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Parly’s Committee defends appointment of National Council on GBVF

Aug 7, 2026 | Labour Market News

From over 400 applications, the portfolio committee says only a few were from formal business organisations.

Hundreds of women gathered at the Union Building lawns in Pretoria on 21 November 2025 in protest against gender-based violence. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has defended its recommendations to the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council, saying it believes they have considerable experience, knowledge and skills to carry out their mandate.This as COSATU registers its objection that the first-of-its-kind council appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday does not include a representative from labour.

However, committee chairperson Liezl van der Merwe said the committee went beyond minimal constitutional requirements and recommended those it thought most suitable to the president.

From over 400 applications, the portfolio committee says only a few were from formal business organisations.

It shortlisted 18 candidates who represented civil society and the private sector.

Van der Merwe said the committee sought legal advice in response to COSATU’s complaint and other negative publicity about the process.

According to a parliamentary legal opinion, the GBVF Act and the defined expression of civil society includes labour and therefore the inclusion of labour as a representative is not a mandatory legislative requirement.ALSO READ: Ramaphosa appoints long-awaited Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council

But COSATU has interpreted the Act differently.

Its Parliamentary Coordinator, Matthew Parks, said the union will be challenging the appointments.

“The council needs the active collaboration of partners and organised labour and business if it’s to achieve its objectives and progressive mandate. It’s a tragedy that Parliament fumbled this critical but simple task once again.”

The committee, however, said its legal advice confirms that meaningful public participation had been carried out, and that it’s engaged with all public comments openly and fairly.

Source: https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/08/03/parlys-committee-defends-appointment-of-national-council-on-gbvf