Government to host Presidential launch of GBV and Femicide Declaration

The facility was built at a cost of just over R242 million to reinstate the Booysens Branch Court that was moved to the Johannesburg Magistrate Court due to inadequate facilities and increased matters on the court roll.

This week will see another milestone in the fight against gender-based violence, with a declaration scheduled to be launched and the Booysens Magistrate Court, set to open its doors of justice.

The government, together with various civil society organisations, will on Thursday, 28 March, host the Presidential launch of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Declaration and the opening of the Booysens Magistrate Court in Johannesburg.

The declaration is borne out of the National Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Summit that was held in November 2018.

The summit was jointly hosted by government, civil society and other role players, in an effort to find solutions to the scourge of GBV and femicide.

The state-of-the-art Booysens Magistrate Court offers a range of services and is fully equipped to support victims of gender-based violence and femicide.

The court has been built in Oakdene in the south of Johannesburg and will make it more convenient for local communities to access justice services. It will also alleviate the demand for justice services at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court.

The facility was built at a cost of just over R242 million to reinstate the Booysens Branch Court that was moved to the Johannesburg Magistrate Court due to inadequate facilities and increased matters on the court roll.

The court will render services, including:

A fully fledged Sexual Offences Court;

Family Law services such as maintenance, domestic violence, harassment and children's court matters;

Small Claims Court services and

Civil and Criminal Court services – Regional and District.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)