In the midst of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the bodies of two women were found dumped in the veld in Matholesville, Roodepoort this week
Senior police communications officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, said: “Police received a call from a community member about two bodies that were lying in an open veld and proceeded to the scene.
“Upon arrival, police found the bodies of two females with hands bound together. It is suspected that the victims were killed somewhere and dumped in an open veld. The victims, who can be aged between 20 and 25, have not yet been identified and the police have opened cases of murder for investigation.”
Meanwhile, the Afrika Tikkun Foundation said despite the 16 Days of Activism campaign, which has been running for over 21 years, the rate of crime related to gender-based violence (GBV) has remained exceptionally high, making it look like the society has somewhat normalised the violence against women.
Sipho Mamize, chief operating officer at Afrika Tikkun Foundation, said: “Rape culture is a cancer that needs to be eliminated from the fabric of our society.
“It is evident in the way we talk about women, the way law enforcement handles GBV cases, and the way society reacts to women’s violation. The difficult conversations about rape culture and a widely accepted existence of rhetoric must be had.”
The foundation feels that children have been misinformed throughout the years by leaders stating that educated men do not rape, and that girls need to be covered to avoid being raped.
“These conversations must be led by a collective of government and community leaders including political parties, churches, and civil society organisations who agree that GBV begins in the mind, and that is where it should be eliminated,” Mamize said.
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