Media Advisory
Deputy Minister Nel to launch the Mitchell’s Plain Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC)
16 August 2024
The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Andries Nel accompanied by the National Director of Public Prosecutions Adv. Shamila Batohi will, on Monday, 19 August 2024, officially launch the latest Thuthuzela Care Centre at Mitchell’s Plain Hospital in the Western Cape. This increases the number of operational Thuthuzela Care Centres to 65 in South Africa – a phenomenal increase from 55 in 2021. TCCs are one-stop facilities which provide pretrial services; and psychosocial, medical, and legal services to victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in a victim-centred manner.
TCCs are court-directed and have been developed to reach three main objectives:
- Reducing Secondary Victimisation.
- Increasing the Conviction Rate ensuring that cases are court trial ready; and
- Reducing the Cycle times of these cases from reporting to finalisation.
Owing to the high levels of GBV in South Africa and in the execution of its mandate to develop best practices and policies in the reduction of gender-based violence, the SOCA Unit of the NPA, in 2001, introduced the TCC model.
The establishment of the Thuthuzela Care Centres is led by the NPA’s Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit (SOCA, in partnership with various stakeholders, as a response to the urgent need for an integrated strategy for prevention, and response and support for victims of GBV.
Their strength lies in the fact that they function as a multi-disciplinary team, consisting of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Department of Health (DOH), South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Social Development (DSD) and various NGOs. The TCC’s integrated approach to gender-based violence (GBV) care is one of respect, comfort, restoring dignity and ensuring justice for children, women and men who are victims of GBV.
Launch Details:
Date: 19 August 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Mitchell’s Plain Hospital, 8 A Z Berman Drive, Mitchell’s Plain, Western Cape
Members of the media are invited to cover this important event that reinforces the collective effort to combat gender-based violence in South Africa.
For further inquiries, please contact: Adv Mthunzi Mhaga 083 641 8141
Issued by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
