NO EXCUSE

FOR ABUSE

A HISTORY OF THE
THOHOYANDOU VICTIM EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME
 We are truly grateful to the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) for having the
faith to kick-start us with substantial funding. Only in retrospect did we fully appreciate
the true value of Danida’s support, as it released us from the burden of fundraising and
enabled us to spend the first four years getting our programme firmly established.

Many thanks to our funders over the years:

ABSA Bank
APSO (now Irish Aid)
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Danish International Development Agency (Danida)
Department of Public Enterprise
Department of Social Development
European Union (through the Department of Health)
First National Bank
First Rand Foundation
Foundation for Human Rights
Irish Aid
National Arts Council
National Development Agency
National Lotteries Board
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
Open Society Foundation
Oxfam Australia
Oxfam Novib
Population Council
Raising Voices
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Themba le Sizwe
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

A special thank you to all the amazing women and men in the development sector who have
been our mentors and freely given of their time and much valued experience.

Writing and editing Gladys Ryan, Communicating Simply

Proofreading Desiree Collett van Rooyen
Photography Cedric Nunn
Cover photo TVEP
Design, layout and illustration Dudu Coelho
Additional interviews Cedric Nunn
Additional input and support Fiona Nicholson and Felicity Groom
Additional support Lushia Nevhutalu

First published in February 2011 by the

Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme
PO Box 754, Sibasa, Limpopo 0970, South Africa
www.tvep.org.za

ISBN 978-0-620-49734-3

This book was made possible through the generosity of Sida, the Population Council and the
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We thank them for their support over the years.
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
ART Antiretroviral Therapy
ARV Antiretroviral
ARVs Antiretrovirals
DoH Department of Health
DoSD Department of Social Development
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
NPO Not-for-Profit Organisation
NPA National Prosecuting Authority
OVC Orphans and Vulnerable Children
PEP Post Exposure Prophylaxis
PMTCT Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission
SAPS South African Police Services
SGBV Sexual and gender-based violence
SOCA Sexual Offences & Community Affairs Court
TCC Thuthuzela Care Centre
TVEP Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme
TVET Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust
VCSN Vhembe Civil Society Network
VEC Victim Empowerment Committee
VEP Victim Empowerment Programme
VSO A UK-based volunteer organisation

- 2 -
 “A woman is nothing without a man”
Selinah’s 16 year-old daughter Asi was pregnant from her biological father, Selinah’s
husband. (This happened before abortion was legalised). The social worker and magistrate
believed that it was a case of incest, which warranted a legal abortion, so she was sent
to Gauteng... unaccompanied. Whilst she was away, Selinah withdrew the case (which is
illegal and should not have been allowed). When Asi returned, she was sent to live with
an aunt. When I questioned Selinah, she explained that she could not chase her husband
away because her other children would then not respect her. She could not respond
when I asked how much they could respect a mother who shares a bed with the man
who raped his own daughter.
I met with Asi’s school teachers, who were kindly offering her alternative accommodation
as she did not get on with her aunt. I related to them what Selinah had said, thinking
that they would be equally horrified. Instead, they explained that they would have
done exactly the same had their husbands raped their daughters, because, in Venda,
“a woman is nothing without a man”.
Julia’s new boyfriend was beating her on a regular basis. I had worked with him before
starting the factory, so I asked him to come in to chat with me. He did so, and was clearly
of the opinion that as ‘old friends’ I would side with him. He kept saying “wait until I
tell you what happened, then you will see that I had to hit her”, and I kept responding
that there is NEVER an acceptable reason for violence. Eventually he got his way and told
me his tale, with great indignation: Julia had come home late from a church meeting (no
insinuation of extra-marital affairs), and had not cleaned the house and prepared his meal.
It was his right to beat her.
When I discussed this matter with Julia I discovered that, as it is with so many other
women in similar situations, there was no economic need for her to stay with him. The
conversation went something like this:
‘Do you love him?’
‘No way!’
‘Does he bring you money?’
‘Hah! He doesn’t even have a job. He just sits with his friends drinking my money all
day.’
‘Does he help with the housework and children?’
(Disbelieving stare, followed by laughter.)
‘So why do you stay with him?’
(No answer, just a shrug.)

— Stories shared by
Fiona Nicholson, TVEP Director

- 3 -
As in many other cultures, patriarchy is deeply entrenched in Venda and women
are generally thought to be unequal to men, especially if they do not have a
male partner. Although many gains have been made over the years, and a number of
traditional leaders are initiating progressive changes within their constituencies,
patriarchy remains an overarching challenge. Also, according to Venda culture, it is
considered ill-mannered for anyone – man or woman – to question authority.

“Too many women still have self-esteem bred out of them from birth,” says
Fiona. “It takes a lot of courage for them to grasp the opportunities now
available to them”.

The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP) came about as a direct response
to this challenge: to offer a space for victims of violence – particularly women and
girls – to be heard, to be protected, to be supported and to be vindicated. TVEP
remains committed to helping women understand and exercise their rights.

In 1997, the Thohoyandou Community Policing Forum, together with the South African
Police Services (SAPS) set up a Victim Empowerment Committee (VEC) in accordance with
the National Crime Prevention Strategy (now the Justice Crime Prevention Strategy)
which advocated (and still advocates) a victim-centred, integrated restorative
justice approach to crime prevention through partnerships “within and between
government and civil society organizations”1.

With seed funding from the Department of Health (DoH), SAPS and local business, the
first 24/7 One Stop trauma centre was opened at the regional hospital in September
2001, and Break the Silence campaigns were initiated. The committee was registered as
the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust in January 2002, with provision for a range
of stakeholders to be co-opted as Trustees.

This book explores TVEP’s history up to June 2010.

This book is dedicated to all those who have bravely challenged

violence in their lives, especially the many women and children
who dared to speak out, and those who will find the courage to
do so in the future.

1
Overview of the Victim Empowerment Programme presented by Conny Nxumalo, September 2009.

- 4 -
Capturing the history of an organisation is an interesting process. Part detective
work along with a lot of introspection and interrogation, the journey is not easy.
Fortunately, in the case of TVEP, records have been meticulously kept, along with
newspaper cuttings and photographs. Given the presence of these artefacts, it seemed
sensible to offer the history in the form of a scrapbook. In this way, there is room
for all of these pieces of TVEP’s history.

The book is divided into five sections.

ONE: In Context
This section provides an overview of the conditions in which TVEP exists, including
the geographic landscape and socio-economic conditions.

TWO: TVEP at a Glance

Offering a broad overview of the TVEP Model, this section covers the services TVEP
provides and the rationale for them.

THREE: River of Learning

This timeline gives a sense of the history of the organisation and how it grew over
time in response to needs identified by the community, sharing their learnings and
giving a glimpse into the heart of the organisation.

FOUR: TVEP in the Community

TVEP has become a central and critical organisation in the Thulamela district.
Relationships with other organisations and community members have developed and
continue to do so. Here we share some of the additional experiences, challenges
and successes of TVEP and the role it has played in the community as well as the
partnerships it has built.

FIVE: Into the Future

This final section gives insight into TVEP’s hopes and plans for the future.

At points in the book you will come across Reflections. These are some of the issues
TVEP would like to share; these reflections give further insight into TVEP’s daily
context and their relationships with the key role players that have a bearing on
their work.

- 5 -
 Joyce Magoro, TVEP

Additional information
Victim versus Survivor
While the common term for those who have been on the receiving end of violence is
‘survivor’, TVEP uses the term ‘victim’ to refer to people who come to them for help.
By the time they have left TVEP the hope is that they are now survivors. However,
TVEP commonly refers to them as clients.

TVEP (Programme) versus TVET (Trust)

The organisation is a trust (Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust) but is commonly
known as TVEP (Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme). The Trust runs the
Programme. Because it is most commonly known as TVEP, we have used this term
throughout the book.

Statistics
Statistics quoted in this book are up to June 2010.

Interviews
Many people were interviewed in the process of developing this book. With their
permission, their contributions have been abridged where necessary.

Thank You
TVEP’s history has been enriched by the very many people who have walked alongside –
donors, supporters, sister organisations and the community. We are indebted to them
always.

- 6 -
Thohoyandou is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is the former
capital of the homeland, Venda. Its name means ‘head of the elephant’ in TshiVenda.
2

Thohoyandou is now the regional capital of Vhembe District.

HIV prevalence in Vhembe district is 14.7%, according to HIV and AIDS: Business as
Usual, a publication of the South African National HIV and AIDS Council3 (SANAC).

Sexual abuse and domestic violence are frequently trivialised, even by the victims.
There is a high unemployment rate in the region and many people survive through
subsistence farming.

TVEP assists over 40 rape and 100 domestic violence survivors every month. In a
number of cases, the perpetrator is a minor, but there are no appropriate perpetrator
programmes in place. Children as young as six have presented with sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) that they have contracted from sex offenders that are
as young as nine.

There are loopholes in the current welfare system and many children ‘slip through the
net’, remaining in or returning to abusive environments. Although access to social
grants has improved, it is still extremely poor, and misuse is common.

TO ZIMBABWE
opo
mp
Li
Musina

south V h e m b e
africa Ha-Makhuvha Punda
Khubvi Maria
Sibasa
Malamulele
Makhado
Thohoyandou
Vuwani
Waterval

Lephalale
L i m p o p o
Polokwane Phalaborwa
Tzaneen

Mokopane N1
Vaalwater

Hoedspruit
Mookgophong
Thabazimbi
Modimolle

Bela-Bela

TO GAUTENG

2
www.places.co.za/html/thohoyandou.html. Additional information taken from TVEP five year
Strategic Plan, March 2007 – February 2012
3
www.sanac.org.za

- 7 -
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been accessible through the Department of Health
(DoH) Wellness Centres since October 2004, but uptake is slow and adherence is poor,
particularly amongst children.

Social workers are under-resourced and available only during office hours. As a
result, the victims’ circumstances may sometimes not be adequately investigated,
family members may not be sufficiently counselled, and attempts to integrate services
available to people living with HIV may be ineffective. People who deliver services
encounter many challenges in providing these services, including the distances they
need to travel, the difficult terrain, and the difficulty of finding their clients in
rural areas with no street names or numbers.

