However, one bystander said 'singing in the street' would not reduce crime.
DA politicians and community members march in Tshwane on 8 October 2026 to demand action against gender-based violence in South Africa. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
The streets of Pretoria turned blue after around 2 000 DA supporters marched in Tshwane against gender-based violence (GBV).
The march, led by the DA’s Tshwane mayoral candidate, Cilliers Brink, Joburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille, Ekurhuleni mayoral mandidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, DA federal chair Solly Msimanga, DA deputy federal chair Siviwe Gwarube and Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi, demanded more boots on the ground, greater investigative and intelligence capabilities for municipalities and an end to the DNA evidence backlog.
DA march against crime
Brink said women of South Africa should not have to change the way they live, work or move through their communities because of violent crime.
“The people of South Africa don’t need advice on how to avoid crime; they need government action to tackle crime. For too long, women have been told to change their behaviour to avoid becoming victims of crime. Carry a phone differently. Don’t walk alone. Don’t go out at night. Change your route. Stay home. That is not good enough,” he said.
“Twelve funeral vans led us to Kgoši Mampuru II Correctional Centre to mark the 12 murders that take place every single day in Gauteng. Violent criminals must face the full consequences of their crimes,” he added.
Brink said they ended the march at Kgoši Mampuru II Correctional Centre, where murderers and perpetrators of GBV belong.
“The prison is a symbolic place where the criminals on our streets should be instead. Our criminal justice system must work better so that violent criminals are removed from our communities and put inside prisons like Kgoši Mampuru,” he added.
Brink said crime is prevalent in South Africa because of DNA backlogs, police and judicial services being under-capacitated, and broken basic service delivery like streetlights and overgrown public spaces.
‘Women have lost faith in the justice system’
One of the marchers, Sophie Cloete, said she has seen many women in her community suffer at the hands of those meant to keep them safe.
“Often these women are too scared to report their perpetrators for fear of further abuse. They have also lost faith in the justice system,” she said.
Cloete said that was why she joined the march; she wanted to show the women in her community that there was help available.
‘Singing in the street doesn’t help’
However, a bystander who did not want to be named said it was all talk and no action.
“What does it help, them singing in the street, when we know nothing is going to change? They keep making empty promises. This thing against women has been going on for years,” she said before walking away.
Police spokesperson Colonel Amanda van Wyk said police continue to intensify efforts against perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide and other serious crimes through Operation Shanela.
“During last week’s operation, police arrested 14 581 suspects nationwide, while detectives traced and arrested 1 811 wanted suspects linked to serious and violent crimes,” she added.
Van Wyk said among those arrested are 174 suspects arrested for rape, seven for attempted rape, 140 for murder and 130 for attempted murder.
