Activist calls for public access to sex offenders register

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide activist Andile Gaelesiwe has questioned the lack of public access to South Africa’s National Register for Sex Offenders. Gaelesiwe argues that communities should be better informed about convicted offenders, raising concerns that some sectors of society continue to blame women who are victims. This follows the discovery of nine women's bodies in Ekurhuleni since July, sparking growing concerns over gender-based violence and femicide.

Gaelesiwe points out that despite the existence of a National Sexual Offenders Register, it remains inaccessible to the public. She asks why communities are unaware of who their neighbors are, even if one of them is a convicted offender. Gaelesiwe emphasizes the importance of addressing the human condition and the interconnectedness of communities, stating that "until when are you going to ignore that if something happens to Andile, then Bongiwe is affected? Then everybody in the studio, everybody around me is affected."

She also criticizes the societal tendency to blame women who are victims of abuse, highlighting the need for stronger action against gender-based violence. Gaelesiwe's call for public access to the National Register for Sex Offenders reflects her belief in the urgency of tackling gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.