South Africa has officially declared the country’s growing violence against women a national disaster, a major step announced on Friday as thousands of people took to the streets to highlight the crisis ahead of the G20 summit.
The country continues to face some of the highest rates of gender-based violence and femicide in the world. UN Women estimates that killings linked to gender violence in South Africa are five times higher than the global average.
In Johannesburg, thousands of protesters dressed in black staged a powerful “lie-in” demonstration. They lay on the ground for 15 minutes near the city centre, symbolizing the 15 women who are killed every day in South Africa. The location was chosen intentionally, only a few kilometres away from where G20 leaders will gather this weekend.
A government survey from 2022 found that one in three women in South Africa has faced physical violence, and nearly 10 percent have experienced sexual violence. In just the first three months of 2025, police recorded more than 10,700 rape cases, though experts believe many more go unreported.
Protester Lefika Jonathan, 23, said she joined the march to stand for herself, her sisters, and all women in the country. Another participant, 19-year-old student Nomhle Porogo, said all women want is justice. She welcomed the attention on the issue but criticized the timing, saying the government acted only because international leaders are visiting.
The disaster management agency said ongoing violence against women meets the definition of a national disaster, forcing all levels of government to treat the issue as a top priority.
While the declaration marks a historic acknowledgment of the severity of the crisis, activists insist the government must now move beyond statements and take urgent action to protect women and stop the daily violence.
