Minister Nobuhle Nkabane joins TVET students in Bhisho march for safety, dignity and action against GBVF, 17 Jul

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr. Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, will on Thursday, 17 July 2025, lead a peaceful awareness campaign in Bhisho in the Eastern Cape alongside more than 400 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) student leaders to raise awareness on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

Organised by the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Student Association (SATVETSA), the march forms part of the Department’s broader commitment to building a safe, dignified, and inclusive post-school education and training system for all students.

During the demonstration, the Minister will deliver a message of support and solidarity, affirming the Department’s unwavering commitment to fighting the GBVF pandemic in all its forms.

Also joining the march are the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, Higher Health, and various civil society partners. Higher Health — the Department’s implementing agency for health and wellness — will deploy its mobile clinic, nurses, and trained mental health professionals who will be on-site to provide services, including psychosocial support, counselling, and referral assistance to students.

This protest marks a critical shift in the priorities of student-led activism in the TVET sector — one that foregrounds human rights, justice, and the protection of vulnerable students, particularly women and LGBTQI+ learners. Minister Nkabane’s leadership in this initiative affirms that safety is a prerequisite to learning, and that the Department will not rest until all students can pursue their education without fear, harm or discrimination.

Event Details:
Date: Thursday, 17 July 2025
Time: 10h00 – 12h00
Assembly Point: Bhisho Stadium
Destination: State House Gate, Bhisho

Please RSVP or send enquiries to:
Camagwini Mavovana
Spokesperson: Minister’s office
Mavovana.C@dhet.gov.za

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