The twin pandemics: gender based violence during the times of coronavirus in South Africa
Gender-based violence is not a new problem in South Africa, but it has reached a fever pitch during the Covid-19 pandemic, with hundreds breaking lockdown restrictions to grieve the violent murder of Tshegofatso Pule, a 28 year old pregnant woman, in early June. The president Cyril Rampahosa addressed the nation in response, and last year pledged a further $75M in order to address the gender-based violence pandemic. The problems, however, are far more culturally and systematically entrenched, requiring solutions which reach beyond just legislation and funding, a challenge all the more exposed during the Coronavirus pandemic.
