The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent extended lockdown has been more than the health and wellbeing of those in living South Africa; with many in positions of increased vulnerability such as through the loss of income and livelihoods. The dual impact of deepening risk factors which contribute to violence and crime and the reduction or removal of protective factors means that more people in South Africa might be experiencing and/or perpetuating violence and crime. Despite this, the pandemic has also reinvigorated a sense of solidarity and empathy, which is evident in the stronger emphasis on communities, clearer focus on key issues like gender-based violence (GBV) and the efforts to capacitate those leading engagements and change. The effects of COVID-19 and the lockdown are unknown and likely long lasting. In the unprecedented context of COVID-19 and as we look forward, area-based violence prevention interventions offer a unique resource for violence prevention and building safer cities.

This Practice Brief draws on the presentations and discussion at the webinar 'Area-Based Violence Prevention in a time of COVID-19', held on 24 March 2021. The webinar, which brought together representatives from national, provincial and local government and civil society organisations, was convened by Isandla Institute as an implementation partner of the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) project.

This advocacy piece is produced by Isandla Institute under the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) Project. It is aimed at providing key information and recommendations to local government and civil society organisations to shift their approach toward VPIs and for provincial and national government, who guide municipalities and contract service providers, to provide an enabling environment for this shift to take place.

The advocacy output ‘Activation: Creating inclusive, sustainable safe places’  highlights that public spaces in South Africa have the potential to be both sites of increased exposure to violence and crime as well as catalysts for social cohesion. Activation of public spaces enables and encourages the creation and utilisation of quality, vibrant, safe and sustainable spaces. Key recommendations include that activated public spaces need to be accessible, inclusive and equitable for all and that  municipalities should enable and lead multi-stakeholder engagement in public space activation.

This advocacy piece was produced by Isandla Institute under the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) Project. It is aimed at providing key information and recommendations to local government and organisations working with local government (CSOs, private sector etc) to shift their approach toward ABVPI and for provincial and national government, who guide municipalities and contract service providers, to provide an enabling
environment for this shift to take place.

The advocacy piece 'Funding Area-Based Violence Prevention Interventions: An Examination of the Conditional Grant System' examines the opportunities for funding area-based violence prevention intervention (ABVPI) work with public funds, specifically conditional grants. The document lays out key principles, activities and role-players in ABVPI and highlights the roles and responsibilities of local government in safety and violence prevention. The document argues that ABVPI is strongly aligned to the existing responsibilities of local government and as such, public funding can and should be leveraged to pursue ABVPI.

This advocacy piece was produced by Isandla Institute under the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) Project. It is aimed at providing key information and recommendations to local government to shift their approach toward VPIs and for provincial and national government, who guide municipalities and contract service providers, to provide an enabling environment for this shift to take place.

'Embedding Area-Based Violence Prevention Initiatives (ABVPI) in Informal Settlement Upgrading in South Africa' highlights the imperative to embed ABVPI in urban planning and development, specifically informal settlement upgrading (ISU). The document highlights the need for a strategic and programmatic approach to building on the alignment between ABVPI and ISU. Recommendations include that municipalities embrace different approaches to engaging with residents and upgrading settlements and that there is more emphasis on livelihoods, urban safety and wellbeing outcomes in projects that utilise ISU funding.

One of the largest barriers to service provision to backyard residents living on private land is the long-held belief that the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA) renders it is illegal to spend public money on private properties. To test this belief, Isandla Institute commissioned a legal opinion from a Senior Counsel on the power, authority, and obligations of local governments to provide services to backyard residents living on private land. The opinion compellingly argues that local governments do indeed have the power, authority, and obligation to provide these services. While complex questions remain about how these services will be rolled out and who they will target, the opinion shifts the conversation and opens space for new approaches.

This is the seventh brief in a series of learning briefs produced by Isandla Institute under the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) Project. The Learning Brief is produced from the discussions at the fourth Learning Network session, hosted by Isandla Institute on 20 May 2021, focusing on ‘Partnerships in ABVPIs’.

The brief emphasises the importance of partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic and reflects on lessons learnt by Learning Network participants about success factors and challenges in effective partnerships. The brief highlights the legislative mandate for government to work in partnerships with CSOs and communities in all elements of an intervention, including inception, planning, implementation and monitoring & evaluation. A key message of the brief is that partnerships can take different forms and be adapted according to need.

This is the sixth in a series of Learning Briefs produced by Isandla Institute under the Safer Places: Resilient Institutions and Neighbourhoods Together (SPRINT) Project. The Learning Briefs is produced from the discussions at the fourth Learning Network session, hosted by Isandla Institute on 22 April 2021, focusing on ‘ABVPI in municipal planning’.

The brief emphasises the urgent need for area-based violence prevention interventions (ABVPIs) in an increasingly difficult environment. Key to the implementation of ABVPIs is the role of local government in planning and coordinating ABVPIs and aligning complementary initiatives and budgets.
The brief argues that a multi-stakeholder approach is vital to address the complex factors that contribute to violence and crime, and that local government is well-placed to enable joint and active participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including different parts of government, communities and CSOs.