Ramaphosa appoints National GBV Council to lead fight against femicide

The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) officially classified GBV as a national disaster year. President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved decisively to strengthen South Africa’s fight against gender‑based violence (GBV) and femicide, appointing members of the National Council on Gender‑Based Violence and Femicide for a three‑year term. The council is a statutory body tasked with driving a coordinated national response to a declared national disaster. National GBV Council Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president appointed members of the Council in terms of section 6(1)(a) read with sections 6(2) and (3), and section 9(1)(a) of the National Council on Gender Based Violence Act, 2024 (Act No.9 of 2024). “The Council is a statutory body mandated to provide strategic leadership on the elimination of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. “It is also charged with coordinating a multi-sectoral and inter-sectoral approach towards the implementation of the national strategy addressing gender-based violence and femicide at national, provincial and local level and at community and other forums,” Magwenya said. Members Ramaphosa appointed the following Council members: Dr Ramalepe Lebogang Mathibe; Ms Keitumetse Fatimata Moutloatse; Ms Caroline Peters; Dr Zubeda Dangor; Ms Vuyisiwe Numalo; Mr Anele Siswana; and Mr TWM Limema “President Ramaphosa has designated Dr Ramalepe L. Mathibe as the Chairperson of the Council and Ms Welheminah R. (Shoki) Tshabalala as the Deputy Chairperson,” Magwenya said. “As the Council assumes its term at the start of Women’s Month, President Ramaphosa expects that the Council will leverage the classification of gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster to challenge harmful attitudes and practices, and advance women’s economic empowerment, strengthen law enforcement and scale up survivor-centred support.” National Disaster The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) officially classified GBV as a national disaster. The announcement was made on the same day that thousands of women staged a nationwide shutdown demanding urgent action. The move also came a day after Ramaphosa declared GBVF a national crisis. The president’s declaration of GBV as a national crisis is a political and social acknowledgement of the severity of the problem.