By Juanita du Preez, Action Society Spokesperson
When 11 women are murdered every day, is it still accurate to call it crime—or is it time to call it terror? South Africa is in crisis. But this is not a crisis declared on the evening news. It’s not listed as a national disaster. There is no war room. No emergency deployment. Yet, thousands of women across the country—of every age, race and background—live as if they are in a war zone. This is not just gender-based violence. It is a sustained, systematic assault on women.
According to the latest SAPS crime statistics for Q3 2024/25 (1 October–31 December 2024), women in South Africa experienced: 961 murders – that’s 11 women killed every day 11,803 rapes – more than 131 per day, or 5 every hour 16,023 cases of assault GBH – 45 women seriously assaulted every day.
And these are only the reported cases. Thousands more remain invisible—buried in silence, fear, or distrust of a system that too often fails them.
By comparison, terrorism kills around 1,667 people per month globally. South African women alone face nearly 12,000 violent attacks every month—yet we see no comparable public outrage or mobilisation. If foreign terrorists murdered and raped women at this scale, there would be a national shutdown. Troops in the streets. Special task teams. A presidential address. Instead, we get press conferences and broken promises.
Yes, South Africa does have Sexual Offences Courts—originally reintroduced in 2013 to offer a more supportive environment for survivors. But: There are just over 100 courts for the entire country—far below what’s needed. Many are under-resourced, inconsistently staffed, or not fully operational SOC’s are not backed by permanent legislation, which limits their stability and expansion. Rural and high-crime areas often have no access to these specialised courts at all
In short: the idea exists—but the implementation is too limited, too slow, and too fragile. Forensic backlogs are growing. Cases drag on for years. Survivors face retraumatisation in court. And far too many perpetrators go free. South African women are terrorised daily—with little hope of justice. We cannot continue to describe this crisis with soft language. It is time to act.
Action Society is calling for:
- Violence against women to be declared a national disaster.
- Urgent investment in Public-Private Partnerships to strengthen investigative and forensic capacity
- The expansion and permanent legislation of Sexual Offences Courts—ensuring access in every district
- Better-trained prosecutors and magistrates to prioritise gender-based violence Enforcement of mandatory minimum sentences and the closure of legal loopholes
This is not a women’s issue. It’s a national emergency. Raise your voice. Share this message. Demand accountability. Contribute to Action Society to support our campaign for safety, justice, and reform. Because silence protects the predator—not the victim.
