South Africa’s government has committed R5.1 billion towards strengthening gender-based violence prevention, survivor support and justice services, including recruiting 3,552 social workers across provinces nationwide.
The funding commitments, announced during the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, are intended to address gaps in frontline services and strengthen implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF).
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga welcomed the allocations during a strategic engagement with the Commission for Gender Equality on 13 November 2026.
The engagement focused on Pillar 3 of the national plan, which addresses justice, safety and protection for survivors of gender-based violence and femicide.
Of the announced funding, R3.8 billion has been allocated over the medium term to recruit 3,552 social workers across the provinces.
These professionals are expected to strengthen prevention programmes, early intervention, psychosocial support and victim empowerment services.
The investment addresses an important part of South Africa’s GBVF response: ensuring that survivors can access trained professionals who provide assistance beyond the initial reporting of violence.
The broader funding package also includes R186 million to strengthen forensic and investigative capacity, alongside plans to expand sexual offences courts from 55 to 101.
Thuthuzela Care Centres, which provide coordinated services to survivors of sexual violence, are also expected to increase from 72 to 80 by the 2028/29 financial year.
A further R157.4 million has been allocated to the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities to strengthen coordination and oversight of GBVF initiatives.
Chikunga said the commitments represent progress in addressing financial constraints that have limited implementation of the national strategy.
“These investments demonstrate government’s commitment to prioritising GBVF prevention and improving support services for women, children, and vulnerable communities,” she said.
However, the Minister acknowledged that both the National Strategic Plan on GBVF and the GBVF Disaster Management Plans remain unfunded mandates, despite the newly announced allocations.
She emphasised that sustainable, dedicated funding would be necessary to translate government commitments into effective services and measurable improvements in survivor protection.
The next phase of implementation will place greater emphasis on accountability, measurable outcomes and strengthening the capacity of provincial and local government structures.
Priorities include improving coordination across the criminal justice system, strengthening survivor-centred services, expanding prevention programmes and improving the collection and reporting of GBVF data.
Government also intends to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems, institutionalise the work of the National Council on GBVF and improve accountability across departments responsible for implementing the national strategy.
These measures are intended to address the gap between national policy commitments and the services available to people experiencing violence in their communities.
Chikunga stressed that government action alone would not be sufficient.
She called for greater participation from businesses, civil society organisations, organised labour, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations and communities.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of involving men and boys in challenging harmful gender norms and promoting positive attitudes towards gender equality and non-violence.
The announcement comes ahead of the 2026 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which begins on 25 November.
This year’s theme, “Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls Working Together to End Gender-Based Violence and Femicide”, places collective responsibility at the centre of the national campaign.
For government, the immediate challenge will be translating the announced funding into additional social workers, functioning support services, improved investigations and more accessible justice mechanisms.
The effectiveness of the investment will ultimately be measured by whether survivors receive timely assistance, institutions respond more effectively and communities experience meaningful improvements in safety and protection.
