During the Joint Sitting of the National Assembly on 18 September 2019, Minister Patricia de Lille made a commitment that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) would allocate unoccupied state-owned properties for service delivery purposes, specifically to provide shelter to victims of gender-based violence.

The initiative is also a response to the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in our country. Following this commitment, in December DPWI handed over four properties in Pretoria to the Department of Social Development to be used as shelters for victims of gender-based violence.

Minister De Lille, Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu and Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will jointly brief the media on actions that have and will be taken to address the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.

Members of the media are invited to attend the press conference. Details are as follows:

Date:       4 March 2020

Time:      13h00 – 14h00

Venue:    GCIS Imbizo Media Centre, 120 Plein Street, Parliament in Cape Town 

NB: There will be a video link-up to the Ronnie Mamoepa Media Centre, Tshedimosetso House, Cnr Francis Baard & Festival streets, Hatfield, Pretoria

For media enquiries:

Zara Nicholson

Media Liaison Officer to Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure: Patricia de Lille (MP)

Contact: 021 402 2284

Mobile: 066 0183 395

Zara.Nicholson@dpw.gov.za  

Or

Sharlene Naiker

Media Liaison Officer to Minister of Social Development: Ms Lindiwe Zulu

Contact: 012 312 7878

Mobile: 0826735849

SharleneN@dsd.gov.za

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure

02 March 2020