University of South Africa’s Vice-Chancellor to chair SA’s first multi-sectoral gender-based violence technical task team

This is to ensure that the post-schooling arena provides safe learning spaces for students.

Unisa’s Professor Puleng LenkaBula, as well as her Nelson Mandela University counterpart, Professor Sibongile Muthwa, were appointed this week by Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr Blade Nzimande.

They will head key programmes towards addressing the challenges of GBVF.

Speaking to the media this week, Nzimande said the reason for this decision was taken in light of incidents of gender-based violence witnessed on campuses. This had resulted in female students being abused and brutally killed.

Killings of students such as Nosicelo Mtebeni, Uyinene Mrwetyana, Precious Ramabulana, Jesse Hess and many others had highlighted the vulnerability of female students to the scourge gripping the country, he said.

As a result, through higher education, a number of programmes were being implemented towards addressing the challenges of sexual and gender based violence within the post-school education and training system.

He said all the programmes were aligned to the department’s policy framework to address violence in the sector.

The first multi-sectoral gender-based violence technical task team, chaired by LenkaBula will, according to the minister, ensure the effective implementation of the department’s policy framework.

In addition to that, Nzimande said he had also established a ministerial task team on sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the university sector, under the leadership of Muthwa. The team was expected to submit its report for consideration.

Furthermore, he added that institutions would also be launching the “Transforming MENtalities Initiative”, a multi-stakeholder partnership within the sector, with a particular focus on mobilising men in the sector to be part of championing a world free of gender biases, stereotypes, violence and discrimination.