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500 signatures reached
To: President Ramaphosa, Premier Lesufi & Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD)
Why are GBV services closing during a GBV pandemic President Ramaphosa?
People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) has supported GDSD with Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) services for decades, enabling GDSD to meet several Constitutional obligations, including the right to human dignity under section 10 of the Constitution; the right to be free from all forms of violence in terms of section 12 of the Constitution.
The President and Gauteng Premier claim that they care about addressing GBVF, yet GDSD has created a funding crisis which means that organisations like POWA are facing closure. The country has a National Strategic Plan on GBFV in which DSD has a substantial role in its successful implementation. Taking away funding from POWA is counterproductive and undermines women and GBVF survivors in the country.
In addition, the lack of continued funding from GDSD for the 2024/25 fiscal year has had adverse effects on POWA:
- More than seventy-four staff members have been retrenched as of 1 April 2024. This equates to 80% of the POWA staff complement.
- The POWA admin staff have received salary cuts as of April 2024.
- POWA is facing imminent closure due to a lack of funding from the Department.
We demand proof that they take GBV seriously by immediately acting to solve the funding crises and stop organisations like POWA from closing their doors. Pledges and empty promises don’t help those impacted by GBV, but organisations like POWA do!
We call on you to:
- To reinstate funding for POWA 2024/2025 and future funding.
- To reinstate the three-year funding cycles for the future stability of POWA and other affected NPOs.
- Just as state employees enjoy annual salary increases, so must the subsidies allocated to POWA staff also be increased annually.
- To stop the yearly unreasonable funding reductions and recall of funding.
- We demand meaningful engagement with POWA and other organisations affected by this crisis.
- We call on the GDSD to acknowledge the traumatising cost of the last few months to NPOs, POWA beneficiaries, and staff.
- Critical services should be reinstated with immediate effect.
Why is this important?
We have to act now, POWA urgently needs our help. If enough of us come together, we can force President Ramaphosa and Premier Lesufi to act. The team at POWA are doing everything they can, but they need our help. GBVF is a priority in South Africa and a serious social ill that affects women and children. Our President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa declared GBFV as a national pandemic. POWA provides critical services that help
victims and survivors. Cutting funding undermines victims.
“While we wait, women continue to die at the hands of men!” - POWA's executive director, Thoko Budaza.