Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has condemned gender-based violence (GBV) and crimes against children, calling them a serious societal crisis that requires urgent and collective action. Her remarks follow a picket outside the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court in support of a 12-year-old Dobsonville victim allegedly assaulted by a 58-year-old man, whose bail hearing has been postponed to 22 April 2026. She highlighted the growing number of child sexual abuse cases, including those involving parents and guardians.
Nkomo-Ralehoko stressed that at least one in five children experience sexual abuse, urging government, communities, and civil society to work together. She outlined interventions by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, including prevention, early intervention, and aftercare services guided by key legislation. She emphasized that communities must ensure safety and dignity for all, while encouraging victims and witnesses to seek help through available support services and hotlines.
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