Cape town: Government has expressed deep concern that South Africa continues to battle unacceptably high levels of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) despite sustained national efforts to stem the flow of violence. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, made the remarks during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Cape Town.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Minister highlighted that despite concerted efforts by government, civil society, businesses, and communities, South Africa continues to grapple with alarming rates of GBVF. The Minister’s comments come as the country prepares to observe the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign from 25 November to 10 December 2025, under the theme: “Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls working together to end Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).”
The campaign, part of a global United Nations initiative, calls for collective action across society to raise awareness, mobilize communities, and strengthen accountability in efforts to eliminate violence against women and children. Earlier this year, the government launched the 90-Day Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Acceleration Programme, a national initiative aimed at ensuring rapid and coordinated action against the scourge and to fast track the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.
The 90-Day programme, led by the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster, focused on urgent and impactful interventions to reverse the upward trend of GBVF in the country. These include the re-establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to ensure cooperation in the implementation of the GBVF National Strategic Plan.
The Minister called for a whole of society approach to root out GBVF, urging South Africans to work with the government as a community and family to prevent and stop the scourge of GBV. She emphasized that gender-based violence occurs in homes and communities, making them the first responders with the power and ability to stop it. “Government comes in to protect and to respond to the actions of those who have already perpetrated GBVF. But we know that prevention is better than cure. So, this is a societal call to be united to address GBVF against our children and women,” Ntshavheni said.