‘Wear Black’ marches in Durban highlight South Africa’s GBVF crisis

Activists in Durban wore black on Friday to draw attention to South Africa’s ongoing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis, responding to a nationwide call to stand in solidarity with victims and families affected by recent deaths in Gauteng.

Street actions and community visibility

Men and women dressed in black gathered in Durban, waving placards, blowing whistles and observing moments of silence as part of the “South Africa Wear Black” social media initiative. The campaign aimed to show solidarity with families who lost loved ones and to raise public awareness of GBVF.

In Durban, activists assembled near the N2 freeway in Parlock. Organisers worked with private security companies and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to distribute safety resources and promote awareness.

Voices from the march

Racheal Pillay, a community activist from Jugs Meals on Wheels, described GBV as “the biggest challenge facing communities” and said both men and women are victims. She called for communities to stand together and protect one another.

“Nobody has the right to take another person’s life. We need to stand up and say ‘no’ to all the killings. We need to teach our children how to live better lives in harmony among every race, religion, and gender. Our children are tomorrow’s future. My parents taught us to be kind, support everyone, and never judge,”

A local NGO, South African Fight Back, explained the symbolism of the campaign, saying:

“Black is a symbol of mourning. A reminder of the lives lost. A reminder of the families left behind. And a reminder that we cannot become numb to another headline, another victim, another family forced to grieve.”

Concerns over policing and the justice system

Lawrence Palmer, chairperson of the Newlands East Residents and Ratepayers Civic Rights Organisation, blamed weaknesses in the judicial system for continued deaths. He said courts are congested, GBV cases take years to reach trial, and that the criminal-justice system’s components do not work well together.

Palmer said the police are under-resourced, not well trained, and face a backlog of investigations. He also said the country faces a brain drain of experienced prosecutors, contributing to case backlogs.

Tanya Kershaw of the Newlands Rapid Response Team expressed disappointment that there was no profile yet for the person responsible for the Kempton Park murders. Kershaw also raised safety concerns for people who travel early in the morning, asking: “How safe are you in your community?”

Youth, memory runs and recent deaths

Julia Wood from Lakehaven Secondary School urged that the youth be taught that strength comes from respect and compassion rather than violence.

Runners in KwaZulu-Natal took part in a 5km run dressed in black in memory of runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo and other victims. Moselakgomo, aged 38, went missing after a run; her family positively identified her body at the Germiston mortuary.

National response and statistics

The newly established National Council on GBVF held its inaugural meeting on August 31, with initial priorities including a shareholder compact, a costing framework for the country’s GBVF response and stronger oversight of the national strategy. Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga said the council began its work “against a grim backdrop,” citing the Human Sciences Research Council’s South African National Gender-Based Violence Prevalence Study released in November 2024.

The HSRC study reported that about 7.3 million women aged 18 and older had experienced physical violence in their lifetime, and that more than 2.15 million had experienced sexual violence. It also found that about 3.2 million women had experienced physical intimate-partner violence, while approximately 2.5 million men reported having perpetrated physical intimate-partner violence.

Police figures show that 50,511 GBVF cases were reported to SAPS during the 2025/26 financial year, with 30,736 of those resulting in arrests and/or referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority. The SAPS classification covered offences including murder, attempted murder, rape, sexual assault, abduction, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, common assault, attempted rape and contact sexual offences. Rape accounted for 36,217 of the 50,511 reported cases.

Shelters and survivor support

The sixth National Shelter Indaba was held in Gauteng this week, focusing on strengthening efforts to curb GBV femicide. Dina Pule, Minister of Social Development, praised shelter managers, social workers, counsellors and support staff, and highlighted recent service statistics.

In her remarks, Pule said:

“One in three women aged 16 and older have experienced physical violence. Three women are killed every day by an intimate partner. Between July and September 2025 alone, over 2,000 survivors sought assistance at Thuthuzela Care Centres. Approximately 65% of all recorded gender-based violence survivors in some provinces are children,”

The council’s stated responsibilities include monitoring implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, advising government on policy and legislative reforms, promoting accountability, commissioning research, monitoring progress against national targets and mobilising resources, as well as strengthening prevention programmes and supporting survivor-centred interventions.

What the marches sought to achieve

Organisers said the Wear Black actions were intended to maintain public visibility around GBVF, demand better protection and services for survivors, and press for stronger, coordinated responses across policing, prosecution and the courts.