Breaking the Silence: UNIVEN Partners with SASSETA and DC Academy to Tackle GBV

On 11 September 2025, the University of Venda (UNIVEN) through UNIVEN Continuing Education division, in partnership with SASSETA and DC Academy, officially launched a transformative Gender-Based Violence (GBV) project at the UNIVEN Sports Hall in the Vhembe District Municipality. The event kick-started with a march from the University’s main gate to Sports Hall, bringing together the UNIVEN community and residents from surrounding villages. This initiative, aimed at confronting and reducing the impact of GBV within local communities and student populations, brought together key stakeholders, experts, and students for a day of awareness, education, and empowerment.
The programme was opened by Mr Takalani Thabo who emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in tackling GBV, calling it “a social ill that affects not only individuals but entire communities.”

He urged participants to approach the day with seriousness and reflection, noting that the launch was not simply symbolic but a call to action. “We are gathered here because GBV is not an ab-stract concept it is something we see in our homes, our schools, and even within our campuses,” he said.
When delivering the keynote address, Ms Dali Matodzi, CEO of DC Academy spoke about the “Why” of GBV training. She emphasised the importance of understanding the roots of violence and the urgency of prevention. Drawing from personal experiences, she shared stories of friends and relatives affected by GBV. “Some were able to seek help in time, but for others, it was too late,” she explained. “We must ensure that silence and delay do not continue to cost lives.”

Ms Mpho Mafohla from SASSETA discussed gender-based violence. She believes that when in-stitutions work together, they can make a bigger impact. Programmes like this initiative assist people to understand the issue but also empower young people to stand up against harmful practices and create safer communities for everyone. She also highlighted that a key component of this training intervention is offering psychological support to 100 GBV survivors through three free counselling sessions. Survivors can contact 082 973 7687 to schedule their sessions.

Dr Tshilidzi Mulaudzi, who presented a Psychological Perspective on GBV cautioned against the normali-sation of abuse across generations, reminding attendees that both boys and girls must be addressed to uproot the problem. “We cannot point fingers at one child and ignore the other,” she stressed. Referring to a recent tragic GBV case at UNIVEN involving a student who murdered his girlfriend. Dr Mulaudzi asked the audience the following questions: “What are we doing as a community to reduce GBV? How are we responding when we see the warning signs?” She urged the audience to speak out boldly: “Change starts when we refuse to be silent.”

Representing the University’s Protection Services Department, Ms Tshilidzi Makhado under-scored the University’s commitment to supporting victims. “My door is always open,” she assured students. She went on to explain that her department regularly organises GBV awareness pro-grammes as part of its mandate to protect the campus community. “Most victims are women, but that does not mean we should turn a blind eye to male victims,” she said.

When giving a vote of thanks message, Ms Thanyani Nekwakwani expressed appreciation to all speakers, organisers, and participants for their dedication to the cause.

Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811