Outside the Thohoyandou

Magistrate Court

Street vendors in
Thohoyandou

- 8 -
 Youth at a shopping mall
in Thohoyandou

Vhembe countryside

A road in rural Vhembe

- 9 -
In 1997, the Thohoyandou Community Policing Forum, together with the South African
Police Services (SAPS), initiated a Victim Empowerment Committee (VEC) in accordance
with the National Crime Prevention Strategy.

With seed funding from the Department of Health (DoH), the SAPS and local business,
TVEP’s first 24/7 One Stop trauma centre was opened at the regional hospital,
Tshilidzini, in September 2001, to provide support to victims of sexual assault and
family violence. However, recognizing that to respond to these situations without
addressing the causes would not be sustainable, TVEP initiated Break the Silence
campaigns simultaneously, to mobilize communities to prevent and report violence.

Mission
To generate an attitude of zero tolerance towards all forms of sexual assault, domestic
violence, child abuse and AIDS stigmatisation in the Thulamela Municipality of Limpopo
Province, South Africa.

Primary Objectives
f To create a supportive environment for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence
and child abuse, and people impacted by HIV and AIDS;
f To inform, educate and capacitate the community about their rights and
responsibilities pertaining to TVEP’s four thematic areas;
f To capacitate and rehabilitate victims of sexual assault, domestic violence,
child abuse, and HIV and AIDS with emphasis on stigma mitigation, treatment
compliance and positive living;
f To ensure that justice is served by holding government departments accountable
to the Bill of Rights and to their respective departmental delivery mandates.

- 10 -
The Model

Two 24/7
Trauma
Centres

Two 24/7
Community
Mobilisation Short-term
Shelters

Zero M&E
Tolerance Access to
Village Admin, Justice
Alliance Finance
& HR

RASP
15
Community TVEP
Help Desks Outreach

HIV Young
Perpetrator
Services
Programme

TVEP’s Four Thematic Areas

f Sexual assault
f Domestic violence
f Child abuse
f HIV and AIDS

TVEP’s Sectors
TVEP’s interventions are through three sectors:

f Prevention, Empowerment and Support Services (PESS);

f Trauma Support and Access to Justice (TS and AtJ); and
f Research, Advocacy and Special Projects (RASP).
A fourth sector, Core Services, is responsible for finances, administration, human resources
and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
- 11 -
With its emphasis on prevention, this sector’s mandate is to reduce the incidence and
mitigate the impact of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child abuse, and HIV
and AIDS in communities by informing them of their rights and responsibilities, how
to access and exercise those rights, and what steps to take if they are violated. It
does this through four clusters: Help Desks, the Zero Tolerance Village Alliance,
Community Mobilization and HIV Services.

Help Desks
In order to extend TVEP’s reach into the most remote areas of Thulamela, TVEP runs
14 help desks at rural clinics, while one is located at TVEP offices in Sibasa.
Holistically trained Help Desk Advisors (HDAs) provide the communities they serve
with advice and guidance on their
rights and responsibilities relating
to TVEP’s four thematic areas. In
particular, this cluster facilitates
access to, and appropriate use of,
social grants; monitors the status
of orphans and vulnerable children
(OVC); and proactively encourages
prevention of mother to child
transmission (PMTCT) and the use
of female condoms. Advisors are
capacitated to hold other service
providers accountable; identify and
refer victims of sexual, domestic and
child violence; and conduct community
dialogues and workshops on TVEP’s
four thematic areas, as well as
surveys on behalf of TVEP’s research
partners.
(Photo: TVEP)

Zero Tolerance Village Alliance (ZTVA)

As TVEP’s model for positive behavioural change, this cluster aims to create
empowered and safe villages within which women and children, in particular, have the
confidence and feel secure enough to act appropriately against any infringements of
their rights and promptly access the services available to them.

Almost invariably, when a woman is asked why she tolerates abuse, her response
indicates a feeling of isolation; that she is alone with her problem, she doesn’t
believe others will support her; she is shy/embarrassed/ashamed or scared of
what the neighbours/family will say. The rationale, therefore, is that if everyone
in the village has been empowered, through a community owned process, and
if this culminates in male community leaders taking a public oath not to tolerate
any form of violence against women or children, then victims will be more likely to
disclose, and take action.4

4
Taken from a TVEP application for funding to the Population Council

- 12 -
The ZTVA is a comprehensive intervention that strives to impact every aspect of
village life in a sustainable manner. High-crime villages are invited to become
members of the Alliance, for which they must meet certain criteria, starting with
assuming ownership of the project itself. A Stakeholder Committee consisting of
community leaders is established, and community activists are trained to conduct
dialogues on TVEP’s thematic areas and encourage accountability. TVEP’s technical
assistants (TAs) guide the process and ensure that all community structures are
aligned to their specific mandates, for example: police stations must comply with
victim empowerment policy and clinics must be offering voluntary counselling and
testing (VCT). Once the criteria have been met, the village is awarded ZTVA status
and men are invited to take a public pledge of zero tolerance against SGBV, child
abuse and HIV-based stigma.

We train groups of people _ grannies, youth, men _ to train and support

others. We work in pairs and cover the four TVEP thematic areas. Our
work empowers people and helps them change their behaviour. Personally, I
was afraid to be tested, but since I joined TVEP I wanted to be a symbol
for others; I started to understand the importance of testing and knowing
my status; so I went to be tested and am leading by example, because you
cannot say to people, ‘go and get tested’ when you don’t know your own
status.
I would love to see more influential people involved in our work.
— Sarina Mudzwari, Technical Assistant with the ZTVA

Community Mobilization
This cluster came out of the Break the Silence Campaign of TVEP’s earlier years
and is responsible for all prevention and empowerment activities that take place
outside of the villages targeted for the ZTVA. This takes the form of edutainment
(dramas depicting TVEP’s core themes); radio phone-in shows (community and national);
participation in national campaigns such as Women’s Day events; responding to
specific calls for assistance; and providing logistical support to the Vhembe Civil
Society Network.

HIV Services
Initially this cluster focused on training government health professionals and TVEP
staff, but its focus is now on adherence (particularly in children), prevention and
mitigating stigma.

They are responsible for all matters related to HIV, such as spreading positive
messages; promoting understanding of and access to the government PMTCT programme,
and access to and sustained use of female condoms; ensuring appropriate HIV and AIDS
content of TVEP campaigns; monitoring and facilitating the wellbeing of orphans
and vulnerable children; and encouraging an attitude of zero tolerance towards HIV
related stigma.

Of particular note are the ground-breaking children’s workshops initiated in

partnership with the Vhutshilo Mountain School, a school that specialises in the care
and support of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). At these workshops, aimed at
reducing defaulting on medication, and reducing stigma, children are taught from as
young as five years to accept and understand their status, and to take responsibility
for adhering to ART and living positively. Staff from a local Wellness Centre

- 13 -
volunteered their assistance, and the trial has resulted in a noticeably healthy,
confident and well-adjusted group of children. These children spontaneously formed
their own support group and are now presenting plays on ART access and adherence that
they have written themselves. The methodology has worked so well it is being rolled
out in other areas.

Within this sector there are two clusters: Trauma Support and Access to Justice.

Trauma Support
The Trauma Support Cluster runs
four projects – the two trauma
centres (one situated in a regional
hospital and one in a district
hospital) and the two accompanying
safe house facilities, which
provide violated women and their
children with safe accommodation
for up to two weeks whilst they are
being relocated.

TVEP’s two trauma centres ensure

that victims of violence reporting
in the Thohoyandou Policing
District have 24/7/365 (24 hours,
all week, every day of the year)
access to the support and justice
they need and to which they are
entitled. These centres provide a Tshilidzini Hospital Trauma Centre
wide range of integrated services
to victims of sexual assault, child
abuse and domestic violence, and strive to hold government role players accountable
to their departmental mandates, adding value where necessary.

The work of the trauma centres

— Albert Mahada, Trauma Centre Administrator

- 14 -
TVEP provides a holistic range of services for victims who report to their trauma
centres, and ensure that these centres are always equipped with rape collection kits,
care packages* and comfort toys (usually teddy bears). The first step for VAs is to
inform the doctor on call, and to debrief the client (i.e. victim) and contain her
or his trauma. The VA then provides pre-test counselling, and a nurse draws blood
for HIV testing. Whilst waiting for the results, which are returned within a maximum
of two hours, the doctor conducts the medical examination and collects forensic
evidence. When the test results are back, the VA does the post-test counselling
and if the tests are negative, and the rape occurred within 72 hours, the client is
given a full course of PEP. After the examination, a statement is given to the police
(still at the trauma centre) and finally the client is offered a hot bath and given
a care package. All clients are welcome to stay overnight, or for up to two weeks if
it is not safe for them to return home. They also have free access to TVEP’s Trauma
Counsellor (TC).

*A care package consists of soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, body cream, a

“Rape Survivor’s Handbook”, and panties, if the client’s are taken for forensic
evidence. TVEP also provides a comfort toy5 , a month’s supply of a nutritional food
supplement for those on PEP, and transport subsidies for indigent clients to enable
them to return for counselling or re-testing.

TVEP’s VAs are trained in trauma

containment, pre- and post-test
counselling, basic forensic evidence
collection (specifically rape kits),
victim empowerment and paralegal support TVEP’s PEP adherence
relevant to sexual assault, domestic
violence and child abuse. They coordinate rate for the first 6 months
the services of role players, collect of 2010 has averaged 87%.
client data and maintain accurate records,
and when necessary, refer clients for
They attribute this to their
professional counselling, either from buddy system of individual
TVEP’s own TC or from state social workers support.
or psychologists. The VAs also conduct
home visits to assess victims’ home
circumstances and encourage those on PEP
to adhere to their treatment.

We support clients from their arrival at the trauma centre. We record

all cases in a profile record book so that we can keep track of the
different incidents reported. The police have a rape kit which is used
to collect evidence, and once the victim’s statement has been taken
and she has been properly and safely examined, we give her a care
pack and clean clothes so she can bath and change.

The (volunteer) general assistants support us and play an invaluable

role, taking the blood sample to the lab, preparing food, keeping the
centre clean and recording information in the event book. If it is a
rape case, we visit our client on the third day after she reported, to
encourage her to keep taking PEP, and assess her home circumstances.
— Tshililo Josephine Hadzhi, Victim Advocate

5
A soft toy to “cuddle” whilst relating their ordeal – this is believed to enhance recovery

- 15 -
Safe Houses
TVEP offers safe but temporary accommodation within their trauma centres for victims
of domestic violence who need shelter while social workers try to relocate them.
Women and their children can stay a maximum of 14 days.

