South Africa's gender violence disaster: What's next

South Africa has a femicide rate that is five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women, and has grappled with the problem for decades.

Women for Change (WFC), an NGO dedicated to combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), noted that 5,578 women and 1,656 children were killed between April 2023 and March 2024, with femicide rising 33.8% year on year.

The organization said that over 42,000 rape cases were reported during the same period, but estimated that 95% of rapes go unreported.

WFC's national spokesperson, Cameron Kasambala, told DW that the organization also exposes the realities of GBVF through digital activism, while also educating people on "prevention and societal changes that need to come in."

It also holds a safe space for victims and their loved ones through listening and directing them to counseling and legal support.

The struggle with GBVF in South Africa

"The sad reality within South Africa when it comes to GBVF is that we have a conviction rate of 12%," said Kasambala, who claimed that nothing is done when victims of GBVF report cases to the police at least 88% of the time.  

"To even get to the courts is to get past the police and unfortunately many of the times, the police turn away survivors and victims and their families," said Kasambala.

"Often the narrative is that it is a family matter … a private matter, and they don't take the case seriously."

A study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) showed that at least 33.1% of South African women over the age of 18 had experienced physical violence in their lifetime.

It also revealed that: "9.8% of women over the age of 18 had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, and over 35% of women had experienced physical and/or sexual violence."

A 2022 government survey also found that one in three South African women had experienced physical violence and almost 10% had faced sexual violence.

Ncumisa Yazo, a social worker from Mosaic, an organization that aims to prevent GBV and support survivors, said that she had encountered physical abuse survivors and that most of the cases were intimate partner cases.

South African women stage lie-down protest

In November, WFC organized nationwide protests to coincide with South Africa's hosting of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

The nonprofit advocacy group encouraged people across South Africa to change their social media profile pictures to purple to raise awareness of GBVF.

It also arranged dozens of "lie-down" protests countrywide, during which people dressed in black and lay on the ground for 15 minutes, symbolizing the 15 lives lost daily to gender-based violence in South Africa.

The organization demanded that the South African government declare the rate of violence against women in the country a national disaster.

On November 21, the country's National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) classified GBVF as a national disaster in terms of Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act of 2002. 

"After evaluating the persistent and immediate life-safety risks posed by ongoing acts of violence, the NDMC has concluded that GBVF now meets the threshold of a potential disaster as defined in the Act," the NDMC said.

What does it mean for GBVF to be declared a national disaster?

Kasambula said that classifying GBVF as a national disaster at the G20 social summit creates public accountability and sets clear expectations for addressing the problem.

"On paper, what it should mean is that, they will now more efficiently implement existing policies and legislation — which is what we wanted," Kasambula told DW.

The South African government said that with GBVF being declared a national disaster, its National Strategic Plan on GBVF (2020–2030), a roadmap to create a GBVF-free society, "must move from paper to practice."

This will mean strengthening social workers, counselors and community-based services, as well as finalizing the Victim Support Services Bill to uphold the rights of victims of violent crime.

Kasambula told DW that getting the South African government to declare GBVF a national disaster was a bittersweet victory for the organization — a relief to finally see it happen, but only after a lot of lives were lost before the government acted.  

She also acknowledged the challenges of their work. The organization is unfunded, run by five women who have faced threats and hate for their work.

However, Kasambula highlighted the strong support they receive, with nearly 300,000 followers on social media actively engaging with the organization and its efforts.  

Edited by: Keith Walker