Tubatse to get its own Thuthuzela Care Centre

BURGERSFORT – Glencore Ferroalloys has responded to government’s call for corporates and various members of society to support Thuthuzela Care Centres in the fight against violence on women and children.

Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) are one-stop facilities that have been introduced as a critical part of South Africa’s anti-rape strategy, aiming to reduce secondary victimisation and to build a case ready for successful prosecution.

Fifty-one centres have been established since 2006, and as of 8 October 2021, Glencore Ferroalloys in partnership with the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), the Department of Health, the National Prosecution Authority of Sexual Offences and Corporate Affairs unit, as well as the Department of Social Development and the South African Police Services, have added one more centre to this number after hosting a sod turning event to mark the beginning of its construction.

The event was held at the Dilokong Hospital in the Gowe Village which falls under the Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality, and is also where the new centre will be built. The Dilokong Hospital services 166 villages, with an estimated population of 335 676, making it the perfect place to build the new centre as it ensures that enough people in the community will have access to it and get the help they need.

“As an organisation we pride ourselves in ensuring that we live our values and with this particular project our values of responsibility, openness, and simplicity resonate most. We are here today in response to one of the biggest challenges we face in our country, it is a challenge that needs all hands-on deck and most importantly, it is a challenge that calls for strong partnerships because GBVF affects everyone irrespective of age, gender or nationality. To roll this project out, we aligned ourselves to Pillar 4 of the NSP which speaks to the integrated care and support of GBVF survivors and their families and we are proud to start the process of ensuring that our community members have access to their own Thuthuzela Care Centre. I certainly look forward to come back to this very site when the construction is completed and we can begin the important work of supporting women and children who are victims of rape in this community.” said Glencore CSR Superintendent Ntombizodwa De Toit.

The event was also attended by the Mayor of the Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality, Cllr RL Mamekoa, Thuthuzela representatives, officials from the Department of Health, Social Development, the NPA, members from the SAPS as well as local community leaders who all came to pay testament to the beginning of the construction of this very important centre.

Jeffrey Seroka, who delivered a message of support from the NPA said that the centre couldn’t have come at a better time as the support it brings has become an essential need in the community. “Femicide and GBV cases are increasing at an alarming rate in the area of Tubatse. Almost every day I handle cases where kids and women have been killed, so this centre has an immense role to play in this community. For this reason, I really want to thank Glencore for what they have done and we know that it will go a long way to make an impact. Glencore has done its part by taking this step and now we as the NPA, members of the SAPS, social workers and the community at large must do our part to continue the fight against GBV in this community.” he said.

The construction of the Dilokong Hospital Thuthuzela Care Centre being built by Glencore, will officially begin during the month of October and is estimated to be completed in the first quarter of the year 2022whereafter, it will be up and running and ready to service community members in need.

This project forms part of Glencore’s continued commitment to make a lasting impact and create progress together for the communities near their operations.

Cllr RL Mamekoa pledged his support to Glencore and the new centre saying the municipality would play its part in ensuring its success.

“We are currently living under very difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has become clear that gender-based violence is also a pandemic on its own and we have seen what a negative impact it has made in our own community. There are three provinces that have the highest rates of GBV cases in our country and the Tubatse area forms as part of those three. This gives a very clear indication of how important what Glencore has done in this community is. I want to thank Glencore for leading the way in this fight and for proving that together we can do more.” he concluded.

In addition to building the new centre, Glencore has also undertaken the renovation of other Thuthuzela Care Centres in the Witbank/Emalahleni, Brits and Rustenburg communities. This is to ensure that they continue to run effectively and with all the required resources needed to adequately support victims.