Bo Kaap Running Club member Naiema Abrahams is organising a 24-hour endurance challenge at the Rondebosch Common to protest the rising tide of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. The event, titled #WeRunWithoutFear, is scheduled to start at 19:00 on Friday, 25 September 2026, and will conclude at 19:00 the following evening.
This initiative aims to reclaim public spaces for women, asserting their right to run, walk, and move freely at any time of day without the looming threat of violence. The choice of the Rondebosch Common serves as a symbolic location for this protest, highlighting the vulnerability women experience when utilising open public areas for exercise.
The event is designed to keep the national conversation surrounding safety and abuse active throughout the year, rather than limiting advocacy to seasonal campaigns like the 16 Days of Activism. According to organisers, the constant visibility of runners over the 24-hour period is intended to reflect the persistent nature of the threat women face, while demonstrating a unified community stance.
Gender-based violence remains a pervasive crisis in the Western Cape, with local communities frequently impacted by incidents that underscore the failure of current safety measures to protect women. By staging this run, participants hope to pressure officials to prioritise public safety and effective policy implementation for women and children across the province.
Cape Flats News journalists will be on the ground at the Rondebosch Common to cover the start of the event this Friday. We are currently verifying the expected number of participants and will provide further updates as the run progresses on Saturday.