Activists insist that President Cyril Ramaphosa's statements on combating gender-based violence will be judged by whether women receive protection and support when reporting violence, rather than by official speeches.
While organizations dealing with gender-based violence welcomed the President's proposed measures to restore stalled cases and reduce the backlog in forensic examinations, they emphasize that survivors urgently need properly funded shelters, trained police officers, and a transparent accountability system.
Cherelle Khlabane, representative and operations director at Frida Hartley Shelter (FHS), one of Johannesburg's oldest shelters for women and children fleeing domestic violence, reacted positively to the President's acknowledgment that government efforts have been insufficient. She noted that for too long, gender-based violence has been treated as a problem that women must solve themselves.
Khlabane pointed to the serious issue of underfunding for organizations providing vital accommodation and support services. She stated that despite the state system failing, they are expected to provide housing, food, psychosocial support, and education. Furthermore, the lack of affordable housing forces some women to return to abusive partners or families because they cannot afford to live independently.
She also called for increased programs and training to help families and communities support survivors, as well as improved police training in trauma-informed response and interrogation techniques. Khlabane reminded that the statistics cited by the President—that 60% of women killed in 2021/2022 were killed by intimate partners—are something they encounter daily.
Khlabane strongly urged the government to move beyond public statements and take immediate action, noting that the government must stop engaging in performativity, pretending these killings are new. She stressed that the femicide rate in the country is 5% higher than the global average, with at least 6-8 women dying daily, demanding immediate action instead of 'show programs.'
Elton Atkins, founder of Unite Against GBV in Pietermaritzburg, warned that the implementation of measures will determine whether survivors benefit. He stated that survivors need more than just promises; they need to see effective and urgent implementation of these measures. Atkins noted that survivors often have to navigate a complex system while experiencing trauma, highlighting the need for accessible counseling, emergency accommodation, transport, legal aid, and continuous support throughout court proceedings.
He also demanded the creation of a specialized, properly trained gender-based violence unit within the South African Police Service (SAPS), as well as strengthening coordination between the police, prosecutors, courts, social workers, medical personnel, and civil society organizations. Specialized units, he said, require sufficient staff, training, equipment, and the capacity to conduct investigations and forensic examinations to prevent case delays due to investigator overload or resource shortages.
Atkins called for setting clear deadlines, measurable goals, and regular public reporting with explanations for delays and plans to advance stalled investigations. He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing forensic samples related to the rape or murder of women and children, as delays can impede investigations and leave families waiting for answers. He concluded that they cannot wait another 7 years before the next president addresses the nation on gender-based violence; it must be a continuous, active process.
Gideon Yobert, representative of Free SA, stated that the government must demonstrate measurable progress. He agreed that the national operation to restore cases, prioritize forensic backlogs, and demand public reports on progress are necessary measures. However, he stressed that the real test begins after the speech: a survivor does not perceive government policy as a strategic document or a presidential statement; she feels it when she goes to the police station, files for a protection order, waits for forensic evidence processing, or awaits an investigator or prosecutor to advance her case.
Yobert noted that promises will only matter if they lead to proper, consistent, and timely work by these institutions. He called for survivors not to be sent from police stations, not to be passed between departments, and not to be left in indefinite waiting for examination results and case updates. He demanded enough properly trained investigators, adequate administrative support, functional vehicles and equipment, reliable forensic services, and facilities where survivors can report crimes safely and with dignity. Yobert also insisted that accountability must go beyond identifying resource shortages and include establishing specific budgets, responsible officials, and deadlines.
Nishani Kishor, founder of Infinity Foundation on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, stated that announcements must transform into actions. She noted that women and children cannot continue to wait for justice while cases remain unresolved. Kishor pointed out that survivors often require multiple types of assistance simultaneously, including counseling, medical care, legal aid, protection, safe housing, transport, and financial support. She called for the creation of a coordinated support system that would not force survivors to approach several agencies independently for help.
Kishor also emphasized the need for sustainable resources for civil society organizations, which are often the first point of contact for survivors. She stated that NGOs cannot be expected to fulfill this duty without adequate funding and support. She added that specialized gender-based violence investigators must have sufficient staff, proper training, vehicles, technology, and access to forensic experts. Training must cover trauma-informed interviewing, sexual crime investigation, domestic violence risk assessment, and digital evidence handling. Kishor suggested that public reporting should indicate how many cases were solved, investigated, and brought to trial, how many suspects were arrested, and how many cases resulted in convictions. She stressed that the reported percentage of women killed by intimate partners indicates the need to address violence in homes and relationships, not just attacks by strangers. She called for early intervention in cases of threats, stalking, controlling behavior, and domestic violence, as well as education on consent, respect, and healthy relationships. Kishor concluded that combating gender-based violence requires collective action from the government, communities, families, schools, religious organizations, NGOs, and men to create a society where women are believed, protected, and treated with dignity, and where violence against women is never normalized, justified, or treated as a private family matter.