Over 400 student leaders, representing Student Representative Councils and the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Student Association (SATVETSA), will take to the streets of Bhisho on Thursday, 17 July 2025, in a peaceful protest march against Gender- Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). The demonstration, which will run from 10h00 to 12h00, it forms part of the Annual National Student Leadership Induction Programme. The march will commence at Bhisho Stadium, proceeding to the State House Gate, where student leaders will hand over a petition to the Office of the Premier. The MEC for Social Development is expected to receive the memorandum on behalf of the Acting Premier.

This protest signals a powerful and timely shift in student activism. For once, students in the TVET sector are not protesting for NSFAS allowances, late payments, or institutional administration issues. Instead, they are marching for something more profound — the basic human right to safety, dignity, and the ability to pursue their education without fear of violence or harassment. This marks a new chapter in student-led advocacy — one that prioritises social justice, human rights, and the safety of learners, especially women and vulnerable students, across TVET campuses.

Why This March Matters:

The march is a response to the disturbing prevalence of GBVF incidents affecting TVET students in the Eastern Cape. In one of the most horrific cases, three female students from Eastcape Midlands TVET College were shot and killed in February 2023 at an off-campus residence in Kariega. That tragedy sent shockwaves through the entire post-school education and training sector. More recently, Lovedale TVET College reported eight cases of GBV in 2024 alone — including four rape cases and three instances where students were reported for GBV-related offences. These are not isolated incidents; they reflect a broader, systemic failure to protect students and ensure that learning environments are safe.

SATVETSA, as the national voice of TVET students, is taking a principled and peaceful stand to say: enough is enough. The organisation is demanding urgent and coordinated action from the provincial government, college management, and the post-school education sector as a whole to confront the GBVF pandemic. Their message is simple: campuses must become places of learning, not sites of trauma.

The peaceful protest is one of several activities planned during the National Student Leadership Induction Programme. Following the march, SATVETSA will host a Women’s Leadership Conference on 17–18 July 2025, aimed at empowering young women leaders within the TVET system. A formal media briefing will also be held on 18 July 2025 at 12h00, at Buffalo City TVET College – East London Campus, where student leaders will expand on the outcomes of the protest and share their leadership resolutions for the year ahead.