However, after a refresh workshop on day 50, the team saw the need to pivot and refocus their goal on reducing the backlog of GBVF cases that are waiting for referral and legal action. At the time, 86% of cases were sitting as backlog cases with SAPS. Identifying this, the team urgently shifted their focus.

Through the collaborative efforts with SAPS, social workers and community GBVF coordinators, the backlog has been significantly reduced to 43%. But, the work does not stop here.

This success was achieved through a range of community activities and strategic partnerships. The Rand West team hosted six events, including a GBVF march, a prayer session for victim s/ survivors, and a candlelight session. These events were designed to raise awareness and foster a sense of community support.

The team also conducted GBVF training with ward committees, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and the pastor’s fraternity, which helped to broaden the reach of their message. The training covered prevention, defining the roles and causes of GBVF, and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace. The aim was twofold. Firstly, to establish more trust in the system knowing that support is available, then also capacitating the system to appropriately deal with GBVF cases.

A Story of Change: From Silence to Support

The true essence of the Rand West City 100-Day Challenge is found in the personal transformations that unfolded. It’s a story of breaking the silence and building a community where support is a given, not a luxury.

A particularly powerful shift was observed in how individuals began to come forward. For Parks Mananiso, the Challenge Strategist, a major highlight was witnessing people who had previously suffered in silence now stepping up. They had lived with the pain of GBVF within the ‘comforts of their homes,’ unable to share their experiences because they feared intimidation. The activities through the 100-Day Challenge provided them with the knowledge of symptoms and consequential outcomes of GBVF, which was a crucial inflection point. This new understanding empowered them to not only report their own cases but also to become advocates and educators themselves. The impact of this was profound: it shifted the culture of reporting from one of fear to one of empowerment.

This personal transformation had a ripple effect across the community. It led to a powerful suggestion from the community itself: to have a GBVF activist in every street and household. This idea, born from the newfound confidence and willingness to engage, is now being actioned through the establishment of ward-based gender forums.

The End GBVF 100-Day Challenge also transformed professional relationships. The previously fragmented efforts of various organizations, including SAPS the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and local NGOs, were brought together. Before the challenge, these groups worked in silos, leading to a lack of coordination and an inefficient process for handling GBVF cases. The 100-Day Challenge served as a catalyst to change this siloed system.

The most concrete and measurable impact of this collaboration was a new, routine agreement for weekly meetings. Every Monday morning, station commissioners, court managers, and NGO representatives meet to track the progress of pending cases. This newfound collaboration and consistent communication have been a key driver in the significant reduction of the case backlog. It demonstrates a shared commitment and built a level of trust and confidence that didn’t exist before.

In essence, the Rand West City challenge was a journey from isolation to integration, from silence to advocacy. It created a more responsive system and empowered individuals to become agents of change in their own neighborhoods.