- The National GBV Command Centre helpline has been unreachable for over a week.
- MOSAIC warns this failure leaves survivors without vital support, especially as GBV incidents rise during the festive season.
- The NGO calls on the government to urgently restore the service, stressing survivors’ safety must be prioritized.
In a shocking development during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, MOSAIC, a leading NGO in the fight against GBV in South Africa, has sounded the alarm. “Survivors of gender-based violence rely on this service for immediate access to support and referral services, and its inaccessibility compromises their safety and well-being,” said Kerryn Rehse, Advocacy Specialist at MOSAIC.
The National GBV Command Centre, a vital 24-hour helpline managed by the Department of Social Development (DSD), has been unreachable for over a week. MOSAIC’s routine tests of the helpline (0800 428 428) returned a distressing message: “That is not a recognised phone number.”
This outage couldn’t have come at a worse time. The festive season, a period associated with a tragic spike in GBV incidents, is fast approaching. “Government’s failure to ensure the National GBV Command Centre is operational during this critical time is nothing short of a dereliction of duty,” emphasised Rehse.
MOSAIC warned that this failure has left survivors without immediate support, placing undue strain on civil society organisations already stretched thin. “We cannot do this alone,” the organisation said, urging urgent action from the government to restore the helpline.
“This is an example of the government’s systemic neglect of its responsibilities,”declared Adv Tarisai Mchuchu-MacMillan, Executive Director of MOSAIC. “We call on the Department of Social Development to immediately restore the National GBV Command Centre to full functionality, ensuring that survivors are not left stranded in their time of need.”
The inaccessibility of the helpline highlights deeper systemic issues, such as insufficient investment in GBV response services. MOSAIC stressed that without robust support systems, progress in addressing GBV will remain elusive. While the National GBV Command Centre remains offline, MOSAIC encourages survivors to use other available resources for immediate support:
National Shelter Movement Helpline: 0800 001 005 or WhatsApp/SMS 082 057 8600 Lifeline Gender Violence Helpline: Call or WhatsApp 0800 150 150.
As the 16 Days of Activism continues, MOSAIC’s message is clear: the fight against GBV must remain a national priority. “We urge the public to hold the government accountable. Survivors deserve better,” said Mchuchu-MacMillan.This critical lapse serves as a sobering reminder: the safety and dignity of GBV survivors must never be compromised, not during activism campaigns and certainly not beyond.