Access to Justice
Once clients have left the trauma centres, the VA reports to Access to Justice, the
cluster responsible for monitoring cases through the criminal justice system. This
cluster aims to hold government departments accountable to their delivery mandates,
ensuring that survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and child
abuse have sustained access to holistic, efficient and integrated services, with TVEP
providing oversight and adding value where necessary.

Our work is about monitoring cases to ensure they move smoothly

through the system, and to take issue if there are indications
of corruption or malpractice. We also have to bridge the gap in
information so that people can access and exercise their rights. One
of our major challenges is to reduce the number of withdrawals by
victims; and to do this, we need to reduce the turnaround time for
a case (the length of time it takes between a case being reported
and a conviction or decision being reached) because it is common for
victims to become disillusioned and withdraw cases if they don’t see
results. This is why
we have a “buddy
system” where the
VA walks with the
client throughout
the process. We
also have case
monitors and
court chaperones,
and a witness
room for minors
based at the SOCA
court to provide
support.

One challenge
that is beyond
our control is
a shortage of
personpower and
Tshilidzi Masikhwa (right) and TVEP supporters in Thohoyandou resources in the
system. There are
so many cases on
the roll and many are acquitted because the prosecutor has too
many cases to deal with while the lawyer has only that one. So the
balance is not even. Also, the shortage of forensic laboratories
is a huge problem, as it causes very long delays so, often, the
prosecutor will decide to proceed without the forensic evidence.

— Tshilidzi ‘Bear’ Masikhwa, Manager: Access to Justice

- 16 -
 I like the fact that work at community level allows for greater 'real' interaction
with implementing agencies and service delivery bodies. This provides valuable
opportunities to link 'grass roots' issues with 'grass top' issues at national policy
level, as well as to enhance community based advocacy interventions. The potential to
assess the impact of programmatic work is also enhanced considerably.
Capacity challenges have a negative impact at all levels of the organization. This is
hugely frustrating as we have both the history and the potential to become a more
influential and effective role player in the Sector.
TVEP's weekly, national and community-based radio programming has proven
effective when dealing with "taboo" topics such as termination of pregnancy and
homosexuality. The following is an excerpt from an email sent by a young man to
TVEP shortly after TVEP facilitated a radio discussion on homosexuality:
"... I am 20 years old guy, from the village, ... I'd like to thank you for the
outstanding job that you are doing. I listen to almost all your talk shows
that you have in Phalaphala fm. You helped me as well. I am homosexual.
I've been in the closet ever since I was born. But since I listened to
that show on Phalaphala fm you had with fellow homosexuals, my life has
changed. I'm so delighted to say 'I AM NOW OUT OF THE CLOSET'. I
told my parents about my sexuality and to my shock my parents accepted
it. Thank you once again, I give you thumbs up!"
— Tian Johnson, Sector Manager:
Research, Advocacy and Special Projects (RASP)

Recognising the role of sound research-based advocacy interventions, this sector

serves several roles:

Research
This cluster assesses past, current and upcoming research and ensures that these
data are constantly fed into TVEP’s programmes. This ensures that interventions are
relevant. In addition, the cluster attracts and facilitates income- and knowledge-
generating partnerships with research institutions.

Advocacy
This cluster operates at both local and national levels and integrates the
programme’s advocacy work.

- 17 -
Special Projects
This cluster ensures that new interventions are relevant to TVEP’s work; have
potential to be resourced; and are seamlessly integrated and, once set up, handed
over to relevant operations sectors within TVEP.

Young Perpetrator Programme (YPP)

To address the high rate of juvenile
perpetrators, and at the request of the Roughly ten percent of
Department of Social Development (DoSD),
in 2004/5 TVEP developed and piloted
reported rape cases involve
a rehabilitation programme for young juvenile perpetrators, some
perpetrators of sexual offences. While the as young as nine.
pilot was successful, the project had to
be suspended due to lack of sustainable
resources.

The Core Services Sector comprises three clusters: Finance, Human Resources
and Administration, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). TVEP holds
financial accountability to be of primary importance and these clusters
ensure that tight financial controls, efficient administrative procedures
and comprehensive human resource policies are entrenched throughout the
organisation.

Finance
The Finance Cluster makes sure TVEP complies with its financial and
procurement policies and procedures.

Our biggest challenge is always

funding because we need a large
Audited by budget to run our projects. Short-
PriceWaterhouseCoopers
term funding contracts deny our
since it began, TVEP has
never had a qualified audit staff and volunteers job security and
report. the standard benefits they would find
elsewhere, such as pensions, medical
aid and 13th cheques. This results in
a high staff turnover, as they leave
us for more secure environments; and this is understandable. This means we
have to recruit and train new people all the time, which has a negative
impact on our resources as well as our service delivery.

— Emmanuel Radali (Manu), Financial Manager

- 18 -
Human Resources and Administration
This cluster is responsible for efficient service delivery; day-to-day
administration; and securing the institutional memory of the organization.
This includes maintaining and ensuring that the internal office network,
‘Shangri-la’, is properly used.

My work includes welcoming visitors, taking calls, making calls for staff, preparing
the petty cash journal, making sure the resource library is maintained, and buying
refreshments for the office.
Sometimes a client may come to reception very angry and it is my job to calm
them down and call the right person to help them. For exa mple, a wife may come
to the office and be helped; and when her husband hears about this he may want
to fight with us.
Our policy of breaking the silence is educating communities and empowering
people about their rights; and now they know what to do when they experience
abuse.
— Lucy Mabuda, Receptionist, Administration Cluster

Before people didn't know about abuse and that it is wrong. Let's take,
for instance, economic abuse. Many think this is just the way it should
be. Most guys work in Gauteng and just buy a little and don't leave
money at home. Our campaigns have helped people see they have rights.

— Tshikudu Nedombeloni, IT and Assets Officer

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Over the years, TVEP has realized the importance of M&E and this cluster has
expanded accordingly. Baseline and endline surveys are routinely conducted
to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions. An electronic
(ACCESS) database is maintained, which records information such as relevant
details about clients reporting to trauma centres, the progress and outcome
of criminal cases, numbers of people reached through clusters, and campaign
and workshop statistics. The recent purchase of the SPSS programme is expected
to considerably enhance the cluster’s ability to produce reports. With the
assistance of CIDA, results-based management was introduced in 2009, and is
being integrated throughout the organisation.

TVEP has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute of

Security Studies (ISS) whereby the institute will mine and clean TVEP’s
historical data with the intention of including it in a ‘crime hub’ that the
ISS is establishing. The institute’s analysis of the data will help to ensure
that future interventions and lobbying are evidence-led.

Because all victims reporting rape in the Thohoyandou Policing District have to
pass through one of TVEP’s trauma centres, a wide range of data are collected
on each incident. This gives TVEP a strategic advantage, as its staff can
credibly challenge, if necessary, the rape statistics presented by the police.

- 19 -
REFLECTIONS

TVEP’s role occasionally places it in a position of conflict with government service

providers. Because TVEP is seen as a watchdog and because the staff try to hold
service providers accountable to their mandates, relationships with government have
been tenuous and have taken a long time to build.

We were at a victim empowerment meeting and someone asked a police representative to say
how bad rape is in our district. He claimed that 18 cases had been reported in the previous
month. On returning to the office, we checked our statistics: we had recorded 34 cases of
rape in that same period, and had all the SAPS case numbers to prove it! It took 3 years, but
eventually they admitted that our figures were correct.
One of the biggest challenges is when cases are not opened and TVEP therefore knows
nothing at all about them.

Some years ago, an anti-rape strategy was introduced by SAPS, and police officers were put
under pressure to reduce rape statistics themselves. In the short term, this is impossible.
Unfortunately, to comply with the instructions, many chose to artificially reduce the statistics
by refusing to open cases. TVEP has evidence of this happening at four stations in the
municipality.
TVEP subsequently started a rape forum where they could sit with all civil servants
with whom they needed to interact (police, doctors and prosecutors) to raise this
kind of problem. Although the forum had the full support of SAPS at provincial level,
representatives from the district and DoSD refused to attend, and it was therefore
disbanded after only three meetings.

… but it is sorely needed …

A five-year-old was taken to the clinic. The clinic nurse who examined the child was married
to a policeman. She found scarring and fresh wounds on the child’s genitals, and telephoned
her husband who told her to send the child immediately to the station, which she did.
When the child reached the station, two female officers examined her genitals themselves
and decided she hadn’t been raped. They sent her home with instructions to the granny
that she should practice better hygiene. They recorded what they had done in the
Occurrence Book6, clearly indicating that their actions were condoned.
When the nurse’s husband found out what had happened, he asked the prosecutor to
intervene. This officer was subsequently disciplined and sent to work in a remote outpost, far
from his family. On TVEP’s insistence, an internal investigation was conducted by SAPS and a
recommendation made that four officers from the station should face a disciplinary hearing.
However, they delayed the process for so long that eventually the case was dismissed.
Another challenge is the misconception, even within the National Victim Empowerment
Programme (VEP), that victims must be empowered and counselled when they report their
crimes. TVEP has learnt that this is neither possible nor appropriate if the crime is
recent, and the victim is still traumatised; people in trauma are not psychologically
able to absorb and process information, and make decisions. Generally, they need to

6
All police stations are required to maintain an Occurrence Book, in which they record all
incidents, whether or not a case was opened.

- 0-
- 220 -
have that trauma contained, whilst someone else takes charge and ensures that correct
procedures are followed. Empowerment and counselling comes later, when they are
better able to process information. In the meantime, they need the support of someone
who will ensure that they access all the services available to them.

Some government VEP role players hold the view that once their front-line staff
members have been trained, they will always deliver services as they should, despite
the absence of civilian oversight. Thus they see no reason for volunteers based
at police stations to be trained in victim advocacy. Instead, such volunteers are
trained only to provide lay counselling to victims, and tend to ignore malpractices
they may witness as they have no impartial person to whom they can report. They
have not been fully trained on the Victim’s Charter, so many do not even know to
which rights the victim is entitled. This is frustrating, because if the VEP was
implemented as intended, and if it was relocated under an oversight body, instead of
an implementing department (the Department of Social Development), there is no doubt
that South Africa would be leading the world in Victim Services.

