National GBVF Council begins work amid 50 511 reported SAPS cases

The National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in South Africa convened its first meeting on Monday, marking the beginning of a coordinated response to gender-based violence (GBVF) in the country. Created under the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act 9 of 2024, the council's primary objectives include establishing a Shareholder Compact, developing a costing framework for GBVF response, and strengthening oversight of national strategies.

The inaugural meeting, held in Pretoria, was convened amid alarming statistics from the Human Sciences Research Council's 2024 National Gender-Based Violence Prevalence Study, which revealed that over 7.3 million women and 2.15 million women experienced physical violence in their lifetime, as well as the disproportionate impact on women with disabilities.

Police reported that 50,511 GBVF cases were filed with the South African Police Service (SAPS) during the 2025/26 financial year, resulting in 30,736 arrests and referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority. The council, described by its Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, as a permanent, statutory, and multisectoral body, will monitor the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, advise on policy and legislative reforms, promote accountability, and mobilize resources.

Chikunga emphasized that the council's mandate is to serve the Constitution, the Act, and the people of South Africa, particularly survivors of GBVF, and stressed the importance of resource mobilization to fulfill its mission.