Pilot Project South Africa

The Cape in South Africa: Thousands of women suffer sexual, gender-based violence (SGBV) in a country with one of the highest reported rape rates in the world. It is an overwhelming challenge.

Roughly 50.000 rapes are reported every year. Yet, according to projections, this is only five percent of all actual cases. State efforts alone cannot stem this flood of violence. There is an urgent need for combined action. Through innovative partnerships with the private and public sector and academia in the Cape region of South Africa, the Ring for Peace Foundation has launched a second GBV pilot project. Committed partners include Mediclinic Southern Africa, Stellenbosch University, the National Prosecuting Authority, South African Police Service and Western Cape departments of Health and Social Development.

Mediclinic understands that GBV has become increasingly prevalent in our society. It is a scourge with devastating effects on survivors, families, and communities across our country. For this reason, they have invested in training and upskilling employees to better respond to patients who have recently experienced the impact of GBV. Through their efforts, Mediclinic hopes to drive a greater understanding and provision of care in the community to reduce the possible stigma and shame for survivors.

The aim of the collaborative Ring for Peace Partnerships is to establish Care for Victims, Effective Medical Examinations and Effective Legal Remedies for survivors of sexual assault. At the heart of the Cape Ring for Peace project is a spirit of “Saamstaan”, a culture of spontaneous solidarity that South Africans often show in a crisis – whether it is through a political transformation, a debilitating drought, or the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Edwin Hertzog, founder and former chairman of Mediclinic, stepped in Lead Trustee of the project, igniting this spirit of “saamstaan” within a diverse regional community. The project was launched at the start of the country’s strict Covid-19 lockdown period, yet despite the initial restrictive environment of the pandemic, “Saamstaan” has ensured deep commitment and continued momentum: a GBV centre for holistic victim support is being established outside Stellenbosch, medical-forensic training of doctors and nurses is implemented at Mediclinic and public hospitals, and will soon be scaled online through a RfP initiated video project. After a successful pilot, Mediclinic’s GBV Cinical Care model is being rolled out to hospital EC’s across the Cape metro.