Hon Chairperson and hon Deputy Minister, thank you for the answers that you have given. I just want to check other collaborative measures does the department have with other government departments to ensure that we wage a concerted battle against gender-based violence? I know that there has been funding. Police stations have money to buy kits as part of the investigations. The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster have budget for instance to deal with cases related to family courts and others. You have actually mentioned that. However, I just wanted to check as to what collaboration is there? If you can provide us with some details.
The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES: Hon Chairperson and hon members, thank you hon member, the Department of Social Development was amongst the first departments to contribute towards the gender-based violence command centre or the centres which are very, very important. They also now collaborate with the telecoms where they have a 24 hour hotline with an emergency tactical response team. We also collaborate with the Department of Social Development when it comes to the resourcing and management of shelters which are quite critical when one has to curb this problem or especially when it comes to prevention. Before a woman is attacked, it becomes important to have these shelters so
that they could exit and go and occupy different spaces away from their potential attackers.
With regard to the Thuthuzela Care Centres, which are basically managed by the entity of the Justice and Correctional Services Department which is the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, but we collaborate with quite a number of departments and even civil society. They play a major role in assisting survivors to come out and report or support families where you know there is a casualty maybe a woman has been killed or a child has disappeared. So, they help them even during the court proceedings to ensure that people do not withdraw cases because they find it difficult to present their cases to our police stations or sometime cases stay in the system for too long.
Also with the Department of Public Works, unused state buildings now are being identified and reprioritised and configured as shelters. Those are just some of the department's that we are collaborating with in brief to strengthen the programme of curbing gender-based violence. Thank you.