Fortunately, there are many more ‘good cops’ than ‘bad cops’, but they often have to
work with insufficient resources and back-up support.

We have limited resources in the police; and TVEP assists in this regard. They
are like an eye opener because they also help by saying 'watch this' or ‘check
that’. I am happy about that. All the many years I did not have an assistant,
so TVEP helped me a lot.
For example when someone was the victim of sexual assault they would compile
a report and send it to me. This is very useful. I can write a big book about
their assistance. Even now, if I don't see them for a few days I wonder what
has happened.
— Superintendent Hobyane, SAPS

So relationships with SAPS, while strong and amicable, are complex and have a major
bearing on the work of TVEP.

In any large organisation, there will always be a few ‘bad apples’ – we have even had
our share in TVEP! But when malpractice is reported, there is a strong tendency for
the police to close ranks and protect their colleague – the ‘blue wall’, I think they
call it, all over the world. This is sad, as it leads the community to not trust any of
them, to paint them all with the same brush. And in the end, no police force can
address crime without the support of the community. It is a cycle that can only be
broken if SAPS takes strong action against those who discredit them, instead of
‘killing the messengers’.
— Fiona Nicholson

For years we have been lobbying SAPS to use their Dog Unit for rape
investigations. Almost all rapists in our district escape on foot, so
the dogs could track them easily. We as TVEP could teach communities
in our campaigns that they must not disturb the scene of the crime
before the dogs have been there. South African police dog training
is about the best in the world, so for certain they would help catch
perpetrators, especially those who are not recognised by the victim.

— Tshilidzi Masikhwa

-- 21
21 --
 1997
The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Committee (VEC)
is set up by the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and the
South African Police Service (SAPS).

January 2002
A general committee of all 2001
stakeholders is formed. A project coordinator
is appointed.

January 2002
The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust is established
and formally registered as a not-for-profit organization.
March 2002
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) provides
TVEP with an administrator to assist with
establishing the organisation, and to transfer skills.

2003/2004
2004 TVEP sources funds to assist three victim
The Young Perpetrator Programme (YPP), for empowerment committees – in Vuwani, Waterval
sex offenders under the age of 18, is developed and Malamulele.
and piloted with the assistance and guidance of
Childline and the Teddy Bear Clinic.
2003
The Emotional Support Cluster
2004 is established and a professional nurse is appointed,
The second 24/7 trauma along with two fieldworkers
centre is opened at
Donald Fraser Hospital.

2004
Six clinic help desks are
established and advisors are
trained to run them.
2005
Zero Tolerance Village Alliance (ZTVA) 2005
– TVEP’s strategy for encouraging TVEP Drama Initiative
positive changes in behaviour – is is started.
started in eight communities.

2008
TVEP’s Tshilidzini trauma centre becomes a
Thuthuzela Care Centre.

2008
TVEP attends the XVII AIDS
Conference in Mexico.

2009
An historic march results in 2010
traditional leaders signing a pledge to The Vhembe Civil Society
fight gender-based violence. Network is formed.

-- 22
2 --
2
 2001
A volunteer coordinator is appointed and twenty volunteer
peer group educators are selected to implement education
programmes in communities.

September 2001
The first 24/7 one-stop trauma centre is opened.

2002
Sexual Offences and Community Affairs
Court (SOCA) opens in Sibasa. 2002
TVEP secures a house in Sibasa
for their central offices.
2002
Danida approves TVEP’s 3-year 2002
Business Plan for direct core funding. TVEP secures money for workshops, ‘Break the
Silence’ campaigns and case monitoring.

2003
SOCA Court in Sibasa claims an unusually
high conviction rate of over 60%.
October 2002
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is made
available to all rape survivors presenting at TVEP
trauma centres within 72 hours of the assault
and who meet the clinical requirements.

2005
No Excuse for Abuse 2006 2006
More help desks are added. Oxfam Novib takes
over as TVEP’s Oxfam
partner and agrees to
fund TVEP through to
February 2011.
2005
Historic Women’s Day march
involving 498 people – mirroring rape victims reported
to TVEP over the past year.

2006
In collaboration
with Vhutshilo Mountain
2006 School, TVEP starts the first
2007
TVEP is nominated for ART workshops for
The main trauma centre at Tshilidzini children.
receives a facelift. the Conrad N Hilton
Humanitarian Award.

- 2233 --
-
1997
The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Committee (VEC) is set up, locally championed by SAPS
Inspector Netshithuni and Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair, Joe Tshikovhi, and initiated by the
CPF and the SAPS in line with the provisions of the National Crime Prevention Strategy*. Fiona Nicholson
is elected to represent the business
community.

Over the course of the first few
meetings, the committee discussed *The National Crime Prevention
key community needs such as a
rape crisis centre, a shelter for
Strategy (NCPS)7
abused women and children, and
‘break the silence’ campaigns.
The initiative to develop a National Crime
The group agreed that their role Prevention Strategy began in early
should be: February 1995 as a response to President

• to set up an ongoing victim

empowerment project centre;
Mandela’s address at opening of Parliament,
which raised concerns about crime.

• to educate and sensitize the

general public about their
rights and the facilities
available to them;
• to offer support services to
victims of sexual assault
and domestic violence; and
Among the issues receiving special
attention were gender violence and crimes
against children. Specialised police units
were established to investigate crimes
against women and children and to set up

• to empower potential
victims with the knowledge
victim aid centres at which interdisciplinary
services were to be offered to victims of
and life-skills to defend these crimes.
themselves.

Victim Empowerment was one of the

pillars of the crime prevention
strategy, and the idea was to
bring together all stakeholders as victim empowerment was an issue that cut across
departments.

On the 1st November 2000, the doors of TVEP were officially

opened from the small room in Thohoyandou Police station. TVEP
took baby steps to grow for a little while until we received
major funding. Within two years the organisation grew from a
one-man show to a staff of eight people and many volunteers who
were willing to offer their services to the community. Advocacy
has been a strong point for the organisation and TVEP has grown
from strength to strength, from raising our voice in the local
newspaper, the Mirror, to making ourselves heard through the
Mail & Guardian and Sunday Times.

— Hangwi Manavhela (first Project Coordinator of TVEP)

7
Adapted from an article by J, Rauch, www.csvr.org.za/docs/crime/1996nationalcrime.pdf

- 24 -
2001
A volunteer coordinator is appointed and twenty volunteer peer group educators are selected to
implement education programmes in communities.
Their work, at the time, involved running Break the Silence campaigns in communities,
educating people about their rights.

The volunteers were drawn from the communities they were tasked to educate. Headed
by the campaigns manager, the aim of the Break the Silence campaign was to empower
communities with information on their rights related to child abuse, rape, domestic
violence, maintenance and protection orders.

To make sure all areas were covered systematically, TVEP divided Thulamela into ten
blocks, each one covered by a volunteer advocacy officer (AO). The AO identified
community liaison officers (CLOs) and worked with them to initially draw up a target
list of schools, crèches, societies, farms, churches and other bodies in their area.

The CLOs received training about issues of domestic violence and sexual assault, and
were then sent out with the support of their AO to campaign at each of the identified
target villages. Once their area had been covered, the AO moved on to four new
communities and repeated the process. The CLOs remained as contact points in their
communities, acting as agents of TVEP and providing information to victims of sexual
and physical abuse within their communities when and where the need arose.

The first 24/7 one-stop trauma centre is opened.

In partnership with SAPS and the Department of Health (DoH), TVEP opened its first
24/7 one-stop trauma centre at Tshilidzini Hospital in September 2001. The doors have
never closed since then.

A project coordinator is appointed.

Hangwi Manavhela, the first project coordinator was appointed.

2002
A general committee of all stakeholders is formed.
In 2001, the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) had offered to fund
TVEP directly, with the proviso that the organisation registered as a trust.
Subsequently the VEC resolved that they should break away from the SAPS and register
as a not-for-profit trust.

The committee convened a public meeting at a local hotel, inviting all stakeholders
and the auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers to explain what the formation of a trust
would mean.

TVET is finally set up.

In January 2002, the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust was established and
formally registered as a not-for-profit organisation. Trustees were elected at the
meeting and Fiona Nicholson was one of them. Subsequently the board asked her to run
the organisation. She accepted on condition that she immediately be allocated someone
to work with whom she could capacitate to take over from her as part of a succession
plan.

The mission and objectives were subsequently developed, and although the trust deed
allows TVEP to operate throughout the Vhembe Municipal District, the board decided to
initially restrict services to Thulamela, one of the four municipalities in Vhembe.
- 25 -
- 26 -
An administrator joins.
VSO, a UK-based volunteer organisation, provides TVEP with a volunteer to assist with establishing the
organisation, and to transfer skills.
This very competent former School Administrator, Felicity Groom, enabled the
programme director to focus on developing the programme instead of being bogged
down with administrative concerns. She subsequently became a staunch ally of TVEP,
visiting every year and helping where needed.

I arrived in Venda in March 2002 as a VSO volunteer towards the end of my professional
working life. I was given leave of absence from my position as an administrator in a UK
secondary school and was very grateful for this chance to give something back after a long
working life. Although I had spent a holiday in Zimbabwe I did not really know what to
expect when I left UK for South Africa, despite extensive briefing notes and training.
I was totally captivated by the scenery that greeted me in Venda. Not the more familiar dusty
African scrub, but mountains, lakes and lots of greenery.
My first days were a round of meeting people and trying to get my tongue round TshiVenda
names (and failing much of the time). TVEP was located in a small ‘borrowed’ office in
the government buildings in Thohoyandou and space was at a premium even for the small
number of staff at the time. In May 2002 we moved to our present offices in the small town of
Sibasa.
The money from Danida came through around then so we set about furnishing the new
premises. We had only two paid employees at the time so our biggest task was to recruit a
further seven members of staff.
VSO’s mission is to share skills with colleagues in developing countries. I helped
with the administration and finances until a financial officer was appointed in 2004. I
extended my original tour of two years by nine months and left in December 2004. In 2005
Fiona asked me to re-volunteer. She wanted someone to mentor and assist other smaller
organisations in Venda and thought that I would be the best person to do that because of
my previous experience in Venda. I returned to South Africa again in December 2005 and
stayed another two years.
From small beginnings, you can see how TVEP has grown. The vision and inspiration
came from Fiona Nicholson. She and her colleagues should be very proud of what they have
achieved in such a short time and I am delighted to have been a part of it. It was hard
work but it was an exhilarating time and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
There is a large part of my heart still at TVEP and my ex-colleagues always greet me
so warmly. I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to finish my working life in such
a rewarding way.
— Felicity Groom (Floss), Volunteer Administrator at TVEP’s beginnings

- 27 -
Danida approves TVEP’s 3-year
Business Plan for direct core
funding.
* Thuthuzela Care Centres are one-stop facilities
While this directive introduced as part of South Africa’s anti-rape
complicated the dynamics strategy, aiming to reduce secondary trauma for
between TVEP and the NPA
(which had anticipated the the victim, improve conviction rates and reduce
funds for its Thuthuzela the cycle time for finalising cases. They are led by
Care Centres (TCCs)*) for
some years, it enabled the SOCA Unit in partnership with various donors
TVEP to focus entirely on and NGOs, TVEP being their (unfunded) partner
developing and establishing
in Thulamela.
projects without having to
worry about raising funds,
for a period of nearly four
years.

Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Court (SOCA)8 opens in Sibasa.

Government established the SOCA Unit in October 1999 in order to:

“reduce victimisation of women and children by enhancing capacity to

prosecute sexual offences and domestic violence cases; reduce secondary
victimisation of complainants and raise public awareness of the scourge
of sexual offences and domestic violence; and ensure proper management of
young offenders.”

When first launched, these courts attended to cases of sexual assault and domestic
violence only, with specialised officers to direct investigations so that there would
be a better chance of securing convictions. Subsequently this was changed, and the
SOCA courts now deal with all kinds of cases.

This has had an extremely negative impact on case flow. Activists are lobbying to have
them return to the original mandate of sexual offences and domestic violence cases
only.
— Fiona Nicholson

I started working with TVEP in 2001/2, just after it was established. I was part of the
group of the first board of between 16 and 20 members.
I met Fiona at a meeting of the newly formed
organization and she asked me to assist. At
first I felt anxious about joining because I
Average number of feared a conflict of interest. But then I realized
Domestic Violence cases I’m also an activist in the community. I
per month: 100 find that domestic violence and maintenance
issues are intertwined; the issues have a
bearing on each other and there is always a
link between the two.

8
www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/justice/npa.htm

- 28 -
 One thing that stands out for me is an extraordinary Woman’s Day event, which made a
huge impact on many people, including me. For every victim of rape there was a person in the
rally wearing a red T-shirt emblazoned ‘No Excuse for Abuse’. Physically seeing this sea
of red symbolizing the extent of the scourge was very powerful indeed.
I would like to see this
organisation grow from strength
to strength. There was a time
when we wanted to widen our
radius. But we are able to assist
all who come to our offices.
TVEP is about equipping people
with skills in problem solving.
My approach is not to put people
in prison unnecessarily and I
believe my role is to improve and
empower society as much as I
can.
— Maleema Mapula Lebese,
Magistrate, Thohoyandou

TVEP secures a house in the grounds

of the old South African Embassy in
Sibasa for their central offices.

TVEP secures money for workshops,

Break the Silence campaigns and
case monitoring.
The first employed staff
members were recruited to run
workshops and campaigns, and
monitor cases reported at
trauma centres. After years
of conducting empowerment
campaigns in the communities
within which it works, TVEP
came to realise that simply
informing people of their constitutional rights would not bring about the changes
needed; they need to accept ownership of and responsibility for those rights
and to feel secure enough to exercise them. TVEP’s focus now lies in enabling
and encouraging people to exercise their rights pertaining to gender and child-
based violence, and HIV and AIDS, through appropriate channels and according to
appropriate, sustainable methods.

Case Monitoring
At the time, this programme was headed by a senior case manager and a number of
volunteer case monitors. A case monitor was allocated to each case of rape opened
at the centres, with the intention of ensuring that all cases move as swiftly and
efficiently as possible through the criminal justice system, and that the victim’s
rights are not further violated.

- 29 -
In October 2002, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is made
available to all rape survivors presenting at TVEP trauma
centres within 72 hours of the assault and who meet the
clinical requirements (i.e. not already HIV+). Average number
of rape cases per
Said to be the first in South Africa to achieve
this through government resources, this came month is 45; nearly
about almost entirely due to the courage and 60% of these are
determination of Dr Ndwamato, the hospital
superintendent at the time, who quietly ensured
children
that PEP was made available – despite the fact that
colleagues at other hospitals had been dismissed
for doing the same.

- 30 -
2003
SOCA Court in Sibasa claims an unusually high conviction rate of over 60%.
Prosecutors and magistrates suggested that this was largely attributable to TVEP’s
monitoring of sexual assault cases. The magistrate requested that TVEP expand their
services to other districts served by the court, but TVEP had to decline due to
limited resources.

- 31 -
TVEP is an NGO and a watchdog for the public and offers independent monitoring and
support services, particularly on sex offence matters. They have stations in courts, which fall
under our jurisdiction. When victims are taken to hospital TVEP is there to avoid secondary
victimization and provide a free and
enabling environment for the victims.
They monitor cases until finalisation,
including visits.
TVEP also intervenes when clients are
not comfortable and allow victims to
communicate their fears, creating a
situation of trust. If the prosecutor
is not aware of certain information,
they are on hand to collect and supply
it. In cases where a family member is
the perpetrator the family might try
to do away with the case and TVEP
may intervene to see justice done.
Several victimizations can take place,
especially with children. Someone
is always here from TVEP to make
sure that the child victims are taken
care of. They have toys, food and
refreshments on hand and a tired child
can rest. Also there are many women
who are victims. TVEP also requests
the contents of dockets and some
staff have a knowledge of the law
and are capable of monitoring. There
are certain situations we are unable
to crack, such as behaviours or habits
Esau Ngwana (top); and Judy Marindili, TVEP Court in victims; and that’s where they are
Chaperone, in the Child Witness Support room
able to assess victims, obtaining certain
legal information to help us finalize
cases. They understand victims who would close up and present information in a certain way.
TVEP cares for the kids while I’m busy, and when I call the victim they are really prepared to
talk to me and are more receptive to the court process. TVEP monitors even the health of the
child and we are able to postpone when necessary.
TVEP are a support service, but problems arrive when they intervene with legal issues and
the implications of those interventions lie with us. The victims could give them one version
and us another. We might think there’s no case and for them there is one; and we clash over
interpretation.
— Interview with Esau Ngwana, Advocate, Sexual Offences Court, Thohoyandou

- 32 -
 (Over)

- 33 -
- 34 -
The Emotional Support Cluster is established and a professional nurse – to offer support to people
living with HIV and AIDS – is appointed, along with two fieldworkers to help her monitor survivors
taking ART.
Now called HIV Services, and falling under the Prevention, Empowerment and Support
Services (PESS) sector, this cluster was started to ensure that all HIV-related
activities, in all TVEP clusters (for example PEP at the trauma centres, and the HIV
component of workshops), were coordinated and of the highest standard possible.

The team now consists of a project manager and five volunteer fieldworkers, of which
three are based at government Wellness Centres. They monitor ART adherence, with
particular emphasis on children, and conduct home visits to provide encouragement and
support to people living with HIV and AIDS, and their caregivers.

2003/2004
TVEP sources funds to assist three victim empowerment committees, based in outlying areas.
Since it began, TVEP has resisted expanding its geographical reach and the range of
its services, preferring to capacitate and partner other CBOs and thus spread the
workload.

TVEP raised seed funding for the first three CBO partners – Vuwani, Waterval and
Malamulele – VE Committees from outlying areas, who were members of Themba le
Sizwe, a VEP grant-maker and network. The funds covered basic office furniture and
equipment, a salary for a manager and stipends for three volunteers for a period of
one year. TVEP further helped to build capacity around finances and administration.

In retrospect, it was premature of us to do this; we did not have enough capacity

ourselves, and we had not foreseen the extent of the lack of capacity in them, and it
led to a lot of resentment, misunderstanding and frustration.
— TVEP

TVEP later raised funds for two other CBOs: Thohoyandou Maintenance Forum and
Thanduluso Counselling Organisation. The same challenges were experienced, and
subsequently this outreach project was suspended, to be revived years later,
employing a different strategy.

A new programme, the Young Perpetrator Programme (YPP), for sex offenders under the age of 18,
is developed and piloted with the assistance and guidance of Childline and the Teddy Bear Clinic.
This was in response to a request from the DoSD, in accordance with a national
government strategy to ensure that a diversion and/or rehabilitation programme exists
in each district.

The second 24/7 trauma centre is opened at Donald Fraser Hospital in February 2004.
Forming the backbone of TVEP’s work, both trauma centres provide invaluable services
to the communities around them. Their strategic location ensures that all cases
opened in the Thohoyandou Policing District have to come through them. As at June
2010 the trauma centres had assisted 4 394 victims of sexual assault (4 021 female
and 373 male) and 7 450 victims of domestic violence (1 143 male and 6 307 female).

On duty at each centre at all times are a VA and a volunteer. All survivors of rape
and domestic violence reporting in the Thohoyandou Policing District are brought
to one of these centres, where they are provided with practical and psychosocial
support. With support from the VA, clients can make a statement to the police (if

- 35 -
they wish), receive counselling and
practical advice, and be medically
examined at any time of the day or
night.

As the first person to whom the

survivor discloses, the VA remains
that survivor’s ‘buddy’ for the
duration of the investigation and
trial. This is to avoid secondary
traumatisation, and TVEP has found
it reduces the number of cases
withdrawn through frustration with
the ‘system’. By conducting follow-
up home visits to each client on
the third day after disclosing, the
VA encourages the completion of
PEP, if it has been prescribed.

Dr Ndwamato, who was instrumental in getting PEP to be provided to rape survivors,

speaks about the difference the trauma centres have made.

TVEP has developed a Rape Survivors’ Manual which outlines victims’ rights and the
processes they can expect, as well as explaining the medications, and providing
contact details of their victim advocate and counsellor.

Six clinic help desks are established and advisors are trained to run them.
Based at rural clinics, the help desks now provide communities with advice and
guidance on their rights and responsibilities relating to TVEP’s four thematic areas.

