Police officers say their resources are limited and this strains their efforts in the fight against GBV. However SAPS management has vowed to dedicate a budget of R100 million to various provinces in an attempt to address this issue. SAPS's Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, said that their focus was also on ensuring that the police's Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units were adequately resourced. Currently almost 40% of the sites were discovered to be poorly maintained, "victim-friendly rooms" were unacceptable for victims according to the norms and standards set out by the SAPS.

STRAIN ON RESOURCES

Gauteng and the Western Cape have been identified as the provinces with a high influx of  interprovincial migration which puts strain on their available resources. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said the government has also increased the number of care centres for abuse victims and signed a policy framework with the Department of Basic Education to deal with issues of GBV and those affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer community in schools. “As part of our efforts to ensure women do not stay in toxic relationships because they are financially dependent on men, we have prioritised women in all government programmes.”

HARSH RESTRICTIONS ON ALCOHOL

Nkoana-Mashabana said there is a link between alcohol and GBV. Therefore they have to impose harshly on illegal taverns. "We have to close taverns that are close to schools and in home environments." She said said the government will soon be introducing a system that will allow authorities to do fingerprint checks across different databases. For example through a fingerprint check a suspect's record from Home Affairs will be accessible. While SAPS is correct that GBV is a broader social problem, they should focus on the role of the police in fulfilling their constitutional obligations and in going back to the basics by providing effective investigative and protective services.