SAPS Booysens Members Hold Moment of Silence for GBV Victims in Solidarity
- SAPS Booysens officers gathered on 18 September 2026 to observe a moment of silence for victims of gender-based violence
- Senior officers led a session of prayer and reflection, calling on members to support one another in combating GBV
- The gesture comes as South Africa battles a GBV crisis officially classified as a national disaster
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Source: Facebook
Members of the South African Police Service at the Booysens station gathered on the morning of 18 September 2026 to stand in solidarity with victims of gender-based violence (GBV). Dressed in black, officers paused their duties to honour those affected by a crisis that has gripped the nation.
Captain Mazibuko opened the gathering and invited all those present to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of GBV victims. Sergeant Maja then delivered a motivational address before leading the group in prayer, with every officer in attendance taking part.
Colonel Minnegen closed the session with a firm message: GBV is not someone else's problem. Addressing the group, he stressed that the scourge touches everyone and urged members to look out for one another while working together to confront it head-on.
SA's GBV crisis declared a national disaster
The Booysens gathering shown on the SAPS Facebook page takes place against the backdrop of one of South Africa's most urgent social crises. The National Disaster Management Centre officially classified gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, following a petition by advocacy group Women for Change that collected more than one million signatures.
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The declaration was meant to trigger budget realignment, centralised accountability, and a coordinated national response across policing, health, the judiciary, and social development. Despite this, civil society organisations have criticised the rollout as largely unfunded, with survivor shelters facing closure and conviction rates for sexual offences remaining critically low.
The scale of the emergency is alarming. A woman is murdered roughly every two and a half to three hours in South Africa, a femicide rate nearly five times the global average. The latest SAPS quarterly crime statistics recorded 9,782 rape cases in a single quarter, with 47.2% of reported rapes taking place inside a home.
The crisis intensified following the discovery of nine women's bodies in the Ekurhuleni region, sparking nationwide protests and renewed demands for police accountability.
If you or someone you know needs help, the following free resources are available 24/7:
- GBV Command Centre: Call 0800 428 428
- USSD callback: Dial \*120\*7867# from any mobile phone
- Support for persons with disabilities: SMS "help" to 31531 -
- SAPS Emergency: Call 10111 or visit your nearest police station's victim-friendly GBV desk
See the Facebook post below:
More on SA's GBV crisis
- Briefly News recently reported on a forensic pathologist who honoured GBV victims at his own graduation with a deliberate and meaningful tribute.
- GBV survivor Alison Botha broke her silence to compare the government's GBV response to its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Two men were sentenced to a combined 53 years in prison for separate GBV murders in the Free State and Limpopo.
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Source: Briefly News