My job is to assist the community in the issues of domestic

violence, HIV, sexual assault and documentation.
Victims of rape don’t have to join a queue at the clinic
but can go straight to the police or nurses or me. When we
receive them we attend to them immediately and take them
to the nearest TVEP trauma centre.
- 36 -
 Before, people didn’t
know where to get help.
I heard about TVEP on
radio Phalaphala. My
initial training was two
weeks as understudy
at another help desk,
and then ongoing
training from TVEP
workshops. The main
problems I deal with are
domestic violence and
others relating to social
security where I refer
to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Home
Affairs.
I have a good relationship with my social workers, and the
police and nurses refer to me as well.
— Christine Ratshirumvi, Help Desk Advisor

The help desk advisors have a good understanding of the socio-economic issues
affecting their community, and are knowledgeable about the national social grant
scheme. They have built strong relationships with their community and their local
stakeholders.

All the advisors have been capacitated on all of TVEP’s core themes, as well as ART
adherence, basic lay counselling, and sessions on and by the different government
departments they may have to deal with.

Training is ongoing and is included in the monthly meeting when the advisors come to
the central office for their stipends and report-back meetings.

2005
Zero Tolerance Village Alliance (ZTVA) – TVEP’s strategy for encouraging positive changes in
behaviour – is started in eight communities.
For the first four years of operations, TVEP’s empowerment focus lay in ensuring that
the target community was informed of its rights pertaining to TVEP’s four thematic
areas. TVEP subsequently realized that although people knew their rights, this did
not necessarily translate into them exercising those rights.

They then held community dialogues to better understand this reluctance to act, and
this led to the formation of the ZTVA. In essence, the theory is that if an entire
village has been empowered on TVEP’s four thematic areas, and has taken a public
pledge not to condone acts of violence or HIV-based stigma, then vulnerable members
of that community will feel secure enough to stand up for their rights and report
acts of violence.

When TVEP started this project, it was over-ambitious and tried to pilot it in eight
villages, selected for the high number of assault cases reported in the preceding
years. Subsequently the pilot has been downsized to a more manageable two villages.

- 37 -
Returning home after a community training workshop on
“Women’s Rights and Female Condoms”, in Tshiombo

- 38 -
Another important learning has been that, for the project to succeed, communities
would have to take full ownership of the process, and not just ‘buy in’ to it.

This has led to a very different way of working, which includes:

• the broader community confirming its interest first, instead of just the
traditional, civic and church leaders;

• community members nominating representatives to a stakeholder forum (SF) which

is accountable to the people of the village. The SF is required to be proactive
in all ZTVA activities, which they must facilitate, approve and monitor. The
SF takes overall responsibility for ensuring it meets the criteria for ZTVA
membership within the designated time, and appoints its own agent in the form
of a community liaison officer to work closely with the TVEP Team;

• participatory dialogues, instead of workshops, through which participants

contribute their ideas and suggestions; and

• partnerships with other NGOs and CBOs where necessary and possible.

The Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF) is partnering TVEP in one of the pilot
villages, offering its microfinance scheme to women who meet its criteria.

The relationship between the village and TVEP is one of the best. Since the inception of
programmes there has been a dramatic drop in women and child abuse. This room we’re sitting in
was fundraised for by TVEP and is built in collaboration with the community.
A women’s football club was started
by TVEP. The clinic help desk is
functioning so that’s proof that the
programme is working. TVEP officials
come to monitor the help desk to
ensure its smooth running.
I, as a chief, respect the kind of
relationship and intervention, taking
into account all the people who conduct
it are not from the village and have
nothing to gain and are doing it for our
sake.
The really interesting thing is the
breaking of silence, which is rare and
is an act of empowerment. I had never heard of TVEP or the work they do. TVEP people came
to our village and went around and then also came to me. I called a community meeting and along
with the villagers, we accepted their services. As a chief you need to be wise and engage in
activities that will benefit the community and allow such organizations to operate.
— Chief Mathoho Tshiombo

TVEP Drama Initiative is started.

Edudrama has been part of TVEP’s programme for some years now. TVEP identifies local
groups, gets them to develop suitable plays, then commissions them to present those
plays where necessary. This is seen as an income-generation project as well, to keep
youth off the streets. The groups develop scripts on TVEP thematic areas with TVEP
facilitating training.

- 39 -
An historic Women’s Day march
The march involved 498 people who exactly mirrored – in number, gender and age –
every rape victim who had reported to TVEP since the previous Women’s Day. This march
ended at the Indoor Sports Stadium where a range of events such as dramas, debates
and quizzes took place, all promoting an end to the abuse of women and children.

The impact was phenomenal – even

some hardened journalists were seen
to wipe away a tear, as all these people,
with red headbands and t-shirts,
entered the hall with their heads
bowed, singing a funeral dirge, whilst
other women shouted the question
“look at these gogos9 and children…
did THEY ask to be raped??” TVEP
received 90 seconds of broadcasting
on all three SABC channels during
the main news. The following year, we
were asked by the municipality not to
hold an event on Women’s Day, as it
detracted from theirs…!
— TVEP

Images of the Women’s Day march and events

(photos: TVEP)

No Excuse for Abuse

TVEP received a grant to develop school material tackling its four thematic areas.
Four schools participated in the pilot programme, with support and advice from the
Department of Education (DoE).

Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (RAPCAN), a Cape Town-
based NGO, was commissioned to write two workbooks, for intermediate and senior
learners. One thousand copies of each were printed, and tested in the four schools.
The Life Orientation educators were taught how to use the books.

9
Grandmothers, or elderly women (from the Zulu ugogo)

- 40 -
2006
More help desks are added.
The work of the help desks has expanded to include social marketing of government’s
PMTCT programme and the use of female condoms, and conducting community workshops and
dialogues.

We now have 15 help desks: one at our office and the others at rural clinics. We help
empower on four issues: rape, child abuse, domestic violence and HIV. We also give advice
on issues such as access to grants, identity documents, marriage and death certificates,
and related matters. In most communities where we have programmes, we find that people
can talk now because our helpdesk advisors do workshops too. They speak now; whereas in
the past they didn’t.
— Fulufhelo Siboiboi, Help Desk Supervisor

Oxfam Novib takes over as TVEP’s Oxfam partner and agrees to fund TVEP through to February
2011, focusing on a rights-based approach for women and girls, and increased accessibility and uptake
of female condoms.
Novib and TVEP agreed on a comprehensive needs-based organisational development
process. Given the rapid growth and many changes in TVEP, this process aimed to
assist the organization to analyze its dynamics and culture, and develop a roadmap
for further development. This process proved to be useful, and served to build a team
spirit by ensuring all staff members were involved, irrespective of their position in
the organisation.

In collaboration with Vhutshilo Mountain School, TVEP starts the first ART workshops for children.
South Africa’s youngest peer educator, an HIV-positive orphan fostered by the
principal of the school, was the catalyst for these workshops. Having overcome
numerous HIV-related secondary infections as well as TB, this much loved, healthy and
happy child has now been on ART for seven years (since she was four). The ease with
which she accepted her status and managed her own medication so impressed doctors
that they recruited her help in convincing other children to do the same. So began
the workshops.

TVEP is nominated for the Conrad N Hilton Humanitarian Award.

Nominated by the South African office of USAID, this gesture was a significant
acknowledgement of TVEP’s work in the community.

- 41 -
2007
*Note: This is not nearly
The main trauma centre at Tshilidzini receives a facelift. long enough to effectively
Since the renovations, TVEP has been able to address the needs of the
offer safe but temporary accommodation at both victims, and there is a
trauma centres. Up to 20 victims of domestic desperate need for a fully-
violence who need shelter while social workers fledged long term Shelter
attempt to relocate them can stay in one of these
in the district.
safe houses, with their children, for up to two
weeks*.

- 42 -
2008
TVEP’s Tshilidzini trauma centre becomes a Thuthuzela Care Centre.
(See the full story on page 44).

- 43 -
TVEP attends the XVII AIDS Conference in Mexico.
TVEP’s interest in the conference was spurred by the organisations interest in, and
concern about, female condoms being made more accessible to women.

2009
An historic march.
A march organised by TVEP and Sonke Gender Justice results in traditional leaders
signing a pledge to fight gender based violence.

2010
The Vhembe Civil Society Network is formed.
The result of a TVEP initiative, this Network provides a platform for the sharing of
resources and experiences among CSOs in the district.

REFLECTIONS

In August 2008, TVEP’s Tshilidzini trauma centre became a Thuthuzela Care Centre
(TCC) in partnership with the SOCA unit of the NPA. As a government project, TCC
staff members are available during work hours only, as the model requires that
hospital staff take over the coordination and delivery of services after hours,
weekends and public holidays. These are traditionally the busiest times for reporting
gender violence and the times when under-resourced hospitals themselves run on
skeleton staff. In 2009, only 24% of all rape victims reported during office hours,
when NPA staff members were on hand to assist them; the remaining 76% reported after
hours and so were assisted exclusively by TVEP staff. Domestic violence victims are
currently excluded from the Thuthuzela model, and so are totally reliant on TVEP for
help.

Percentage of rape victims who reported during the day, week

days: 26 %
Percentage of rape victims who reported during Public holidays,
weekends and after hours (of week days): 74 %

TVEP continues to support and partner the TCC, hoping that the principle of
“prosecution-guided investigations”* will be applied effectively and thus reduce
turn-around time and increase conviction rates in cases of sexual assault.

* A SOCA appointed prosecutor guides the investigation from the beginning.

