ANC Women’s League Demands Tougher Sentences And Improved Support For Victims Of Gender-Based Violence

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has called for a comprehensive review of the parole system for sexual offenders, emphasizing stricter measures to combat gender-based violence.

On Friday, as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, the league led a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The march was joined by political leaders and gender-based violence activists. During the event, they handed a memorandum outlining their demands to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Among the key demands is the implementation of stricter sentences for rapists, with a call for life imprisonment to be the minimum penalty. This follows the president’s announcement on National Women’s Day in 2023 that bail would no longer be granted to individuals charged with rape. This policy was enforced starting in August of the same year.

The march began at Burgers Park, where the ANCWL highlighted the dire state of support services for victims. A shelter for women and children located in the park has been closed, underscoring the broader issue of reduced funding for non-profit organizations (NPOs). Over the past decade, budget cuts in Gauteng’s Social Development Department have slashed funding for shelters and similar services from 2,500 allocations to 1,600.

The ANCWL is urging the government to increase funding for NPOs that provide essential services to vulnerable women and children, emphasizing the importance of both preventative measures and survivor support in the fight against gender-based violence.