As expected, the P20 Women’s Parliament deliberated on mechanisms aimed at addressing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and how to strengthen the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF.
Various experts and practitioners in this field shared their research, observations and solutions to GBVF. Campaign manager of the DG Murray Trust, Ms Kashifa Ancer, noted that policies and measures already exist that can be implemented in all spheres of government, especially in the National Treasury, so that the NSP has the capacity to tackle this scourge.
She noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic, when alcohol was banned in South Africa, femicide decreased by 63% but increased again once the ban was lifted, demonstrating the extent to which alcohol is a major driver of the violence, especially in low-income areas. “We need to make alcohol inaccessible, more expensive, especially in low-income communities,” she suggested.
The campaign manager of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA), Ms Nomcebo Dlamini, also noted the terrible effect alcohol has in communities and the research that clearly demonstrates the correlation between excessive alcohol consumption and GBV. Hence the SAAPA is launching a national campaign to bring this issue into the light.
She also suggested that regulations limiting alcohol availability in low-income communities is also required. “There’s probably a tavern in every street and we need to regulate that because there’s a study that wherever there’s a high concentration of taverns there is also a high rate of GBV.” The SAAPA has proposed that provinces should reduce the number of hours that alcohol can legally be sold and consider density of sales points when awarding of liquor licences.
The SAAPA also called for the draft Liquor Amendment Bill, which has been on ice since 2016, to be passed as it will curb alcohol advertisements and the density and the licensing of liquor outlets.
The founder and director of Curatica, Ms Nonka Mbonambi, explained how Curatica uses the proceeds of local art initiatives, such as painting brand-sponsored murals, to support unemployed women and broadcast information about GBVF. She also appealed to the National Youth Development Agency to assist Curatica to economically empower women and to spread word of GBV campaigns to far-flung communities.
Abel Mputing
19 August 2025
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