South Africa: WVLSA calls for presidential intervention
The Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa (WVL-SA) fund and its national partners are urgently calling attention to the escalating crisis of delayed justice for survivors of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). Following alarming patterns of prolonged investigations, court backlogs, and systemic failures that continue to re-traumatise survivors, WVL-SA has issued a formal request for a meeting with His Excellency President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa.
This follows the National Dialogue held on 28 May 2025 under the theme “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, where survivors, legal experts, service providers, and civil society organisations highlighted persistent gaps in the criminal justice system – including slow implementation of NSPGBVF commitments, inadequate survivor support, and continued barriers to timely prosecution.
WVL-SA seeks to present to the President:
- Outcomes of the Justice Reform Dialogue
- A portfolio of evidence and proposed justice system reforms
- Survivor testimonies demonstrating the human cost of systemic delays
These interventions aim to ensure a responsive, survivor-centred justice system aligned with Pillar 3 of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.
Media Contact:
Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa
Thenjiwe Ngcobo, Cell: +27 78 457 8860
grants2@genderlinks.org.za
