South Africa witnessed a powerful moment of unity today as thousands joined the national march led by Women for Change, calling attention to the country’s ongoing crisis of gender based violence and femicide. At midday, participants across cities and towns lay flat on the ground for fifteen minutes, symbolising the roughly fifteen women who lose their lives to gender based violence every day. The visual protest was simple yet deeply moving, a reminder of the lives taken and the urgency of real action.
This nationwide call for change arrives on the same day that the National Disaster Management Centre officially classified gender based violence and femicide as a national disaster. The decision follows the widely supported Women for Change petition, which gathered more than one point one million signatures from people demanding that government recognise the scale and severity of the crisis.
The classification does not impose a state of emergency. Instead, it activates and strengthens a range of existing government programmes. These include the Inter Ministerial Committee on gender based violence and femicide, the Ninety Day Acceleration Programme, improved support at Thuthuzela care centres, and ongoing reforms in policing and the justice system. The declaration compels all relevant departments to intensify their work, coordinate efforts, and report measurable progress.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking at a global social summit, repeated that gender based violence is a national crisis that threatens the country’s social fabric and future. He affirmed that the declaration signals a renewed commitment to address this violence with the seriousness it deserves.
For Women for Change, this marks a milestone after years of advocacy. Founder Sabrina Walter called the decision historic while reminding South Africans that the work is not complete. The movement continues to demand accountability, effective implementation, and sustained protection for women, children, and vulnerable communities.
Today’s march was not only a protest. It was a collective stand, a declaration of hope, and a renewed promise that South Africa will no longer accept this violence as normal.
