Cultural traditions that force women to endure domestic abuse and societal complicity in protecting perpetrators came under sharp scrutiny during the Executive Business Network Gala held at Hard Rock Cafe Johannesburg over the weekend.
Held under the theme, “There is hope for a tree—even when it is cut down, it will sprout again”, the event brought together corporate executives, frontline activists, and policymakers to confront South Africa’s rampant gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis.
National crime statistics show that GBVF remains a relentless crisis across the country, with tens of thousands of assaults and rapes reported each year and women facing severe violence both in their homes and broader communities.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma called for an immediate overhaul of societal norms, particularly targeting family teachings and wedding traditions that silence women.
“There is this word that I hate- bekezela [persevere] ,” Dlamini-Zuma said. “They only say it to the bride, not to the groom. And I think that we must really stop, because when that young woman is beaten to death, we cry.”
Challenging the event’s theme of hope, which likens survival to a cut-down tree that sprouts again, Dlamini-Zuma argued that prevention must take priority over celebrating endurance.
“Yes, the trees sprout, but I’m saying why cut them in the first place? Let’s avoid cutting them,” she said. “If a marriage is not working, walk away. Don’t beat up somebody. Don’t kill someone because the marriage is not working.”
Survivor and activist Thembi Maphanga, well known as Miss T, reinforced this call, describing how staying in an abusive relationship ultimately led to tragedy and life-altering physical trauma.
Maphanga, who survived severe burns and physical abuse, shared the painful cost of delayed departure. “The fight is going to be long because GBVF is a pandemic,” she said. “I didn’t want to do it, but I was forced to do it. He kept on beating me, I couldn’t walk away until this thing happened [being burned],” she said.
Maphanga pleaded with victims not to wait until violence becomes fatal, urging them to prioritise escape above all else.
“For the survivors and the victims, what they need to do is run to the door while it’s still possible, because no one is going to come and save you. You need to save yourself, walk away, run, fly. It’s possible,” she said.
Frontline activist and Kwanele Foundation founder Sihle Sibisi highlighted the heavy backlash survivors experience from society and religious institutions when calling out high-profile abusers.
Reflecting on the aftermath of exposing exploitation linked to the late church leader TB Joshua and enduring public hate even while grieving her 10-year-old daughter, Sibisi insisted that shame belongs to abusers, not victims.
“They thought they buried me, not knowing that I’m a seed, because the louder they tried to bury me, the louder my voice became,” Sibisi said. “A broken crayon can still colour. Are you saying my pain must be so shameful that I must keep quiet about it? No way. Let nobody, nothing, and anybody silence you. Amplify your voice.”
