FEMICIDE CRISIS OP-ED: Target perpetrators, not womxn’s freedom — a call for police action
Tell perpetrators that the state is coming for them. Tell communities what the state is doing to prevent the next murder. Tell womxn what concrete action is being taken to protect our right to move freely and safely.
Five women were murdered in and around Kempton Park, Johannesburg, in the past two months. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has been criticized for its response to these cases. If a number of women have been murdered in the same area since July 2026, it raises questions about what the state knew and what they did to prevent further victims.
Instead of advising women to be extra cautious, it is necessary to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent violence. Femicide is a crisis of male violence, patriarchy, misogyny, impunity and state failure. The government has a constitutional obligation to protect women. The #TheTotalShutdown movement has been advocating for systemic changes to address gender-based violence and femicide.
Eight years after presenting their demands, women continue to be murdered. In 2018/19, 2,771 women were murdered in South Africa – about seven a day. Between July and September 2024, 957 were murdered – more than 10 every day. The SAPS should establish a multidisciplinary investigation, review unsolved murders and missing persons cases, identify patterns and gaps in previous investigations, and implement targeted policing in high-risk areas. Womxn's movements and affected communities should be included in monitoring these responses.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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