Overview
- Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday and set aside R5.1 billion for the government’s GBVF response.
- R3.8 billion has been allocated to hire about 3,552 social workers who will deliver prevention, counselling, family interventions, referrals and victim empowerment across provinces.
- The MTBPS reprioritised R186 million to strengthen forensic services and investigative capacity and added R157.4 million to the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities for national coordination.
- The budget sets targets to expand specialised sexual offences courts from 55 to 101 and to raise Thuthuzela Care Centres from 72 to 80 by 2028/29, but success depends on rapid hiring and reducing forensic backlogs.
- Most funding comes from projected savings of R6.2 billion tied to tighter social grant verification, and officials will need to show how provinces and municipalities will implement and report on the roll‑out.