By Staff Reporter
Ekurhuleni faces a planned shutdown on Saturday as protesters take to the streets demanding stronger action against gender-based violence and femicide following the discovery of 11 women’s bodies across the metro since July.
The Afrika Mayibuye Youth Movement has called for businesses, industries and shopping centres to close and for roads across the city to come to a standstill as part of the protest.
The City of Ekurhuleni had not publicly issued a notice acknowledging Saturday’s planned shutdown.
The movement said the demonstration was intended to force greater accountability from government and law enforcement agencies over the killings and the broader scourge of violence against women.
Speaking to eNCA on Saturday morning, the party’s youth movement leader Keamogetswe Masike and protest organiser complained about the lack of police visibility in the area.
“Communities have to co-exist in communities with a non-existent police service. In many of our stations there are station commanders and detectives withholding investigations of gender based violence. There are many victims who have reported cases of domestic violence, rape and threats and they are appealing to government,” said Masike.
He said driving into Kempton Park, there are no roadblocks, calls for the grass and bushes to be cut have not been answered and that it was “business as usual”.
The protest was announced last month when nine women’s bodies had been found in the metro. That number has since increased.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation on Tuesday that 11 women’s bodies had been found in Ekurhuleni since July, intensifying public outrage and fears over women’s safety.
Ramaphosa announced a 60-day national audit of unresolved murder, attempted murder, rape and serious sexual offence cases involving women and children.
Police and prosecutors have also been instructed to develop recovery plans for priority and stalled cases within 90 days.
The measures include identifying cases awaiting forensic evidence, suspects who have not been arrested and investigations or prosecutions that have experienced unreasonable delays.
The United Nations has also raised concern over the Ekurhuleni killings, saying they reflected the persistent and deadly violence faced by women and girls in South Africa.
Police have not established that all of the killings are connected and have cautioned against concluding that a serial killer is responsible.
Several suspects have, however, been arrested in connection with individual cases, while a multidisciplinary police team continues to investigate the deaths.
The Afrika Mayibuye Youth Movement said it wanted law enforcement authorities to explain what concrete steps were being taken to find perpetrators and protect women.
Saturday’s action follows several demonstrations in Ekurhuleni in recent weeks as communities, activists and civil society organisations increase pressure on authorities.
Kwa-Thema residents marched against the killings on September 17, calling for faster investigations, arrests and better support for victims of gender-based violence.
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