Ubuntu as a Shield: Reclaiming humanity to end gender-based violence in South African communities

By Thabiso Bob Mbuyisa

Ubuntu as Moral Compass in the Face of Violence South Africa, celebrated for its diverse cultures and rich heritage, continues to face one of the highest incidences of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the world. In KwaZulu-Natal alone, the center for Community Impact’s 2023 report indicates that over a third of the women have experienced some form of violence, from verbal abuse to physical and sexual assault. Beyond the numbers lies the lived experience of pain, fear, and social marginalization. Ubuntu “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” or “I am because we are” offers an indigenous, culturally resonant framework that could be drawn upon to address the challenge of GBV. Ubuntu is not merely an abstract philosophy; it is a call to collective moral responsibility.

It insists that the well-being of everyone is inseparable from the health of the community, making GBV not just a personal tragedy but a collective failure. While legislation like the Domestic Violence Act (1998) and the National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide (2020) exists to protect survivors, laws alone cannot repair the social and moral fractures that allow violence to thrive. Thus I propose a reimagined Ubuntu gender sensitive, action-oriented, and community-led as a practical tool to combat GBV, integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), African feminist thought, and contemporary social interventions.

Understanding Gender-Based Violence in South Africa Rural Contexts:

Traditional Norms and Social Vulnerability In rural KwaZulu-Natal, patriarchal norms often persist alongside modern legal frameworks. Women and girls are frequently positioned as caretakers, economic dependents, or bearers of family honor, which can limit their social mobility and autonomy. This structural inequality contributes to high vulnerability to both physical and verbal violence. Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) historically mitigated these risks through community based moral regulation. Scholars such as Ngcobo and colleagues argue that elders and traditional leaders enforced ethical norms through mediation, rituals, and moral storytelling, creating environments where violence was socially unacceptable. However, urbanization, migration, and the erosion of traditional authority have weakened these protective mechanisms.

Ubuntu: A Transformative Moral Framework Collective Responsibility and Gender Sensitivity

Urban spaces such as universities, offices, public transport, and workplaces present different but equally complex challenges. Verbal harassment, sexualized microaggressions, and subtle forms of intimidation often go unreported due to fear, stigma, or inadequate institutional response. For young women, verbal GBV on social media, in classrooms, or within peer groups can have profound psychological effects, often normalizing aggression as a social norm. Ubuntu provides a lens to address these urban challenges by emphasizing collective ethical responsibility. It encourages communities to intervene, educate, and create safe spaces where violence is socially and morally unacceptable. At its core, Ubuntu insists that individuals are inseparable from their communities.

However, traditional interpretations often fail to address gendered vulnerabilities, inadvertently silencing women. African scholars such as  Akinsulure and Ncube draw from African feminist thought to emphasize that a morally just community must actively include women’s voices and experiences in defining collective well-being. Ubuntu, reimagined with gender sensitivity, does not merely advocate moral reflection; it demands ethical action. It transforms passive observers into active allies and makes complicity socially unacceptable. Men play a critical role as allies, challenging harmful behaviours and standing with survivors to uphold communal dignity.

Ubuntu in Action

IKS translates Ubuntu into tangible, community-based interventions. Storytelling, ritual, and mentorship create an ethical infrastructure for conflict resolution, education, and moral accountability. Scholars such as Schia and De Carvalho for instance, have shown how rural collectives in KwaZulu-Natal have successfully used storytelling sessions to educate youth about mutual respect, consent, and gender equality, drawing on cultural narratives that valorize community cohesion and protection of the vulnerable. This approach demonstrates that GBV prevention is not merely about punishment but cultural reinforcement of ethical norms. By integrating IKS with modern educational tools such as workshops, mentorship programs, and media campaigns communities can build sustainable prevention models rooted in local values. Youth Engagement and Education Engaging youth is critical, as early exposure to ethical norms shapes future behaviour.

Ubuntu based initiatives in universities and schools could include peer mentorship programs, ethics clubs, and awareness campaigns that combine cultural values with modern pedagogical methods. These programs teach young people to identify abusive behaviours, intervene safely, and uphold dignity in interpersonal relationships. Workplace Interventions Corporate and institutional settings require policies grounded in Ubuntu principles. By embedding Ubuntu into organizational culture, workplaces transform from sites of vulnerability into spaces of moral and social accountability. Principles could include: Zero-tolerance policies for harassment, both verbal and physical; mentorship programs that reinforce ethical responsibility and respect; and inclusive reporting structures that protect survivors while encouraging bystander intervention.

Ubuntu can bridge rural and urban divides by sharing traditional conflict-resolution practices with urban communities. For example, storytelling and mediation techniques can be adapted into workshops, role-play, and community theatre, promoting ethical reflection and collective responsibility. This cross-contextual approach ensures that GBV prevention is culturally relevant, scalable, and impactful. A practical example is how some local elders in KwaZulu-Natal have trained youth collectives to mediate disputes and educate peers about gender equality. Reports indicate a measurable decline in verbal harassment and domestic disputes where these programs are active.

Ubuntu as a Moral Shield

While Ubuntu provides a moral and cultural framework, it faces challenges: First, erosion of traditional authority: Modernization and migration reduce the influence of elders and traditional leaders. Second, resistance to gender-sensitive reforms: Some community members resist reinterpretations of Ubuntu that challenge patriarchal norms. Third, integration with formal law: Aligning Ubuntu practices with legal systems can be complex, especially in cases requiring prosecution or intervention by state authorities. Overcoming these challenges requires multi-sectoral collaboration, ongoing education, and sustained commitment to embedding

Ubuntu across social, legal, and organizational frameworks. Ubuntu, when applied in a gender-sensitive, action-oriented manner, offers a transformative approach to GBV prevention. It teaches that: Protecting individuals, especially women and youth, is a collective moral responsibility; silence and complicity are forms of moral failure that harm the entire community; indigenous knowledge systems provide practical tools for sustainable education and ethical reinforcement; and men, women, and non-binary individuals must share responsibility for safe, dignified communities. Ultimately, Ubuntu demands that violence against any member of the society is morally inconceivable.

By integrating Ubuntu principles into education, workplaces, legal frameworks, and community life, South African society can transform GBV from an endemic social ill into a collectively rejected injustice. The teaching is clear: To protect one is to protect all; to harm one is to harm ourselves. Ubuntu is not an abstraction it is an actionable ethic capable of reclaiming humanity, dignity, and safety for all.

Thabiso Bob Mbuyisa is an Academic and Social Commentator. He is from the university of South Africa.