Marchers hand over petition to have GBV declared emergency
Non-profit organisation Women for Change, and other civil society groups, marched to the Union Building to demand that government declare a national state of emergency over the growing scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.
The group handed over a petition to the Presidency and the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
They called for swift and tangible measures to tackle the scourge.
A sea of placards bearing messages demanding justice and condemning the abuse of women and children accompanied the chants of anger and frustration that echoed through the streets of Pretoria on Friday.
A demonstrator at the march did not mince his words and urged South African men to take responsibility and stand up against the violence.
“We are calling on all men to come here at say let us march and protect our women. Let them be safe when we are around us, in all the cities around South Africa.’
According to Statistics South Africa, over 50% f assaults against women were committed by someone they know.
TheDeputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Steve Letsike addressed the crowd after receiving the petition and memorandum of demands. Nearly 200,000 people have signed a petition.
Letsike acknowledged and signed the memorandum but stressed that the responsibility for combating GBV should not be placed solely on the government.
“I think it’s unfair to say that government is not doing anything. Government spends R45 billion annually to respond to GBV. What we must really talk about is the prevention work.
“It would be unfair to suggest that government is not doing work, but we want conviction, we want accountability. But, the question is where do we prevent GBV?”
Marchers carried a larger than usual coffin, bearing the message “unbury the truth” to symbolise the rise in GBV cases in the country.
A casket that is 33.8% larger than a standard because femicide has risen 33.8% in a single year.
— Women For Change (@womenforchange5) April 11, 2025
No other country has so many women killed by their partners.
Declare GBVF a National Disaster TODAY!#UnburyTheTruth #EndGBV #EnoughSaid pic.twitter.com/64UB0DAwg1
The plight of women and children was again amplified following the rape of an eight-year-old child in Matatiele, in the Eastern Cape, which sparked widespread demonstrations under the banner #JusticeForCwecwe
Government has been heavily criticised for the police’s handling of the case, with no arrests being made more than six months after the incident occurred.
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