“South Africa can end GBV now”
Op-Ed in The Citizen by Kgahliso Mangoale:
“One in four women in SA will experience intimate partner violence over the course of their lives and almost half of SA’s children have experienced neglect, mistreatment, abuse, or violence.
“Government’s decision to classify gender-based violence (GBV) as a national disaster is an admission that it’s not a women’s issue; it’s a social crisis that has spiralled out of control. It’s an acknowledgement that we need immediate action, backed by the right laws, policies and interventions, to ensure we don’t pass this national disaster on to the next generation. …
“Similarly, the draft Liquor Amendment Bill of 2016 to strengthen alcohol regulation has been stuck in legislative limbo for years, gathering dust while heavy drinking continues to fuel violence against women and children.
“Alcohol use by male partners is a major driver of abuse, with women three times more likely to experience violence by a partner who drinks heavily.
“Efforts to address GBV must be anchored in three goals: prevent violence before it occurs, support survivors and ensure our justice system works for women.”
Assessment
The op-ed in The Citizen draws a direct and evidence-based link between alcohol consumption and gender-based violence (GBV), calling for policy action grounded in prevention.
By highlighting the role of alcohol use by male partners in driving violence against women and children, the article reinforces that for GBV prevention to succeed, addressing alcohol’s role is crucial and using alcohol policy is essential. Framing GBV as a national disaster strengthens the case for upstream policy actions that prevent harm before it occurs, rather than relying solely on response and support after violence has already taken place.
The prolonged delay of the Liquor Amendment Bill reflects a political failure to advance evidence-based alcohol policies that would prevent and reduce alcohol harm, including GBV. Allowing alcohol policy reform to languish while acknowledging GBV as a crisis exposes a disconnect between stated priorities and actual action.
For advocates, this intervention is timely. It positions alcohol policy as central to violence prevention and highlights the need for protective, evidence-based policies that prevent and reduce alcohol harm, support survivor safety, and avoid passing this crisis on to the next generation.