THE NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON - WOMEN AND GENDER COMMISSION
MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 April 2026
The Suspension of Mpumalanga SAPS Commissioner Lt-Gen Semakaleng Manamela and Allegations of Corruption.

The Women and Gender Commission note with grave concern the suspension of Mpumalanga SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, and the serious allegations she has raised regarding corruption within the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga.

For Immediate Release
Date: 12 April 2026

Opposition to Bail Application of Tshepo Ntsimane – A Call for Justice and Urgent Action Against GBVF

The Civil Society Unmuted Coalition South Africa – Women and Gender Commission in Gauteng, strongly condemns and opposes the bail application of Tshepo Ntsimane, who stands accused of the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Dobsonville.

We stand in unwavering solidarity with the survivor and her family. We assert that granting bail in such a grave case would not only undermine the seriousness of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), but also send a dangerous message to survivors across the country, that their pain is secondary to procedural leniency.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 February 2026

Today, as the global community marks NGO World Day, the Civil Society Unmuted Coalition reaffirms the vital role that non-profit organisations and grassroots formations play in deepening democracy, advancing equality, and protecting community-centered development.

Tomorrow, we will proudly join thousands in the streets for Cape Town Pride a celebration of dignity, diversity, and the ongoing struggle for equality. Pride remains both a celebration and a protest: a reminder that human rights must be protected in practice, not only in principle.

It is in this dual moment of reflection and celebration that we acknowledge, with concern, that the iconic Good Hope Centre was officially auctioned on 26 February 2026 by the City of Cape Town for R135 million.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
26 February 2026

Civil Society Unmuted Coalition SA expresses deep concern and strong opposition to the City ofCape Town’s planned auction of 50 municipal properties, including the iconic Good Hope Centre, following the dismissal of the urgent application by the Western Cape High Court. While we respect the Court’s ruling, we believe the matter goes beyond legal technicalities it is fundamentally about justice, land, dignity, and the urgent housing crisis facing the people of the Western Cape.