EFF statement on the recent cases of femicide

2 September 2019

The EFF is deeply saddened to learn of the kidnapping, raping and murder of women reported over the last few days.

We want to send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of boxing champion Leighandre "Baby Lee" Jegels, Janika Mallo, and I-JCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana.

Leighandre "Baby Lee" Jegels was shot dead by her SAPS boyfriend. Janika Mallo was raped before being bashed with a concrete block over the head and left at the backyard of her family home. Whilst Uyinene Mrwetyana was raped and killed by a man working at the Post Office she had gone to for a service.

We can all be sure that these are not isolated cases of murder and sexual violence in the general war against women and the girl child. There are thousands more which do not make the news on traditional and social media platforms. However, what is certain is that South Africa is in an open war against women.

This war requires a decisive response which must begin with all men in our country accepting that they are trash. We can never solve a problem when we keep denying it.

Women die at the hands of their lovers, brothers, neighbors and parents. These are men who walk among us, and often are never suspects or thought of as capable of such horrific crimes.

Our entire cultural edifice has to be radically overturned to stop breeding violent and sexually abusive men. Every man in South Africa is a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode against women. There is no safe space anywhere in the county for women and the girl child. For this to end, justice must be executed with speed against perpetrators. In all spaces, men must be confronted to deal with their masculinity, by both men and women. We must confront the idea and culture of making violent, intolerant and women hating men.

We reiterate our condolences to the families and join in prayer for the souls of all the women murdered senselessly to rest in perfect and eternal peace. The peace men in this country deny women on a daily basis, everywhere, every minute of the day.

Issued by Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, National Spokesperson, EFF, 2 September 2019