The fifth annual Daniella Simone Keisha (DSK) Group GBV Gala 2026 was held at the Imbizo Conference Centre at Sibaya Casino in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday night.
Leaders, government representatives and gender-based violence (GBV) advocates have urged South Africans to unite in the fight against GBV, highlighting the importance of prevention, survivor support and empowering victims to rebuild their lives.
Held under the theme “Unmask the Truth. Ignite Change. Stand in Support”, the event took the form of a masquerade ball and aimed to raise funds for programmes supporting GBV survivors across the province.
Megazone Radio and Media, which partnered with the DSK Group as its official media partner, was presented with the DSK – Gender Justice Media Award 2026 in recognition of its contribution.
DSK Group founder Dr Daniel Rudy Chettiar said the organisation had learnt that rescuing survivors was only the beginning of their journey towards rebuilding their lives.
“True empowerment means helping survivors regain their confidence, their independence, and their hope for a better future,” Chettiar said.
He said the organisation had spent 16 years advocating for dignity and protection and was now working towards establishing a safe house on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.
Chettiar said the organisation had helped create employment opportunities for 1 740 women through its partnerships over the years.
He called on communities to break the silence surrounding GBV, believe survivors and take collective responsibility for ending violence against women and children.
Sibaya Community Trust founder and chairman Vivian Reddy described GBV as a national emergency, urging men to take responsibility for challenging abusive behaviour.
He said prevention should begin at home and in schools through teaching children respect, consent and self-control.
Reddy added that survivors needed more than immediate protection, highlighting the importance of counselling, safety and opportunities for financial independence.
He said the Sibaya Community Trust, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development, was upgrading a facility on the Bluff to accommodate GBV survivors and provide victim empowerment services.
The organisation hopes to open the facility during the 16 Days of Activism campaign.
Reddy also revealed that more than R10 million had been invested in GBV facilities at police stations across KwaZulu-Natal.
Gift of the Givers founder and chairman Dr Imtiaz Sooliman called for unity across communities and institutions, saying tackling GBV required people to put aside differences and work towards a common goal.
He urged South Africans to focus on serving their communities and contributing towards building a safer country.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, highlighted the concerning levels of sexual violence in the country.
Letsike said 47.2% of cases recorded during the January to March period this year involved sexual violence.
She stressed that the country's response should prioritise prevention rather than focusing solely on responding to incidents after they occur.
Letsike also called on municipalities to improve community safety by maintaining streetlights and clearing overgrown grass, warning that poorly maintained open spaces can become sites where bodies are dumped.
She urged men to play an active role in ending GBV and raising boys to become responsible men who respect women and girls.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli said survivors had for too long carried the burden of shame and self-doubt, while perpetrators continued to benefit from silence and societal denial.
He commended the DSK Group's work, saying survivors needed more than rescue and protection, but also opportunities to rebuild their lives and achieve independence.
Ntuli highlighted economic deprivation as one of the factors contributing to vulnerability to abuse, stressing the importance of empowering both potential and existing survivors.
The premier also announced that the MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Martin Meyer, had granted the DSK Group early occupation of a provincial government-owned building.
The facility will be used to support GBV survivors and abandoned children.
The gala highlighted the importance of partnerships between government, civil society, businesses and communities in strengthening support systems and working towards a society free from gender-based violence.