Voices of Change: Criselda Kananda says South Africa has “run out of tears.”
Broadcaster and activist Criselda Kananda delivers a powerful call for accountability, leadership and societal change in a deeply emotional episode of Voices of Change with Heidi Giokos.
The conversation centres on gender-based violence in South Africa, the failures of systems meant to protect women and children, and the urgent need for men to actively participate in ending abuse. Kananda reflects on years of activism and public advocacy, while also speaking candidly about her own lived experiences, including surviving abuse and living openly with HIV.
“I’m like, why are we still here?” she asks, speaking about the continued violence faced by women and girls across the country.
Kananda repeatedly challenges the idea that gender-based violence should only be viewed as a criminal justice issue. Instead, she argues that the roots of violence begin in homes, social conditioning, absent role models and the normalisation of harmful behaviour.
“For me, it’s more than just a criminal issue,” she says. “Each young man who turns out to be a rapist, who turns out to be a murderer, comes from a home.”
The discussion also explores masculinity, societal expectations, and the pressures women face in public and private life. Kananda criticises the systems and environments that continue to objectify women while failing to teach boys healthy models of leadership and accountability.
Kananda’s reflection on abuse within relationships and the confusion surrounding violence justified as love is all too familiar to many South African women.
“When I asked him, why did you hit me? He said, ‘I don’t know.’”
Kananda also speaks about the exhaustion many women feel after years of speaking out against violence with little visible progress.
“We’ve run out of tears,” she says.
Despite the emotional weight of the conversation, the episode also focuses on responsibility, collective healing and the possibility of change. Kananda calls on men to stop remaining silent and become visible allies in the fight against violence.
“We need voices of men,” she says. “We’ve spoken as women for far too long.”
Voices of Change continues to spotlight difficult but necessary conversations shaping South Africa, focusing on personal stories that expose larger social realities.
Catch up on all Voices of Change episodes here: https://www.enca.com/voices-change-podcast