-- 4444 --
 Courage
My story started this way. I was a woman married to a soldier man and we
had four children. It started when my husband refused to maintain his children
because he was having lots of affairs. That forced me to work for people; washing
clothes to have money to buy food for my children, whilst he was still working as a
soldier. People like those who knew me, like a teacher, encouraged me to go back to
school and complete my grade 12, which I did.
One day when I came back from school I found my first-born daughter, who was
12 at the time, raped by my brother-in-law who was 21 at the time. We were living in
a remote place in the bush. At that time my husband was no longer staying with us.
One day soon after, he came back and said he’d heard of the rape, and asked
for the documents pertaining to the rape to take to his mother to resolve the issue.
The following day he returned without them, saying if I loved him I couldn’t take
his brother to jail. Then he said he wouldn’t be around any longer because he felt
his daughter was tricking him and she was causing trouble. One day I came home
from a piece job10 to find my daughter crying. Her father had been there and
raped her as well, to prove as he said, that she had indeed been raped before by
his brother. He disappeared then returned a few days later with a girlfriend at
midnight holding a soldier’s bag and demanding I leave the house.
When he was out for a while I opened his bag and found a gun and ammunition,
which I took to the military base close by. A few days later he returned with a
panga11 and threatened to kill me, striking me and choking me. I managed to
flee to the police. The children remained in the house. I returned with the police and
found my baby – who was one-year, five months – on the floor with a broken arm.
Another was also injured. My first-born had marks on her neck. He had tried to chop
them. He beat a neighbour who came to assist when she heard the screaming.
The police took us all to hospital where we were taken to trauma. There I met Fiona,
who took all the information. I felt I wasn’t getting enough protection from the
police who had put aside all the cases I’d opened and left me in a vulnerable
position. My family said it was better I went back to the family home until the
problem could be solved. My daughter complained that she needed to join me but
I couldn’t take her at the time. Her father attempted to rape her again and
we reported to the social worker but got no satisfaction. He warned me that my
daughter was going to make her own grave; that she would die. The next day,

10
Once off, short term work
11
A machete

- 45 -
I was collected by a group of women and taken home, where I arrived to find
my daughter dead. She was kneeling with a cord around her neck and had been
hanged on a very weak bush, which really could never have supported her body. I
confronted my husband who arrived later hand in hand with his mother and claiming
jealous boyfriends had hanged her.
So TVEP got involved. I asked the police to provide me with shelter. Fiona and TVEP
pursued the matter. The chief then gave me this broken house but soon afterwards
some people showed up and said the house was theirs and that I needed to pay
them rent. TVEP helped me with food parcels and gave me a cleaning job at their
offices. When they realized I had grade 12, they organized me an even better
job. I told the chief that I now had work and was able to buy a plot, which I did,
and have now built a house, which is nearly complete.
Without TVEP I was just like a drunken lady going up and down but now I am a
person and I have a home. I now act as a survivor on radio and TV because my life
is not scattered and my children can grow up knowing what happened. I hope to
be a good example to other women.
— Suzan Nyadzani, Manini

A dream come true

I approached TVEP because of the violence at home. I was sick of it.
After all the efforts that were done to try to resolve the problem, my
husband kicked me out of my house. TVEP volunteers started to build
this house. For me this house is like a dream come true. I’d given up
hope of ever having a place of my own.
My brother, who was sheltering me, has now kicked me out because I’m a
sick person who relies on medication and has to eat when taking it. I’m
now living with a friend and feel I could move in right now though still
so much needs to be done to make the house habitable, but I need some
peace and quiet.
My disability grant has been
suspended and I need piece
jobs to survive. I’m still
involved with TVEP and they
assist me with grant issues as
well as invite me to participate
in awareness campaigns like
16 Days of Activism, and I
speak on their behalf.
— Frida Netshitanini,
Ha-Makhuvha

Frida has subsequently moved into

her house, which was built on the
initiative of TVEP volunteers, who
dug the ground and raised money for
the building themselves.

- 46 -
- 47 -
TVEP is my umbrella, because
wherever I go, whatever I do,
and whichever way I look, it is
because of TVEP, especially to
accept people living with HIV.
Suzan Ravuka
Fieldworker
- 48 -
For many years TVEP has worked together with other civil society organisations (CSOs)
in the Vhembe district, partnering where possible to deliver services, and assisting
those who need support. On 13 November 2009, under the banner of Building Bridges,
TVEP gathered approximately 25
civil society organisations
in the district to propose a
civil society network. The
idea behind the network is
to confront challenges and
provide a platform for sharing
resources and experiences.

At the subsequent meeting,

in March 2010, it was agreed
that the Vhembe Civil Society
Network should be formed. A
steering committee was elected
with a mandate to facilitate
solidarity and capacity
building of members, and to
collectively hold government
accountable.

A first for Vhembe

On 21st May 2010, fourteen CBOs (including TVEP) stood in solidarity to present a
memorandum, below, to the MEC for Health and Social Development at a summit held in
the district.

They organised the entire thing, I kept in the background – there was an amazing
spirit of unity that I have craved for years!
— Fiona Nicholson

- 49 -
TVEP partners with Sonke Gender Justice
on the One Man Can Campaign
TVEP partnered with Sonke Gender Justice to
organise a march on 6 December 2009 that started
at the Thohoyandou shopping complex and ended
at the University of Venda stadium. Around 600
men participated. The march was led by religious
and traditional leaders. The purpose was to
encourage men to take a stand against gender-
based violence, child abuse and HIV-based
stigma. The New Start testing agency was on hand
to provide voluntary counselling and testing
services. Traditional leaders signed a pledge to
fight gender-based violence – the same pledge
used in the ZTVA.

In honour of TVEP’s work, local reggae artist, Colbert Mukwevho recorded the TVEP
Song, of which he sold over 40 000 copies direct to the public! In 2003, when TVEP
hosted a song competition adjudicated by Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Colbert, Fiona
jokingly asked Colbert when he would write a song for TVEP.

About a year later, he wandered in with a CD that blew my brain! Subsequently

we burned copies for distribution, and it is still played over Phalaphala fm. Our
partnership with Phalaphala was started as a result of this song – they interviewed
us and Colbert, and were so impressed with what we were doing, they invited us to
have our own weekly show.

- 50 -
- 51 -
TVEP has established a good working relationship with a number of radio stations.
At Phalaphala fm, TVEP has one slot per week and at Univen and Molatjie, both of
which are community stations, it has another two slots. These cover a range of
issues, including human rights, family, youth and children’s issues, and gender-based
violence.

On some issues like HIV, families are opening up (because culturally

we tend to hide these things) but people have started to open up on
air.
Tuesday is TVEP slot night
and we create topics from
what comes up on the
roadshow. We are also
closely linked and working
together. These programmes
and the work of TVEP have
made a very big difference
in the lives of our listeners.
The radio shows have no
doubt popularized TVEP and
our partnership has opened
pathways to the community.
— Interview with Philip Ramawa,
Phalaphala fm Radio, Programme Producer and Supervisor of Sub-station

In line with its commitment to long term and sustainable provision of “holistic,
co-ordinated and high quality services to the victims of sexual assault, domestic
violence, child abuse, and the HIV pandemic”, TVEP is involved in a range of advocacy
initiatives. Cutting across all of them is accountability monitoring – ensuring that
communities learn to hold government accountable to their respective departmental
mandates.

South Africa has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, and has
developed commendable policies to entrench and uphold the rights of women
and children. As we all know, the challenge lies in ensuring that these policies
are implemented, especially in patriarchal societies such as Thulamela, where
women in particular are discouraged from ever challenging authority. Under such
circumstances, one cannot expect service delivery to be of an acceptable standard, as
transgressors are rarely held to account by either their superiors, or the communities
they serve.
— Fiona Nicholson

- 52 -
Access to female
condoms
TVEP is leading the
battle for universal
access to female
condoms, starting with
convening the female
condom dialogues in
October 2008. TVEP
participated in the
Mexico AIDS conference,
specifically to learn
more about, and lobby
for, Universal Access,
and are currently funded
to conduct an audit
into the procurement,
marketing and
distribution of female
condoms.

Participation in the National Working Group on Sexual Offences

Together with many of its peers, TVEP was active in the drive to amend the Sexual
Offences Bill as part of the working group established for that purpose. Subsequent
to the promulgation of the bill, the working group adjusted its mandate and is now
focused on ensuring its effective implementation.

Involvement with SANAC

TVEP sits on the Women’s Sector as well as the Law and Human Rights Sector of the
South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

TVEP is actively lobbying, through SANAC, for a reversal of the current policy to
suspend social grants for people living with HIV when their CD4 count has risen to an
acceptable level. Because of this policy some people deliberately stop taking ARVs
so that they become sick again, and thus go back on the grant scheme. Eventually the
drugs no longer work, and they develop full-blown AIDS.

Presentation to the Parliamentary Committee on the

Domestic Violence Act (DVA)
One of TVEP’s ongoing concerns is around the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP)
launched by the government in 1998. TVEP has strong reservations about the current
placement of the programme under the Department of Social Development (DoSD) instead
of an oversight body, and made a submission in this regard to the Portfolio Committee
and Select Committee on Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities.

Their main concern lies in the assumption that government agencies involved with
sexual assault and domestic violence will always do what they are required to,
irrespective of the absence of oversight or accountability monitoring. Under the
present structure, VEP volunteers are trained only in lay counselling, and are not
expected to intervene if, for example, a stakeholder (such as the police) mistreats
or denies a victim her or his rights.

Specifically, TVEP raised concerns about the role of civil society in holding
government accountable; the need for a policy framework to support the DVA; the

- 53 -
inefficacy of the current structure of the VEP; the lack of effective monitoring; and
the need for volunteers to be trained in advocacy to ensure that victims can access
their rights, no matter how traumatised or disempowered they may be.

UNISA Centre for Applied Psychology (UCAP)

The University of South Africa (UNISA) Centre for Applied Psychology plans to
document the TVEP model so that it can be included in a Victim Empowerment text
book the centre is compiling. TVEP hopes this will encourage and facilitate the
roll-out of its model in other districts, so people can learn from its mistakes and
achievements.

- 54 -
REFLECTIONS

TVEP has grown organically since its beginnings as the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment
Committee in 1997, constantly responding to needs identified in the communities it
serves.

Beginning with one 24/7/365 trauma centre and Break the Silence campaigns, TVEP
now runs nine projects which, combined, offer a comprehensive range of prevention,
empowerment and support services to the people of Thulamela. Its focus has shifted
from support and empowerment of rape and domestic violence victims to a broader, more
holistic model of integrated services, incorporating aspects of the HIV pandemic not
targeted by other CBOs in the District.

Many lessons have been learned along the way.

From Spray and Pray to Workshops and Dialogues

We made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot of lessons in those early days. We learned, for
example, that campaigning achieves little… we call it “the spray and pray technique”, that
is: spray the crowd with information, and pray that at least some of it sticks! Now we prefer
to conduct small workshops and dialogues… the latter, especially, with older people who are
encouraged to raise their concerns and suggestions and discuss the challenges they face.
That is far more effective.
We also knew nothing about baseline studies, so for the first few years were unable to
measure our successes or failures.

