The South African Police Service (SAPS) has detailed a series of targeted interventions aimed at addressing gender-based violence and femicide (GBV&F) as well as crimes against children, following a parliamentary question from Inkatha Freedom Party MP Liezl van der Merwe.

Revised GBV&F Action Plan and Oversight Structures

Central to SAPS’ response is its GBV&F Action Plan, which was initially finalised in March 2021 and revised in January 2025. The plan is structured around the pillars of the National Strategic Plan on GBV&F and includes prevention strategies, improved victim support services, and the professionalisation of SAPS responses.

To enforce governance, a National Steering Committee on GBV&F and an Inter-Divisional Forum have been established. These structures are tasked with ensuring accountability and coordination across police divisions.

Short-Term Acceleration Plan and Enforcement Mechanisms

In parallel, SAPS launched a 90-Day Accelerated GBV Plan from 1 May to 31 July 2025. This initiative focuses on enhancing victim services and tightening procedures for dealing with offenders.

SAPS members are also bound by a set of GBV&F-related national instructions. These directives cover a range of issues, including domestic violence, sexual offences, human trafficking, and protection of children. Any violation of these instructions is treated as misconduct and processed under the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016.

A joint compliance forum with the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service monitors adherence to the Domestic Violence Act. Routine compliance assessments are also conducted at station level.

SAPS allocated R50 million in the 2024-2025 financial year for GBV&F-related programmes. This budget supports training, strengthens Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units, and backs public awareness campaigns.

In a longer-term move, SAPS is implementing an Infrastructure Development Plan (2024–2029), aimed at equipping 95 police stations with victim-friendly facilities.

Several community-oriented projects form part of SAPS’ broader strategy:

• GBV&F Tavern Project: Initiated in 2023/24, this project involves collaboration with tavern owners in 30 high-risk areas. It includes educational murals, awareness messaging and roundtable discussions involving patrons and stakeholders.

• Children’s Awareness and School Safety: SAPS is working with the Department of Basic Education to implement school safety programmes, and has partnered with civil society organisations to create safer community spaces for children.

• Public Awareness Campaigns: SAPS actively participates in key national observances including Child Protection Week, Youth Month, Victims’ Rights Week, Disability Month, and the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence on Women and Children.

To improve public accountability, SAPS operates a national complaints system. Victims and citizens can lodge service-related complaints via the National Service Complaints Call Centre on 0800 333 177, through email at complaintsnodalpoint@saps.gov.za, or by using the “Service Complaints” function on the MYSAPS mobile app. Complaints are logged and tracked with specific timeframes for responses.

While SAPS has outlined a broad and structured approach to tackling GBV&F and crimes against children, the effectiveness of these interventions will ultimately depend on implementation at station level, sustained funding and rigorous oversight. With GBV&F rates still unacceptably high in many precincts, continued monitoring and transparency will be critical to restoring public trust and ensuring meaningful change.