Abahlali baseMjondolo is calling for urgent action after 12 women were killed or found dead in Ekurhuleni since July. The organization says women in the area live in fear, unable to walk at night, work late shifts, or even sleep in their shacks without fear of violence. The latest case involves a 23-year-old woman who was shot in Tembisa early on Monday morning while reportedly on her way to work.
Police are investigating the case as murder and robbery, but have not established a connection between all 12 cases. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding each death. Abahlali baseMjondolo says the crisis is not only about the killings themselves, but also about what happens when women attempt to seek help before violence escalates.
The organization alleges that GBV cases are not always taken seriously, protection orders are not properly enforced, and families can be left without answers about investigations. Abahlali baseMjondolo also claims that police response times in shack settlements are too slow and that women who report violence are not adequately protected.
The Total Shutdown Womxn’s Movement against GBVF has reminded President Cyril Ramaphosa that it has been eight years since women and gender non-conforming people marched on 1 August 2018, presenting the State with 24 demands on gender-based violence. The movement acknowledges that government has since introduced legislation, adopted the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, and established the National Council on GBVF.
However, The Total Shutdown says policies and institutions mean little to women who remain unsafe. The organization points to the government's five-year assessment of the National Strategic Plan, which recorded 65 of 191 tracked indicators as achieved, while 104 remained in progress and 22 had not been achieved.
Abahlali baseMjondolo is demanding action within seven days, including a public report on investigations into the women killed since July, a properly funded women-led GBV task team for Ekurhuleni's townships and informal settlements, and a 24-hour Victim Support Room at Kempton Park Police Station staffed by trained female officers.
The organization wants visible policing and women-friendly patrols in high-risk areas, particularly at night and over weekends. If authorities fail to protect women, Abahlali baseMjondolo will escalate its campaign to the Provincial Commissioner, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, and the Commission for Gender Equality.
Key points
- Abahlali baseMjondolo demands urgent action to protect women in Ekurhuleni.
- 12 women have been killed or found dead in Ekurhuleni since July.
- The organization alleges that GBV cases are not always taken seriously by police.
