President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the members of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide for a three-year term, as the government seeks to strengthen efforts to combat the country’s persistent GBVF crisis.Ramaphosa has designated Dr Ramalepe Mathibe as the chairperson of the council and Welheminah (Shoki) Tshabalala as the deputy chairperson.The council appointed in terms of section 6(1)(a) read with sections 6(2) and (3), and section 9(1)(a) of the National Council on Gender Based Violence Act, 2024 (Act No.9 of 2024) will serve from August 1 2026 to July 2029 31.It is a statutory body mandated to provide strategic leadership on the elimination of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.Keitumetse Fatimata Moutloatse, Caroline Peters, Dr Zubeda Dangor, Vuyisiwe Numalo, Anele Siswana and TWM Limema have also been appointed.The Presidency said that, as the Council begins its term at the start of Women’s Month, Ramaphosa expects it to build on the classification of gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster by challenging harmful attitudes and practices, advancing women’s economic empowerment, strengthening law enforcement and expanding survivor-centred support.TimesLIVE