By Staff Writer.

• Free State communities unite to promote disability inclusion and year-round action against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
• MEC Mathabo Hlalele calls for strengthened multisectoral partnerships and emphasises that leadership must be measured by service and impact.
• Government departments, civil society, and disability organisations commit to protecting vulnerable groups and advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.

On 25 November 2025, the Free State Department of Social Development hosted a significant community engagement at Itekeng Disability Centre in Meqheleng, Ficksburg, to commemorate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities and raise awareness on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). The community engagement formed part of Disability Rights Awareness Month and was held under the theme “Creating Strategic Multisectoral Partnerships for a Disability-Inclusive Society.”

November is globally recognised as Disability Rights Awareness Month, a period dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. This year’s programme served dual purposes: celebrating disability rights and launching the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign, which focuses on combating GBV and supporting affected women, children, and persons with disabilities.

The Department of Social Development reaffirmed its responsibility to care for and protect survivors of abuse. MEC Mathabo Hlalele was joined by the Executive Mayor of Setsoto Municipality and Councillor Seipati Mbizo. Stakeholders present included representatives from SASSA, the Department of Health, Home Affairs, SAPS, the Free State Premier’s Office, persons with disabilities from Itekeng Disability Centre, and members of the broader Ficksburg community.

In her welcoming remarks, Councillor Seipati Mbizo expressed gratitude for the MEC’s visit, noting that GBVF and disability rights remain urgent community priorities. She endorsed the movement towards 365 Days of Activism, highlighting that challenges facing communities extend far beyond the traditional 16 days.

GBVF Provincial Director, Mme Qamkana, emphasised the need to strengthen multisectoral partnerships to ensure inclusive service delivery and support for vulnerable groups. She highlighted that the department’s ongoing commitment is through the operation of shelters for GBV victims and centres dedicated to serving persons with disabilities.

Entertainment by the Dikgalala Ficksburg cultural group and a dance presentation by Itekeng Disability Centre added vibrancy to the programme. Stakeholder messages reinforced the day’s objectives. Mr Fusi Makelefane from SASSA urged responsible management of grants for older persons and persons with disabilities, citing recurring complaints about financial exploitation by caretakers. He stressed that the well-being of beneficiaries must always come first.

From Home Affairs, Mr Moorosi outlined the department’s strategy of registering newborn babies directly at hospitals to curb late registrations and ensure timely access to identity documentation. Ms Elizabeth Rakgoba from the Department of Labour spoke about skills development programmes and employment support available to persons with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Mr Monyane from the Premier’s Office expressed appreciation for platforms that elevate the voices and rights of persons with disabilities, reinforcing the slogan “Nothing for us without us.”

In her keynote address, MEC Mathabo Hlalele emphasised that leadership is not defined by the title one holds, but by the difference one makes while serving. She reiterated the need for sustained activism against GBVF and acknowledged that men, too, experience emotional, physical and financial abuse.

She addressed the ongoing discrimination faced by persons with disabilities and announced that the department has exceeded the national 2% disability employment target, reaching 5.3%. MEC Hlalele encouraged other departments to increase the employment of people with disabilities, stating that “disability does not equate to inability.” She also emphasised the need for every department to have sign language specialists to ensure accessible services.

She encouraged disability centre managers to ensure their facilities cater to all forms of disabilities based on individual needs.

MEC Mathabo Hlalele highlighted the Molo Makhelwane/Dumela Moahisane/Hello Neighbour programme, which aims to bring back the spirit of Ubuntu and togetherness amongst community members. “This program encourages us to take care of each other as neighbours, and it will also help us fight crime, drug abuse, and violence,” she said.

In closing, MEC Hlalele emphasised that GBVF Awareness must be a year-round program. “16 days is not enough to address the daily realities of violence because every minute, there is a woman being abused, every hour, there is a child who is being abused, and every day, someone is being victimised,” she stated.

She encouraged women to conduct background checks on their partners, adding that an abuser will always be an abuser; it is only a matter of time till they start showing you their true colors.” And check how they treat their mothers and sisters, because that is the same treatment you will get as a wife or girlfriend,” she added.

She urged men to take an active stance in the fight against GBVF, protecting their sisters, mothers, wives, and daughters, including themselves, reminding the community that no one has the right to take another person’s life.

The engagement closed with a unified call of “Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls working together to end GBVF,” reinforcing the commitment to collective action, inclusivity, and a violence-free society for all.