Ramaphosa Uses Khayelitsha Visit to Put Men at the Centre of the GBV Fight

President Cyril Ramaphosa has used an ANC campaign stop in Khayelitsha to deliver a direct message on gender-based violence. According to Newsroom ZA, he told the congregation at the Salvation Church of the Revival of Faith on Sunday, 18 October, that South African men must take responsibility for helping end abuse, rape and assault against women.

The visit formed part of the ANC’s two-day campaign in Cape Town ahead of the upcoming local government elections, Cape Argus reported. At the church gathering, Ramaphosa placed men at the front of the response to GBV rather than leaving women to carry the burden of confronting it. The message was simple and firm: the fight against violence towards women needs male leadership and action.

Newsroom ZA reports that Ramaphosa also stressed the role of religious institutions in dealing with social problems. He said churches have a responsibility to communicate messages that can help guide communities. In that setting, the anti-GBV message was not only political but also moral and communal, aimed at people gathered in a place that often carries influence in family and neighbourhood life.

Education was the other main thread in his remarks. Ramaphosa encouraged parents to take a stronger interest in their children’s schooling and specifically urged young mothers to return to school after giving birth. His point was that pregnancy should not bring an end to education, because schooling gives young people a better chance of improving their lives.

He also spoke about young South Africans more broadly, urging them to think about the country’s future as elections approach. He encouraged youth to recognise the role they play in shaping the direction of South Africa. Taken together, his remarks in Khayelitsha connected three themes that often overlap in public debate: violence in homes and communities, the value of education, and the responsibility of the next generation to participate in the country’s future.

In practical terms, the visit showed how the ANC is using campaign moments to speak not only about voting but also about social behaviour and community responsibility. Ramaphosa’s message was aimed at men, parents, churches and young people at the same time, with GBV placed at the centre of a wider appeal for change.

Why it matters for South Africans: GBV remains one of the country’s most pressing social crises, so a public call from the president aimed specifically at men matters. Newsroom ZA’s reporting shows that the message was not framed as a women-only issue, but as one that requires male involvement, community backing and support from institutions like churches. The education angle also matters because it links safety, family responsibility and future opportunity in one conversation, especially for young mothers and families trying to keep children in school.

What happens next: According to Newsroom ZA, the remarks were made during an ANC campaign visit ahead of the local government elections, so the immediate next step is continued campaigning in Cape Town and elsewhere. The report does not indicate any new policy announcement or formal follow-up measure from the speech itself, but it does show the ANC continuing to pair election messaging with public appeals on GBV, schooling and youth responsibility.