Community training workshop on ‘Women’s Rights and Female Condoms’,

Covenant Church, Tshiombo

- 5555 --
-
The Development of the ZTVA is a useful example to illustrate this growth.

When we started the ZTVA we made the mistake of trying to pilot it in eight villages.
Although a lot of people benefited from the workshops conducted, we were never able to
bring any of the villages to the point at which they had met all the criteria, and so could
take the pledge and be awarded ZTVA status. We reviewed the project in 2009, and
realised that we would have to start afresh, targeting only two villages at a time.

The current HIV Services Cluster also illustrates the growth of the organisation.
Originally Positive Support Services, this cluster focussed on training TVEP staff
and government officials around ARVs. This was in response to discovering an eight-
year old child with full-blown AIDS who had not been referred to the ARV programme
because, in the words of the clinic nurse, “ARVs are only for adults”. A subsequent
survey revealed that, a year after the roll-out of ARVs in the district, not a single
nurse at the clinics where TVEP had based their help desks had received any training
at all on ARVs. Once this had been addressed, TVEP changed focus to adherence
(particularly in children), prevention and stigma mitigation.

TVEP prides itself on being responsive and willing to learn.

We had a visit some years ago from a person working for the Greater Nelspruit Rape
Intervention Programme (GRIP). After spending some time at our trauma centres he asked
if I realized that we were re-traumatising our victims. I was completely taken aback but
interested to hear what he had to say.
He pointed out that the victim, having been raped, goes to the trauma centre and relates
her/his ordeal to a TVEP VA (then called survivor support officer). The victim is then visited
at home by a TVEP case monitor – a total stranger! Then, when the case appears in court,
the victim has to interact with yet another person – the TVEP court chaperone.
So while we were doing our best and believing we were providing sensitive services to our
clients, in fact, we may have been traumatising them further.
We were very grateful for this advice, and changed our strategy immediately. Now the
way we work is that the person to whom a victim first discloses at a TVEP trauma centre is
a holistically-trained victim advocate (always a woman) who remains as the victim’s ‘buddy’
for as long as her support is needed. This strategy has resulted in us witnessing the highest
PEP compliance rate in South Africa. These drugs help protect the victim against contracting
HIV from her rapists, so compliance is extremely important.

The organisation’s willingness to learn from others in the sector has been its
strength and will continue to guide its development into the future.

Since joining TVEP in 2007, I have learned what it means to be empowered, and the need
to “Break the Silence” on abuse. I have gained both knowledge and self-confidence, and
although I work in the office I am still able to encourage people to act against all forms of
abuse, and also to get tested for HIV and disclose their status. I believe most people are
dying from stigma and denial, not from HIV. TVEP rocks!
Lushia Maraganedzha, Administrator, TVEP

- 56 -
Over the years, TVEP has worked diligently and purposefully towards offering a
sustainable, practical model of prevention, empowerment and support services for the
community of Thulamela. Through an organic and measured growth, the organisation
finds itself with a model that is coherent, comprehensive and holistic. But the
challenges are ever present and TVEP must continue to influence its environment to
create the best conditions for its work and the community.

A key element of TVEP’s sustainability plan is to upscale its lobby for government
to accept accountability – and therefore fund – the provision of essential services
by the non-profit sector on a programmatic, contractual basis. The government of
South Africa has a constitutional obligation to either deliver such services itself,
or to fund those that do. TVEP believes that if partnerships with civil society were
strengthened so that resources could be shared, and each could be held accountable to
the other, more could be achieved.

A survey conducted in 200712 suggested that, in South Africa, more people are
employed by the non-profit sector than by the national government, and more even than
the mining industry. The fact that many NGOs are also providing skills training lends
further economic motivation for government to partner and fund the NPO sector. TVEP’s
slogan for the lobby is: “The sustainable funding of the non-profit sector in South
Africa is no longer a social necessity – it is an economic imperative.”

Given the high levels of poverty and unemployment in the district, TVEP cannot charge
clients for services. However, the organisation is exploring other means of income
generation and cross-subsidisation

Research partnerships
Over the past nine years TVEP has generated, and continues to generate, a wealth of
useful data relevant to the sector. TVEP is strategically well-placed to facilitate
sector-related research through its help desks, trauma centres, fieldworkers and
court monitors.

This provides an opportunity to develop long-term research partnerships with credible

institutions that are prepared to pay for the collection and use of data. Their
analysis of the data would further ensure the relevance and efficacy of TVEP’S
interventions.

12
Swilling, M. & Russell, B. (2002) The size and scope of the non-profit sector in South
Africa. Durban: Centre for Civil Society, University of Natal.

- 57 -
Implementation partnerships
Over the years, TVEP has developed a number of projects in response to client needs,
simply because there were no other agencies to do so. Initially, TVEP tried to
individually empower other CBOs to provide services, but this strategy has changed,
and the organisation now works through the Vhembe Civil Society Network.

TVEP is also targeting best practice NGOs in other parts of the country to create
viable and appropriate partnerships for delivering services.

Downsizing
TVEP has always been aware of the fact that successful implementation of its
interventions should and must result in the organisation downsizing as the need
for services diminishes. To this end, TVEP plans to change emphasis from delivering
support services, to monitoring services delivered by state agencies to ensure they
comply with government policy.

TVEP aims to ensure that government policy translates into implementation at district
level, enabling TVEP to start downsizing by 2015. To achieve this, the community of
Thulamela has to learn to speak out and hold those in authority accountable to their
respective delivery mandates.

Training Division
TVEP is one of very few NGOs in South Africa to have been accredited by the South
African Health and Welfare SETA13 to provide training in both the fields of victim
empowerment and ancillary health services. TVEP envisages establishing a business-
orientated training division which will serve to cross-subsidise operational costs.

13
Sector Education & Training Authority

- 58 -
 When the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust was founded in 2002, we
knew we had set ourselves an enormous challenge, as our district was regarded as
a ‘hotbed’ of rape, domestic violence and femicide. Our mission, ‘To generate an
attitude of zero tolerance towards all forms of sexual assault, domestic violence,
child abuse and AIDS stigmatisation in the Thulamela Municipality of
Limpopo Province, South Africa’, is a worthy one. We have become a high profile
NGO in the Vhembe District and we are held in high regard by many government
departments, funders and other NGOs/CBOs. Our expertise and data is often
sought by other agencies researching these issues in rural areas.

We wouldn’t be where we are without our supporters – the police, doctors, nurses,
social workers, prosecutors, magistrates, educators, pastors, civic members,
traditional leaders and healers who so often go above and beyond the call of duty
to ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable members of our community. We salute you! We
know we cannot do this work without you.

The trustees of TVEP continue to offer their expertise and insight to ensure the
continued development of the organisation. They give of themselves tirelessly and
without hesitation. Thank you, colleagues.

Thanks are not enough, however, for the people at TVEP. This team of special
individuals commits themselves daily to the vision of TVEP. Led by our
programme director, Fiona Nicholson, they work, despite the many difficulties
and challenges, to make their vision a reality. I am extremely proud to be
associated with them.

May God bless you all!

— Johannes Tshikovhi, Chairperson of the Board

TVEP’s work is as significant now as it was when it began in 1997. While communities
are taking more responsibility for their issues and rights, they need support,
information and encouragement. TVEP’s role as watchdog is equally important. Keeping
government accountable is a key role of civil society and TVEP has done this despite
the complications and challenges it has encountered.

TVEP remains committed to the following:

• Women realising their full potential in Thulamela

• The full implementation of all government policies related to TVEP’s core

themes

• Zero tolerance for all forms of abuse

• Acceptance of HIV as a manageable disease

• Mutually beneficial and respectful partnerships with government

• Fully-funded essential (welfare-based) services

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 • Informed communities exercising their rights

• Revival of the spirit of ubuntu14

• Traditional leaders working to align cultural practices to the South African

Bill of Rights

• Batho pele15 principles entrenched throughout government departments

• An acceptance that with rights come responsibilities

• A “culture of entitlement” replaced with a “culture of personal

accountability”

The community was not aware of their rights, especially

women and children, and where to go when being abused.
TVEP helped a lot by empowering the community. It was
the first organisation in Limpopo around Thulamela
Municipality. As a chief I am very honoured to see what
TVEP has done to my community; women and children
now understand and know their rights because they
know that …

Nwana a sa lili u fela ngozwini !

(a child who doesn’t cry dies on her mother’s back).

— Chief Sumbana, Deputy Chair of TVEP

14
An African philosophy of the spirit of people helping and supporting each other
15
Batho Pele means “People first”; the batho pele campaign is a government initiative to build
good customer services

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 (Photo: TVEP)

Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme

PO Box 754, Sibasa
Limpopo 0970
South Africa
info@ tvep.org.za
www.tvep.org.za

The cover photograph shows children participating in a

protest march in which 498 marchers mirrored, by gender
and age, a person who had reported raped in the year
leading up to Women’s Day.

The background fabric is salampore, a thread-dyed woven

material derived originally from mattress “ticking” and
used for traditional VhaVenda attire.
 By C Mann, May 2009

I heard you craved a woman,

kicked in her township door,
whole bunch of guys, feverish eyes,
that woman on the floor.
The neighbours heard her crying
and shut their ears in fright.
Don’t witnesses get stuck with knives
when gang-law rules the night?
I heard a docket vanished,
a cop friend killed the case,
and when you pass her on the street
you laugh right in her face.
Shame on you, Shame on you,
Shame, shame, shame, shame,
Shame … me on you.
Why don’t you stop your lying,
why don’t you get real strong,
why don’t you face the facts and say,
“Woman, we did you wrong.”
I blame you on apartheid,
on post-apartheid too,
I blame you on the fathers
who turned their backs on you.
I blame you on the schools,
the drugs and poverty,
but right and wrong is here and now
not chained in history.
Shame on you, Shame on you,
Shame, shame, shame, shame,
Shame … me on you.
Well don’t you know a woman
is made like you and me?
She’s also got a heart that yearns
for love and dignity.
Hey no one thinks you’re cool
when you start getting rough,
Hey can’t you hear the devil say,
“Enough, boys, enough!”
I don’t care where you’re hiding,
I’ll sing you back in view,
so those who love this land can say,
Shame, shame on you.

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