its GBVF response,” said Du Preez. “What assessment informed this amount? How many additional analysts and specialist detectives will it fund? What reduction in backlogs will it purchase? The speech leaves these questions unanswered.”

Call for same urgency as crime operations

Action Society contrasted the GBVF allocation with the R823-million set aside for military assistance to police in the fight against gang-related crime and illegal mining.

It said the larger allocation showed that government could move quickly and commit substantial resources when it chose to do so, and argued that the same urgency was needed for the sustained investigative work required in cases of violence against women and children.

Support services ‘cannot replace detectives’

Action Society acknowledged the recruitment of social workers and the planned expansion of sexual offences courts and Thuthuzela Care Centres.

But it warned that these services would not be enough if investigations and prosecutions remained weak.

“Social workers cannot replace detectives, and additional courts cannot resolve cases that never reach trial because evidence is outstanding,” said Du Preez. “Government must fund and repair the entire route from reporting an offence to securing a conviction.”

Private laboratories proposed

Action Society also called for public-private partnerships to help reduce forensic backlogs.

It proposed bringing accredited private laboratories and specialist technical experts into a structured programme to process evidence and strengthen capacity. It said this should happen alongside continued investment in public laboratories and specialist investigators.

“The same speech promotes public-private partnerships for infrastructure,” Du Preez said.

“Government must apply that willingness to draw on outside expertise to the forensic failures that delay justice.

“These partnerships must operate alongside sustained investment in public laboratories and specialist investigators, with clear standards, state accountability and measurable results.

“Women and children need permanent improvements that survive beyond a budget speech or a temporary deployment.

“Without a funded delivery plan and public accountability, these announcements remain promises. Government must show exactly how this money will make victims safer and justice more certain.”