President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed the national council on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) will be formally established on April 1 2026, with ring-fenced funding approved by the National Treasury.
It also includes a mandate to coordinate implementation of the national strategic plan on GBVF.
The announcement, delivered during oral replies to parliamentary questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday, comes after more than a year of institutional delay since the enactment of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act.
The president stated the interim allocation of R5m for the secretariat was a transitional measure intended to support coordination efforts while the council’s governance structures were finalised.
“To ensure the national council is able to fulfil its critical functions, National Treasury has approved the council as a separate sub-programme with ring-fenced funds from April 1 2026,” Ramaphosa said.
He confirmed ministers had nominated government representatives to the council and the relevant portfolio committee will initiate the process for civil society and private sector nominations. The board will be responsible for appointing the CEO and secretariat staff.
The response marks the first formal confirmation of a timeline for implementation, though no revised budget has yet been tabled beyond the initial R5m allocation.
Draft regulations to coordinate provincial and local GBVF structures are under development. In the interim, departments are expected to implement the pillars of the national strategic plan within their respective mandates.
The council was conceived as a multisectoral body to lead SA’s response to GBVF with statutory authority to set norms and standards, monitor provincial uptake and align departmental efforts
The president cited other related initiatives, including:
- the GBVF NatJoints;
- sexual offences courts;
- Thuthuzela care centres;
- Khuseleka one-stop centres; and
- the GBV command centre.
He also referenced economic empowerment programmes aimed at improving procurement access for women-owned businesses.
While the measures reflect partial implementation of the strategic plan, the absence of a functioning council has limited oversight, strategic coherence and accountability.
The council was conceived as a multisectoral body to lead SA’s response to GBVF with statutory authority to set norms and standards, monitor provincial uptake and align departmental efforts.
The delay in making the council operational has drawn criticism from civil society and parliamentary committees, particularly during Women’s Month, when the lack of progress was described as emblematic of broader state inaction.
Delayed implementation has raised concerns about compliance with the legislative instruments and the adequacy of institutional arrangements to address GBVF as a declared national crisis.
The president’s confirmation of a 2026 launch date provides a framework for progress, but the absence of immediate action and sustained funding undermines the credibility of the state’s response to GBVF.
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