‘The killing of women and children is not normal and should not be normalised’ As South Africa embarks on its annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, it does so under the dark cloud of an escalating crisis: gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive threat to societal well-being. Picture: File
Dr Noluthando Phungula
Gender-Based Violence and Femicide remain a multifaceted social issue in South Africa, particularly with the country’s violent history. We have just concluded the festive season which coincides with the commemoration of the country’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign which commenced on November 25 and ended on December 10, 2024.
Last year’s campaign fell under the theme: “30 Years of Advancing Collective Action to End Violence Against Women and Children”. At its core, the theme aimed to accelerate and amplify multisectoral and whole-of-society accountability.
Sadly, the country continues to witness heinous crimes committed against women and children at alarming rates. For example, three children suffered unthinkable violence this past week living in different parts of the country.
On January 1, the lifeless body of Ntombenhle Mzima (5) was found in Duduza, East Rand. She had been brutally raped and suffered brutal repeated stab wounds. In Meadowdale, Gauteng, a boy (6) was shot dead during an armed robbery at a McDonald’s drive-through. On January 6, a boy (5) was shot by a stray bullet during an alleged gang shooting in Manenberg, Cape Town.
In December, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu revealed that in the last three months of 2024 at least 110 women were murdered in KwaZulu-Natal. Mchunu said 64 of these women were shot and killed, 24 were stabbed to death, 15 were beaten to death, four suffered blunt force trauma, while three were burned to death. Mchunu said the majority of the deceased were killed by intimate partners.
This statement is supported by a study conducted by the Gender and Health Research Unit of the SA Medical Research Council (2024) which established that a minimum of three women are killed a day by their current or ex-husbands, boyfriends, partners or rejected would-be lovers.
This week, Bongikile Mkhize (32) was hacked with a bush knife on January 5, allegedly by her boyfriend Mduduzi Masuku, in eFolweni. This tragedy took place in the presence of her 12-year-old son. On December 1, 2025, Lerato Thotsejane’s (30) body was discovered; she had been assaulted allegedly by her boyfriend with a hammer. Again, Amanda Malaza (37) was brutally stabbed to death, allegedly by her boyfriend in Howick.
Yet again, Bongeka Makhathini, (22), and son (3) were stabbed, allegedly by Mlondi Cele (24), in uMgababa, KZN. This murder followed the death of Nontobeko Cele (25), also from the South Coast, who was killed by her boyfriend, Sibusiso Lawrence Ntaka. Cele was stabbed to death by her partner, who posted a video of her body before committing suicide. In May 2024, Ntaka had run over Ntobeko in his vehicle while drunk.
The body of Ayabonga Mjilo (24) was found buried at her manager’s home in Inanda, Durban. She had been strangled. On the same day Asekiwe Ludidi was brutally assaulted allegedly by her partner on December 24 in Umzimkhulu. Another case of is that of a 21-year-old Kranskop woman and child (3) were fatally stabbed on 27 December 27, 2024, allegedly by her boyfriend and father of the child.
The government has introduced legislation to protect women and children from abuse and violence. The National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill was signed into law on May 24, 2024, and aimed at ensuring the safety and protection of women and children from abuse and violence.
Recently, the President proclaimed that the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, No.9 2024 came into operation on November 15, 2024. The new legislation has established a council as a statutory body to provide strategic leadership in the fight against GBV and Femicide in South Africa.
Despite how relevant these pieces of legislation are on paper, without implementation they are ineffective to the lived experiences of women and children.
It is therefore clear that the de jure protection of the rights of women and children does not translate to substantive actual protection.
The number of women and children who have lost their lives in the past few weeks in the country represent a devastating blow to the fight against GBVF.
The government continues to visit homes and send condolences to families and loved ones. This is not enough and cannot be our modus operandi. The same vigour that we saw with South Africa taking the issue of Palestine to the ICJ is the same vigour we must see here at home in the fight against this scourge of GBVF.
Our women and children are dying at alarming rates. We need to take the government to task and to court for failure to uphold its constitutional obligation to provide a safe environment for women and children.
This is the year when we protest against the killings of women and children. The killing of women and children in the country is not normal and should not be normalised.
This country requires radical policy change and implementation strategies across all levels of government to deal with this scourge.
• This piece is dedicated to Aphiwe Ngcobo (17), killed in her home in Philani Valley, uMlazi, on May 28, 2024.
* Dr Phungula is a researcher and lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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