 as a national disaster will not save women’s lives unless it is backed by funding, tougher policing, and prevention programmes for boys and men.){kind=link}
By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Gender activists have said that South Africa’s declaration of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster will not save women’s lives unless it is backed by funding, tougher policing, and prevention programmes for boys and men.
The warning comes during the 16 Days of Activism campaign and weeks after thousands of South Africans joined a silent march against GBVF, organised by Women For Change, which has spent a decade calling for the scourge to be treated as a national disaster.
Tina Thiart, co-founder of the 1000 Women Trust, told Inside Metros that “advocacy is important” but said law enforcement agencies were failing to make an impact in safeguarding against GBVF, allowing perpetrators to act with impunity.
“The men who gang raped Zenizola Vena in September 2021 are still not behind bars. The men who gang raped the Krugersdorp 8 in 2022 are still not behind bars,” she said.
“The 1000 women trust launched the Talking to Boys initiative to implore men to invest time to share values like non-violence, gender equality and respect for women amongst young men. These initiatives must receive greater support in order to be rolled out nationally,” Thiart said.
In the week of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November, the head of the National Disaster Management Centre, Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, classified GBVF as a national disaster.The declaration was made under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act.
At the time, the Department of Social Development said the classification strengthened its mandate to protect survivors and support the most vulnerable.
“It allows for expanded access to shelters, safe spaces, psychosocial counselling and community-based prevention programmes. The declaration also improves coordination across social development, criminal justice, health, policing and education sectors, ensuring that survivors receive timely and effective support,” the department said.
Thiart said that the government had indicated that, under this classification, it would “rely on existing legislation and current contingency plans to respond to the crisis”.
She said the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) had stressed that the move avoids triggering emergency powers and instead reinforces existing systems.
“Furthermore, the government will still have to decide whether this classification should eventually be elevated to a full disaster declaration,” she said.
Activists said that makes the declaration largely symbolic unless it unlocks targeted resources and reforms.
Caroline Peters, of the Cape Flats-based Callas Foundation, told Inside Metros the declaration was important but would not automatically translate into greater safety for women.
Peters said a genuine crisis response would require emergency funding for frontline organisations, a trained and accountable police service that understands and responds to GBVF, a court process that prioritises survivors and restricts bail, and prevention programmes aimed at boys and men.
“Right now, women still face police officers who aren’t trained, courts that move slowly, and men who have never been taught respect, consent, or emotional regulation. Until those systems change, declarations alone will not reduce GBVF,” Peters said.
“Women have waited long enough. What we need is implementation, accountability, and results — not more words”.
Multiple government departments are using the 16 Days of Activism period to promise “zero-tolerance” for GBVF and call on communities to break the silence, but campaigners say trust will only be rebuilt if women and children see real consequences for abusers and real support for survivors.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) also expressed support for the classification, saying schools are a frontline space where abuse is often first detected.
“We urge the government to strengthen education’s role in preventing GBV through comprehensive programmes, training, and community involvement. Collective responsibility and proactive education are essential to breaking the cycle of violence,” said SADTU.
According to the 2025/26 first and second quarter crime statistics, which were released last week, close on 200 rapes were recorded on school grounds over the reporting period.
INSIDE METROS