Gauteng government to host GBVF awareness session in KwaThema

The Gauteng Provincial Government will on Friday, 25 September 2026, host a Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) awareness programme in KwaThema, Ekurhuleni, as part of the Orange Day campaign.

The programme will be held under the theme, “Men leading a united stand against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide”, and is expected to bring together about 200 participants.

Participants will include Men as Safety Promoters, Youth Crime Prevention Desks, men's organisations, male officials, students, athletes, running clubs, councillors and community members.

The Orange Day campaign encourages men and boys to wear orange and white ribbons as a visible commitment to ending GBVF.

Households across the province are also encouraged to light a candle at 7pm in remembrance of people who have lost their lives as a result of GBVF.

The programme will begin with a men-led solidarity walk supported by law-enforcement visibility.

This will be followed by the distribution of orange and white ribbons, candle-lighting and an orientation session.

The programme will also include messages on Orange Day, victim empowerment and health services, remembrance activities and a commitment by men to sustained action against GBVF.

The Gauteng Department of Community Safety, in partnership with the departments of Social Development, Health, and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS), Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and the Eastern Corridor Rapid Response Team, will participate in the initiative.

The provincial government said the programme seeks to position men as visible champions, role models and advocates for preventing GBVF and protecting the rights of women and children.

The awareness session follows recent femicides in Kempton Park and surrounding areas, which have heightened concerns about the safety of women and girls in communities across Gauteng.

In response, SAPS has intensified Operation Shanela, with technology and surveillance support, while the provincial government has convened a multi-stakeholder task team involving SAPS and the departments of Community Safety, Social Development, Health and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

The task team is aimed at ensuring a coordinated response to GBVF.

The Orange Day programme forms part of the provincial government's broader efforts to promote sustained action against GBVF by government, law-enforcement agencies, communities, families, men and boys.

The initiative also aims to move beyond awareness by encouraging men to challenge harmful behaviours, promote respect and support efforts to create safer communities for women and children.