05 October 2026
Sedibeng District Municipality has wrapped up a series of Orange Day awareness programmes at tertiary institutions and TVET colleges, bringing students, government departments, and law enforcement together to confront gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), sexual violence, and human trafficking.
The programme was led by the municipality's Community Safety Department and the Sedibeng District GBVF Rapid Response Task Team (RRTT). It was delivered with the Gauteng Provincial Government, educational institutions, government departments, community structures, and civil society organisations, and supports the National Strategic Plan on GBVF 2020-2030 and its six pillars.
Campus by campus
The programme began at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) on 29 April 2026 with an Orange Day procession and awareness event. The day also recognized VUT's 60 years of academic excellence and innovation.
Engagements followed at Sedibeng TVET College's Sebokeng Campus on 28 September, the Vereeniging TVET Campus on 30 September, and the UNISA Vaal Campus on 1 October.
Discussions centred on the risks facing students and staff, including rape, sexual assault, GBVF and human trafficking. Students were encouraged to report incidents and to use the psychosocial and other support services offered by their institutions and government departments.
Aligned with the provincial response
The campus programme comes as the Gauteng Provincial Government steps up its response to GBVF. In a media statement issued on 2 October 2026, following an urgent Intergovernmental Relations meeting convened after President Cyril Ramaphosa's national address on GBVF on 29 September, the province announced that progress will be tracked and reported weekly from municipalities to the provincial and national spheres.
The statement also directs every Gauteng municipality to begin safety audits of high-risk areas within seven days. It confirms the deployment of 1,022 GBV brigades across 122 high-risk police precincts and calls on men and boys, families, schools, workplaces and faith groups to reject abuse and break the silence. The province has also said this year's Sixteen Days of Activism should be about peace, support and recovery.
Police back prevention
Sedibeng District Commissioner, Major General Nkhensani Mukwevho, has expressed her full support for the campaigns.
"The fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide cannot be won through law enforcement alone. Prevention begins with education, awareness, responsible behaviour and communities that refuse to tolerate abuse in any form," said Major General Mukwevho.
She encouraged young people to become active ambassadors for change: to respect one another, challenge behaviour that normalises violence, support victims rather than blame them, and never remain silent when someone is being harmed.
Major General Mukwevho thanked the organisers and everyone who took part in the programme.
Trafficking a growing concern
The Sedibeng Community Safety Forum says the campus programme will continue until February 2027.
"The Rapid Response Team and the Community Safety Forum will continue the tertiary institutions programme on GBVF and human trafficking until February 2027. Most trafficking victims on our campuses are students who come from outside the Sedibeng region, and trafficking is rising in De Deur, Meyerton, Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark," said Peter Kele, member of the Sedibeng Community Safety Forum.
A broad coalition
Stakeholders included Gauteng Community Safety, SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Departments of Justice and Constitutional Development, Social Development and Health, Thuthuzela Care Centres, the Hawks, Community Policing Forums, GBVF Brigades, civil society organisations, and representatives of the participating institutions.
Sedibeng says it will keep working with partners to raise awareness, strengthen reporting mechanisms and support survivors, so that communities know their rights and the services available, with the aim of safer learning environments and communities.
Need help? The national GBVF Command Centre is available free, 24 hours a day, on 0800 428 428. In an emergency, contact SAPS on 10111.
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