Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane has defended the South African Police Service’s response to gender-based violence and femicide, while acknowledging ongoing challenges within the institution.
Dimpane was presenting SAPS’s report on its efforts to address the national GBVF crisis to the National Inquiry in Johannesburg.
She said the police service had taken steps to prioritise the fight against gender-based violence, including providing additional funding to provinces and strengthening the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units.
Dimpane said SAPS had allocated more than R450 million since the 2021/22 financial year, over and above the funding normally provided to provinces, to strengthen their response to GBVF and build the capacity of FCS units.
“We have since 2021/22 allocated over and above monies we give to provinces, we have allocated R450 million to assist provinces to respond properly in terms of GBVF, as well as capacitating FCS,” Dimpane said.
While acknowledging institutional shortcomings, Dimpane said highlighting these challenges was not intended to avoid accountability.
“We raise these realities not to qualify our accountability but because a durable response requires that they be understood across government and society,” she said.
Her appearance before the inquiry comes amid continued national concern over the scale of gender-based violence and femicide and growing calls for stronger measures to protect women and children.