Gender-Based Violence Call Center Reports 21% Increase in Calls Amid Concerns Over Women's Deaths in Ekurhuleni

The Department of Social Development reported an alarming increase in calls related to gender-based violence (GBV) received by its 24-hour Gender-Based Violence Centre (GBVCC). This surge followed a series of femicide cases in Ekurhuleni, where the police identified the names of seven out of nine murdered women.

Some victims were found with missing body parts, while the bodies of others were discovered naked or partially clothed, with some showing signs of injury.

Among the victims were named individuals such as Busisive Malangu, found on July 15, 2026, in Kempton Park, and Itumeleng Kekana, found on August 3, 2026. The tragic discoveries continued with Nomphesane Mjobo, whose body was found on August 26, 2026, and an unidentified woman swimming in the Clayville River in Olifantsfontein on September 7, 2026.

The level of violence escalated with the discovery of Graceys Nkomo and Elizabeth Moselakgomo in Kempton Park on September 10 and 12, 2026, respectively. Another victim remained unnamed until family notification, and Dineo Motapane and Jabulile Ntimba were tragically found on September 15 and 17, 2026.

Police have not yet confirmed whether these cases are connected or if one perpetrator is involved. The identification of names occurred against the backdrop of Gauteng police beginning an investigation after the grim discovery of a young woman's body in Soweto on Sunday.

According to police, this woman's body was wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a waterway in Moroka on Sunday evening. Sandy Goldwan, speaking on behalf of the Department of Social Development, noted that the increased public attention to femicide and gender-based violence is evident.

Preliminary statistics showed that from September 1 to September 16, the GBVCC received a staggering 6,782 calls, averaging 424 per day. This represents a notable increase of 21% compared to the previous month, when the centre recorded an average of 350 calls daily.

The final days of this two-week period were marked by a sharp increase in calls—from September 13 to September 16, daily appeals reached around 500, peaking on September 16 with the highest number recorded at 589 calls. This coincided with the escalation of violence against women and widespread fear among communities, particularly noticeable in the Ekurhuleni district of Gauteng province.

During the sixth National Shelter Meeting held in Gauteng on Wednesday, Minister of Social Development Dina Pule emphasized the need to strengthen both national and global efforts to prevent gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

This year's theme was set as 'Social Integration of GBVF Interventions.' Delegates from the Department of Social Development (DSD), the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), and shelter representatives noted during the meeting in Gauteng on Wednesday the need for closer cooperation and collective action to address GBVF issues.

The Department stated that since its establishment in 2021, this meeting has served as an important professional platform for officials, participants, and stakeholders striving to eradicate GBVF, allowing them to exchange knowledge, experience, and lessons learned.

Furthermore, the meeting provides participants with an opportunity to develop strategies for effectively addressing the problems, gaps, and challenges affecting the provision of services to affected women and their children.

Promoting Social Cohesion

One of the topics discussed on the first day of the meeting was tolerance. Government and shelter representative organizations agreed that promoting tolerance and social cohesion is crucial for making progress in combating the GBVF crisis.

The Department of Social Development leads the Fourth Pillar of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF), which focuses on support, care, assistance, and healing.

Dina Pule highly commended the continuous support provided by NSMSA and the Heinrich Böll Foundation over six years.

Pule addressed shelter staff, social workers, counselors, and support personnel, saying: 'I greet you. Your work is at the forefront of our national response. You are the hands reaching out to survivors, the voices breathing hope into despair, and the guardians of dignity when it has been most cruelly taken away.'

She noted that the statistics necessitating such a statement remain shocking. 'One in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence. Three women are killed by their intimate partners every day. Between July and September 2025 alone, over 2000 survivors sought help at Thuthuzela Care centers. Approximately 65% of all registered victims of gender-based violence in some provinces are children,' she stated.

Crime Asset Recovery Fund Account

Pule also expressed gratitude to the department for the work conducted in 134 operational shelters, made possible through the joint efforts of her department and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).

She reported that through funding from the Crime Asset Recovery Account (CARA), the department acquired nine vehicles for anti-trafficking shelters (TIP) across nine provinces. Additionally, the department is establishing four integrated Khuseleka centers in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Pule emphasized: 'Social integration is not an abstract concept. It requires concrete actions. Survivors must be at the center of policy, services, and resource decision-making. Their voices must guide our actions.'

Saving Lives

The National Development Agency (NDA) plays a vital role in the economic empowerment of women and GBVF victims. Pule explained that the NDA served as a mechanism through which DSD directed and utilized funds allocated from CARA for the Victim Empowerment Program through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which provided direct and indirect support to GBVF victims.

This program ran from 2020 to 2023, allocating 95 million rand. Pule concluded: 'To the shelter representatives, your work saves lives. Every woman who finds shelter, every child protected from harm, every family given a chance to heal—that is your achievement.'