SONA 2025 | Women for Change urge President Ramaphosa to declare GBVF a national disaster

Ahead of the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) which is set to be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night, activists are calling for gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) to be declared a national disaster.

Women's rights advocacy group, Women for Change called on Ramaphosa to take action to curb the scourge of GBVF.

"Dr Zamambo Mkhize, Palesa Mofokeng, Melanie Jackson, Thato Thumahole, Thembikile Letlape, Dorcas Lekganyane, Deveney Nel, Nomsa Jass, Ntobeko Cele, Chesney Klopper and 5,568 other women were murdered in just one year. Say their names, Mr President.

"We demand more than empty commitments. Fully implement the National Strategic Plan on GBVF. Strengthen the justice system. Show us that women's lives matter," said the group.

The group went on to say that it is time to sound the alarm.

"Bodies have been violated, dignity confiscated, and safety has long been eradicated. This is a national disaster. It is a war that has long far gone. And the only way to start a ceasefire is by saying their names," said the group's spokesperson, Bulelwa Adonis.

She went on to call on the president to say at least one of the women's names.

"We await President Ramaphosa to address the rising rate of GBVF in our country at the SONA today. In light of the National Strategic Plan that was passed by him in 2020 and the National Council Bill in 2024, we expect full commitment to tackling this crisis."

Women are not even safe from those who are supposed to protect them. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the disturbing data on rape revealed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Wednesday.

According to the police watchdog's 2023/2024 annual report, there were 110 rape instances perpetrated by police personnel across the country, a decrease from 122 incidents in 2022/23.

IOL