South Africa vows to combat online gender-based violence

29/8/2025 7:40

A South African official on Thursday pledged the government's commitment to tackling the online abuse against women, as digital platforms see a rise in threats, harassment, cyberstalking, and the non-consensual sharing of images.



"When threats of rape, doxxing, or image-based abuse go unpunished, we normalize gender-based violence. We reinforce impunity. We send the chilling message that women's safety, online or offline, is not a priority. I want to be clear today: this government does not accept that," said Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele.



Speaking in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital, Gungubele met with organizations from the film industry and other groups to discuss the government's efforts to end online gender-based violence and create a safer digital space for women.