Cape Town: The Environmental Management Department (EMD) of the City of Cape Town hosted a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Awareness Dialogue under the theme ‘Courageous Conversations: Shifting the Narrative’ where representatives from Woman for Change and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) addressed the city staff.
One of the major aims of hosting this event was to address the Gender based Violence from a broader perspective, challenging the men at the city to take an active and vocal stance against gender-based violence.
Reportedly, the event was hosted at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Friday, Jan 16, 2026 by comedian and actor – Siv Ngesi, who is a passionate ambassador in the fight against GBV in South Africa.
The Woman in Leadership portfolio within EMD ensured that as many male and female staff from the Nature Reserves of the City to the EMD administration attended and heard about the help that is available to any victim of GBV and how the City of Cape Town can assist.
As per the sources, GBV rates of South Africa are among the highest in the world and the femicide rates are significantly above the global average. GBV continues to devastate the city.
The city data for example shows that more than 4,800 domestic violence-related cases were reported at the police stations between January and March last year. This figure represents only the reported case, which means that the real scale is far greater than this. It is time for collective courage and to act now.
Deputy Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews said that while many men condemn gender-based violence privately, far too few of them take public action or lend their voices to change the culture, which allows it to persist.
He stated, they believe that the voices of the many respectful male staff members at the city who are grounded in integrity, has the power to help and reshape the conversation around GBV.
In South Africa today, over one-third of women aged-18 and older have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, equating to millions of women who carry the burden of trauma every single day. These numbers are not abstract, these are the daughters, the sisters and the mothers, bearing harm that could and should have been prevented.
We respond too often after harm has occurred; however victims deserve systems that respond with seriousness and urgency.
Andrews added that in Cape Town they believe that they must confront the things which produces GBV, be it entitlement, power imbalances, harmful norms, and unaddressed trauma. These matters are not excuses for violence but when it is not dealt well, it can manifest in behaviour that dehumanises others and normalises harm.
According to him, they do not tolerate entitlement, harassment or intimidation within the departments and try their best to monitor the workplaces and encourage the reporting of such unacceptable behaviour.
Through ‘Woman in Leadership’ portfolio, the City of Cape Town tries to create as much awareness among staff about the support structures available to them via the Employee Assistance Programme.
Lieutenant Colonel of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) – Basil May said that this conversation is not about blaming men. It is about protecting people, because the moment safety becomes negotiable, culture has already failed.
According to May, this is not about attacking good men. It is about calling good men into responsibility. Their influence matters, in their teams, workplaces, families, and peer groups. He emphasised that behaviour shifts fastest when it is challenged by those, who are closest to it. Silence on the matter is not neutral, it is a behaviour and good men are not protected by silence, they are protected by accountability and clear boundaries.
On this Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews said that they need to protect their staff vigorously and make sure that everyone knows about the support that is available. they need to intervene early in homes and workplaces before it is too late.