GBVF Declared a National Disaster in South Africa: What Does This Actually Mean?

After relentless pressure from the Women for Change movement and thousands of women who marched, organised, protested, and refused to be silenced, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at the G20 summit that the South African government will classify Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster.
It is a historic moment – won through years of grief, courage, and organising.

But many are now asking:
• What does this classification actually mean in law?
• What changes now?
• And how will it affect government action?

Crisis vs National Disaster: What’s the Difference?

The President’s declaration of GBVF as a national crisis is a political and moral recognition that the scale of violence is severe and unacceptable. It says: this is serious.

A national disaster, however, is a legal classification under the Disaster Management Act. It triggers specific duties, powers, and coordination mechanisms across the state.
Put simply: A crisis says “this is serious.”
A national disaster says “you are now legally obligated to act.”
That legal shift matters.

Why GBVF Qualifies as a National Disaster

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) found that in terms of Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002), GBVF meets the criteria for a disaster because:
• It poses immediate, persistent threats to life and safety
• It affects the entire country
• It overwhelms normal systems and local capacity
• It requires special national coordination across departments

South Africa’s femicide rate is one of the highest in the world. Fifteen women are killed every single day at the hands of men.
This classification finally recognises what women have been saying for decades: the system is failing, and the scale of violence is catastrophic.

What Happens Now?

1. National Government Takes Over Coordination

The national executive now carries primary responsibility for managing and coordinating the country’s GBVF response. Local and provincial inconsistencies cannot simply continue as they have.
This means national government must lead a coherent, joined-up response – not a patchwork of disconnected projects.

2. Legally Mandated Action Must Be Activated

Government departments are now required to:
• Implement and scale up GBVF prevention and response frameworks
• Redirect and allocate resources to GBVF interventions
• Expand Thuthuzela Care Centres, which provide specialised support to survivors
• Strengthen Sexual Offences Courts
• Improve policing and justice reforms to secure better investigations, prosecutions, and convictions
• Submit ongoing progress reports to the NDMC under Section 24 of the Act

This is not optional – it is required by law.

3. No Emergency Powers Are Invoked

Crucially, the classification does not declare a State of Emergency.
Constitutional rights are not suspended. Instead, the disaster status strengthens programmes already underway, such as:
• The Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBVF
• The 90-Day GBVF Acceleration Programme
• The NatJoints Priority Committee
• Existing disaster management coordination structures
In other words, this is about scaling up and tightening coordination – not centralising extraordinary powers.

A Historic Moment – If Action Follows

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, noted that the classification:“Pulls together every sphere of government and every critical sector,” underscoring that GBVF is not a women’s issue – it is a national emergency that demands a whole-of-society response.

But a declaration alone will not save lives.

A national disaster is a powerful legal tool, yet its value rests entirely on whether government acts with urgency, honesty, and transparency.
For millions of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ people across South Africa, this moment cannot become another symbolic gesture. It must be the point at which the country finally turns towards safety, accountability, and real change.

We need change.