Sr Hazel Moagi, manager of the Bertha Gxowa Care Centre, was recently named best female GBV activist at the 5th Annual GBV Awards.

The recognition marked her first nomination at the awards, and she walked away with the top honour in the category.

Moagi said she was ecstatic to be nominated, adding that the voting process made the outcome unpredictable.

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“People would say they are voting for you, but you wouldn’t know for sure. For the fact that I brought the award home, I believe them,” said Moagi.

She said the awards play an important role in recognising people and organisations working on the ground in the fight against GBV, femicide and domestic violence.

“The awards focus specifically on GBV, which helps broaden the space and stakeholders’ efforts in the fight against GBV, femicide or domestic violence. It motivates us and keeps us motivated,” she said.

Moagi said the recognition shows that the work being done at the community level is also being noticed.

“It shows that there is something happening on the ground and someone is recognising those on the forefront of offering service in that line,” she said.

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She added that GBV remains a serious concern in the country and requires continued collaboration between stakeholders.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa officially declared Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) a national disaster following massive nationwide advocacy efforts and petitions led by Women For Change,” said Moagi.

Moagi was nominated by her colleagues, something she said made the award even more meaningful. However, she emphasised that the achievement was not hers alone.

“I was nominated by my colleagues, and thanks to them I am recognised, but it is not an individual award; it is for everyone who voted, believed in me and my work, and sees the work the centre does,” she said.

“I am no one-man army. I want to thank them for believing in me, because when they throw me out there, I come back with something,” said Moagi.

She also thanked her team for their continued support.

“I am grateful to my team, the Thuma Mina team, who are behind me every step,” she said.

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Moagi also thanked members of the public who voted for her, saying their support helped her bring the award home.

“I would also like to thank the voters. The voting cost R3 each, but people took their hard-earned money and voted for me,” she said.

Moagi and her team conduct various awareness campaigns guided by the health calendar. These include campaigns during the 16 Days of Activism, Child Protection Week and other awareness periods.

She said their outreach work takes them to churches, taxi ranks, crèches, clinics and schools, where they educate communities on GBV, sexual offences, bullying, violence and mental health.

“We do awareness drives, campaigns and marches, looking at the health calendar, including 16 Days of Activism and Child Protection Week,” said Moagi.

She said some churches welcome the team, while others invite them to address their congregations.

Through these engagements, Moagi said they teach communities about the importance of reporting sexual offences early.

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“It’s important they report sexual offences for medical reasons, evidence collection and receiving psychosocial support,” she said.

She added that reporting domestic and intimate partner violence can sometimes be difficult, especially in religious communities.

“Sometimes it is not easy for religious people to report intimate partner violence cases,” she said.
Moagi and Bertha Gxowa Care Centre were also recently recognised by the Child Guardian Unit as Children’s Champions.

She said the recognition was an honour and reflected the level of service the centre provides to children and vulnerable people.

“We work closely together. I believe the recognition was based on the level of service they always receive from the centre,” said Moagi.

“It was an honour for me to present the team with the certificate and say, here, we have been recognised,” she said.

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The centre has also received recognition from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, which honoured it as Best Healthcare Stakeholder of the Year during Annual Operational Plan and Excellence awards in April.

Moagi said the centre works closely with SAPS on awareness campaigns, school visits, mental health awareness events, bullying and violence prevention programmes.

“We call on them to do awareness and school campaigns, mental health awareness events, bullying and violence programmes,” she said.

Bertha Gxowa Care Centre’s Clinical Forensic Medical Services unit also received a Certificate of Excellence for overall best performance and exceptional commitment in conducting campaigns in Gauteng Province.

The centre was further recognised as a Centre of Excellence, highlighting its continued commitment to supporting victims, educating communities and strengthening the fight against GBV.

Moagi said the awards and certificates are not only a celebration of individual achievement, but a reminder of the importance of teamwork, dedication and service to vulnerable communities.