By Kouthar Sambo

As we approach 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign, the University of Cape Town (UCT) has partnered with the Kwanele Foundation to launch the Kwanele App, which is a digital tool to help track and report Gender Based Violence (GBV) incidents across the campus.

The app provides students with a platform to report incidents without fear and shame, which could potentially discourage survivors from coming forward.

Speaking on VOC’s Drive Time on Thursday, the manager for UCT’s Special Tribunal Ann Isaac said that the university has several disciplinary spaces for both staff and students.

“This could be for your general misconduct, that in 2019, we started a new project where we separated all formal disciplinary cases, of both staff and students, in a specialized tribunal for sexual misconduct,” explained Isaac.

“All cases relating to sexual misconduct at a campus, for both staff and students, is then channeled through the special tribunal for a formal disciplinary process that is adjudicated by a chairperson, assessors and we also need evidence,” reiterated Isaac.

The procedure that is executed is not a criminal court process, explained Isaac, but an administrative court process that follows a similar process when it comes to presenting evidence once someone complains of sexual misconduct.

“GBV is a global challenge, and we have a lot of engagement with national institutions, organisations, and global interactions because sexual and gender-based violence is a global crisis,” added Isaac.

Photo: Kwanele Foundation/Facebook