South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March today, as activists highlight the persistent gap between constitutional rights and the reality of gender-based violence (GBV) in communities across the country. On 9 August 1956, approximately 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the extension of pass laws to Black women, a defining moment in the anti-apartheid struggle.
Policy Responses And The Lived Reality
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared GBV and femicide a national disaster on 20 November 2025, following years of mounting pressure from civil society. More recently, members of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide were appointed on 31 July 2026 to oversee the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBV.
Despite these state interventions, a 2024 study indicated that more than one in three South African women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. According to Sibongile Tshabalala, chairperson of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), legal frameworks have failed to eliminate the daily dangers faced by women in local neighbourhoods.
When we look back over 30 years of democracy, on paper, the law recognises us. Women can hold title deeds, open bank accounts without a man’s permission and legally access safe termination of pregnancy under the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act. But if you step out of Parliament and walk into our townships and rural villages, you see that legal rights do not automatically translate into lived economic freedom.
Addressing Systemic Insecurity
The establishment of the National Council is intended to shift the state’s approach from purely legislative to one of practical, coordinated intervention. The effectiveness of this council will be measured by its ability to reduce the prevalence of violence in areas like the Cape Flats, where community safety remains a critical concern.
The persistence of high violence rates suggests that policy alone cannot resolve the structural issues contributing to the current climate of fear. We are continuing to monitor the rollout of the new council’s mandates and will provide updates on how these initiatives impact local community safety and reporting mechanisms.