New interfaith initiative is critical to breaking the cycle of gender-based violence

My domestic worker of a year, Christina, is a battered woman. I became aware of her reality by accident.

Months ago, she missed work, explaining she had visited the clinic. Upon her return, she spoke of a kidney ailment, saying the clinic had informed her that her kidneys were malfunctioning and that she may require a replacement.

This story struck me as peculiar – an initial red flag. Clinics, especially at the primary healthcare level, lack the resources to diagnose kidney function without essential, more invasive procedures, such as blood tests, ultrasound or CT scans. None of these tests is typically available at clinics in low-income areas such as Moloto in Mpumalanga, making her diagnosis unlikely.

Weeks later, she arrived at work with the classic injury of a battered woman – the “black eyes” syndrome. She had bruising on both eyes, indicating a direct punch or blunt-force trauma. These bruises were fresh and visible to the naked eye. This was red flag number two.

I panicked and had a sit-down with my wife, discussing Christina’s situation without her. We concluded that we had to do something; first things first, we needed to speak to her and get the whole story.

I told her the same day: “We need to talk.” I sensed her unease immediately. We sat down in the television room, and before I could broach the subject, she was already sniffling, holding back tears.

I cried just writing this sentence as I recall the fear I witnessed in her eyes. I began by affirming her as a diligent worker inclined to goodness. She is a workhorse capable of satisfying two neat freaks, my wife being on the extreme side. She is a humble and good person; upon receiving her first meagre paycheque from us – she only works two days a week – she told my wife how it “changed her life” as she could buy necessities for her children.

I then went for the jugular, explaining that her stories about her sickness and injuries didn’t add up. I was at pains to explain that employer-employee relationships are based on trust. Her sniffles became a torrent of tears. Between sobs, she told me her full sordid story.

Her boyfriend was responsible for the bruises and the pain around her kidneys, and she confessed it had started a long time ago. The motive is also a classic case of toxic masculinity: Christina owns a spacious house – architecturally designed and professionally built, initially with four rooms, sponsored by another employer.

With blood, sweat and tears, she used her meagre pay to extend it into an eight-room house. She told me her boyfriend wanted to claim ownership of the house so he could be the metaphorical “head of the household” – another unearned privilege fuelling gender injustice.

He felt, in my view, his masculinity was emasculated by his lack of property ownership. Yet, in another case of privilege and entitlement, he thought it best to take, wilfully and unlawfully, what didn’t belong to him – wait for it – because he is the man.

With the community’s support, we can make a difference. After I obtained permission from her, I jolted everyone into action using my privilege of access to those with power.

I wrote to the Mpumalanga government’s director-general, and although he was on leave, he escalated the matter to the social development MEC and the police.

Within 48 hours, the local police arrived at my Christina’s house in an unmarked police vehicle, armed with several previously sought but unexecuted protection orders and two uninvestigated assault cases. He was ordered to pack all his belongings and never returned to that house. He and his possessions were bundled into the police car, disappearing with him. Social workers are still helping her to deal with the trauma.

Inexplicably, the man has yet to be arrested. However, Christina now lives peacefully in her own home, thanks to a whole-of-government approach as referenced in the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP GBVF).

Therefore, the recent launch of the first Interfaith Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Mitigation Strategy 2024-2030, which aims to broaden the scope while affirming the government’s overarching strategy, should indeed be amplified by moral authorities in all spheres of power.

The interfaith community has decided to take a systematic approach, focusing on:

• Transforming harmful norms: addressing and challenging the cultural, social and religious norms that enable GBV;


• Movement-building and advocacy: strengthening partnerships and networks to amplify the impact of faith communities in GBV prevention; and


• Localising efforts and impact: working closely with local partners to build safe faith communities that actively prevent and respond to GBV.