Practitioner’s Perspectives on a National South African Higher Education Institution Policy Framework Mitigating Gender-Based Violence at a South African University

• Published date: 23 September 2022
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/intecritdivestud.4.2.0047
• Pages: 47-60
• Date: 23 September 2022
• Author: Jaco Greeff Brink,Qaqamba Mdaka,Larona Matee,Kaylon Weppelman
• Subject Matter: gender-based violence,universities,higher education,policy development

Practitioner’s Perspectives on a National

South African Higher Education

Institution Policy Framework Mitigating

Gender-Based Violence at a South

African University

Governance, Implementation

Challenges and Opportunities

Jaco Greeff Brink

Equality Unit, Stellenbosch University

Qaqamba Mdaka

Equality Unit, Stellenbosch University

Larona Matee

Equality Unit, Stellenbosch University

Kaylon Weppelman

Equality Unit, Stellenbosch University

ABSTRACT

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a crime that violates the right to life, equality,

human dignity, freedom and security of a person (South African Constitution, Act

No 108 of 1996). The prevention and management of GBV is a critical transforma-

tion imperative and has in recent years (2014 to 2021) come under the spotlight

at South African universities. The National Department of Higher Education and

Training (DHET) developed a policy framework to guide post-school education and

training institutions to address GBV in 2020.

This article is a practitioner’s assessment and reection of how the DHET policy

framework on GBV can be implemented at Stellenbosch University, a public higher

education institution (HEI) in South Africa. We look at how to integrate recom-

mendations made in the GBV policy framework at South African universities and

what are the current constraints that throttle GBV interventions. We reect on

existing mechanisms and policy recommendations that still need to be operation-

alised to effectively respond to GBV at universities. This article further assesses how

DOI:10.13169/INTECRIT DIVESTUD.4.2.0047