GOOD Statement by Kaden Arguile,
GOOD National Youth Chairperson
10 April 2025
Tomorrow, GOOD will proudly join Women for Change at the Union Buildings in Tshwane to hand over a petition calling for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to be declared a National State of Disaster. This petition, initiated by Women for Change, has amassed nearly 150,000 signatures, a powerful reflection of the public’s demand for urgent, decisive action. It is a shining example of participatory democracy at work, and we are honoured to march alongside fellow South Africans and civil society organisations for a cause that demands immediate national attention.
The National Disaster Declaration is a powerful state mechanism, designed for crises that have grown beyond the control of conventional government responses. We at GOOD believe that GBV and femicide in South Africa meet—and exceed—that threshold. Without major reforms to our policing, justice, and education systems, the scourge of GBV will continue to escalate, devastating families and communities across the country.
Just this week, in his speech to the International Association of Women Judges, President Ramaphosa acknowledged the legal system’s “blind spots” that continue to disempower women. His words must now translate into action. Declaring GBV a National State of Disaster is a vital first step in turning those words into meaningful change.
We’ve seen the power of this declaration before. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it enabled mass public information campaigns, emergency healthcare infrastructure, vaccine development, and direct financial support for struggling businesses. In response to the KZN floods, it enabled swift SANDF deployment, infrastructure repair, and the rapid release of intergovernmental funding. While debate continues around the effectiveness of these responses, what’s clear is this: without the Disaster Declaration, the outcomes would have been far worse.
Women and children deserve the same urgency, the same dignity, and the same resources afforded to victims of pandemics and natural disasters. It’s time to reframe the State of Disaster protocol, not just as a tool for reaction, but as a proactive mechanism to confront systemic injustice. More shelters. More specialised police units. More funding. More accountability. More action.
150,000 South Africans have spoken. Their voices echo the reality we all see: the violence is out of control. The time for debate has passed. The time for action is now.
A state of disaster declaration is not an admission of defeat but a rallying cry for all South Africans that this is war. A war that we will win in this generation.
Declare GBV & Femicide a National State of Disaster before anymore innocent lives are lost.
Event details:
Union Buildings, Pretoria
Friday, 11 April 2025
12pm – 4pm
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za