Action Society notes with grave concern that in the 2026 Budget Speech delivered today by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, not a single word or cent was allocated specifically to the fight against violence against women and children.
While the Minister emphasised increased spending to combat illegal mining and gangsterism, and painted an optimistic picture of the country’s financial trajectory, the ongoing national emergency of violence against women and children was met with a deafening silence.
Gender-based violence has been declared a national crisis. It has been debated, condemned and politicised. Yet when it came to the national budget, not a single word or cent was allocated specifically to the fight against violence against women and children.
Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society, said: “Today we witnessed a budget that speaks about financial recovery, yet says nothing about the daily violence faced by women and children in this country. Not a single word or cent was allocated specifically to the fight against violence against women and children.
“Government cannot claim that safety is a priority while failing to fund the most urgent safety crisis we face. If this is a national priority, it must be reflected in the national budget with clear allocations, timelines and measurable outcomes.”
Violence against women and children is one of the most pervasive forms of violence in South Africa. It overwhelms police stations, clogs court rolls and leaves survivors dependent on under-resourced shelters and support services. Forensic backlogs continue to delay justice in sexual offence cases, and specialist investigative capacity remains insufficient.
“Crime statistics do not protect victims. Convictions do,” du Preez added. “And convictions require resources. If government is serious about ending violence, it must fund investigations, forensic services, prosecutions and victim support in a deliberate and measurable way.”
Action Society calls on National Treasury and Parliament to urgently clarify what dedicated funding, if any, exists to address violence against women and children, and to present a clear implementation plan with enforceable deadlines.
“A budget reflects a government’s priorities. Today’s budget makes it clear that women and children were not one of them.”
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Photo: GCIS via Flickr
