recent cases of femicide in south africa
Intimate femicide–suicide in South Africa: a cross-sectional study Shanaaz Mathews a, Naeemah Abrahams a, Rachel Jewkes a, Lorna J Martin b, Carl Lombard c, Lisa Vetten d Introduction. Hannah was last seen alive with her friend Cheslin Marsh when four men forced the two students into her car in Bird Street. South Africa's president says it has been a "dark and shameful week" for his country following a surge in violence against women. KwaZulu-Natal. BACK TO PREMIUM googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; Driving impressions Stories of other women killed or beaten because of getting pregnant, having sex or other reasons connected to their gender, flooded the media. The author had known Nigel since he was a little boy and had been paying for his sports activities and school fees since he was in Grade 7. Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Thursday evening with a plan of action to curb the scourge of gender-based violence, including a proposal to make a register of offenders public. The Crimes Against Women in South Africa … What is femicide? SIGN OUT. In recent years South Africa has been brought to a standstill more than once because of the country’s cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide. Statistics on femicide, rape and domestic violence demonstrate unprecedented prevalence rates. The spokesman for Western Cape provincial police, Lt Col Andre Traut, confirmed the incident but said no arrests had been made. Vernon Witbooi, Geraldo Parsons and Eben van Niekerk were convicted of ten charges including kidnapping, rape and murder while their co-accused Nashville Julius was found guilty of robbery and kidnapping, as he had fled before his accomplices drove off with the students that night. In South Africa‚ 83 percent of gunshot victims are killed‚ and of women victims of gun homicide‚ 68 percent are killed with a single shot‚ most often to the head and face‚ she adds. A phenomena in South Africa that played a critical role in the violent behaviour exhibited by young black men was the system of apartheid. Call out your fellow man when you see him going down a dangerous path. This article is more ... Ramaphosa has also promised 11 new courts, a review on cold cases and harsher penalties for perpetrators. The emotional hallmarks of infidelity entwined [themselves] like creeping ivy into the lives of those affected,” Salie-Hlophe said. BACK TO CITIZEN Speak up. Afrikaans author Winnie Rust was brutally murdered by a man who she had known for many years and even took under her wing. Susan’s murder was borne from the “ill-fated discovery” of her husband’s infidelity, followed by months of “harrowing” trauma which eventually led to her death at the hands of her husband, the Western Cape High Court said. In 2018, they were both sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Rust and an additional 15 years behind bars for robbery. The two students were abducted, and Marsh was stoned and left for dead near Kraaifontein, while Cornelius was raped and later stabbed at Groenhof Farm. Her rape was intended to bring her to complete subjugation, “violating her privacy, dignity and humanity”, Allie said. In her judgment, Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe said that the analysis of evidence given by lay and expert witnesses before painted a vivid picture of how Rohde had murdered Susan and then staged her suicide. Rohde petitioned the SCA directly to appeal his sentence and conviction after the Western Cape high Court denied leave to appeal. Some believe “frustration and anxiety caused by the Covid-19 lockdown increased violent attacks in South African households”. 6 September 2019, 06:34 UTC. This is the killing of a woman or girl by an intimate partner. I will ask parliament to consider amending the legislation to make the register public.”. “Circumstances surrounding a murder and an attempted murder are being investigated by police. The end-result of intimate partner violence perpetrated against female partners is intimate femicide. “We are going to overhaul and modernise the national register of gender-based violence offenders provided for in the sexual offences act to ensure it is effective in combating gender-based violence. 365 days of Covid-19: Death, corruption and the future of the SA, Tshegofatso Pule’s killer pleads guilty, gets 20 years in jail, Asithandile Zozo was looking forward to returning to lectures next week, says her father, Nkoana-Mashabane calls for a collective effort to eradicate ‘GBV pandemic’, Why Golf GTI should take note of BMW hot hatch, Woman’s gun licence application ‘rejected’ for wearing head scarf, DA accuse EFF and ANC of race-baiting in eNCA’s Lindsay Dentlinger saga, Closing Nasrec field hospital before third wave ‘short-sighted’, 365 days of Covid-19: Death, corruption and the future of the SA, The Citizen e-edition/ print bundle subscription rates. Krugersdorp killings. JOIN PREMIUM Responding to a tweet that shared a 1999 advertisement in which she starred as part of an anti-rape campaign, Theron said the justice system had failed women. After brutal killings of South African women over the past two weeks, #stopkillingwomen is trending on social media and helping bring South Africa’s cases of gender-based violence to the surface. Meanwhile, the mutilated body of an unidentified woman was found in the middle of the street next to a primary school on Friday morning, after witnesses saw the body being dumped from a vehicle. Students, men and women on Wednesday demonstrated against South Africa’s “femicide epidemic” as the World Economic Forum on Africa … They received an additional 25 years each for the attempted murder of Marsh, 15 years for four counts of robbery, and 10 years for the kidnapping of Marsh, Cornelius and Mimi October. https://ewn.co.za/2020/01/02/femicide-cases-that-made-headlines-in-2019 Acting Judge Peet Johnson described Mantsoe as the devil in disguise. Coinciding with Women’s Day, News24 took a look back at some of the cases where justice was achieved over the last 18 months. According to La Casa Del Encuentro, 31 women are killed every hou… It sparked protests that began in Buenos Aires, but spread through Chile, Uruguay and up to Miami, FL. Femicide, or the murder of a woman at the hands of a man, captured national headlines in 2018 with dozens of marches and court cases highlighting the plight of women in the country. Other cases of femicide have made headlines in South Africa over the past few years. It has been on the rise since 2011. Julius was handed 15 years for two counts of robbery and seven years for the students’ kidnapping. In his bail application, Mantsoe denied killing Karabo, but said he had disposed of her body after he came home and found that she had committed suicide. She was stabbed at Groenhof Farm and further attacked while she lay with her face on the ground. Femicide rates: South Africa vs the rest of the world South Africa has done a lot of soul-searching this week, and it hasn't been a comfortable experience. Cyril Ramaphosa addresses people protesting in Cape Town against gender-based violence. Valencia Farmer was just 14 years old when she was gang raped and murdered. Apartheid was a system of white supremacy which segregated the races from 1948 until around 1994. After a lengthy trial, Rohde was found guilty of murder and obstruction of justice in November. WATCH: Two men accused of femicide appear in Rustenburg court. Femicide, simply put, is the intentional murder of a woman.However, the World Health Organization (WHO) elaborates on the definition and adds that the murder of a woman is intentional because she is a woman. Karabo had been in a romantic relationship with Mantsoe since 2016 and had told her family that she was being abused by him. He was a regular visitor to Rust’s home and she had often helped him with his homework, even paying for a tutor when he was struggling with Maths. His 31-year-old girlfriend was kidnapped from the residence by the suspects and dropped off at the Wolfgat nature reserve with extensive injuries,” he said. “To the men in my home country – please protect our women. Our leaders can’t continue to turn a blind eye, as they did with this ad,” she said. This system separated men from their families. During the early hours of Friday morning, a 31-year-old woman was shot, kidnapped and dumped in a nature reserve, and later died in hospital from her injuries. DA accuse EFF and ANC of race-baiting in eNCA’s Lindsay Dentlinger saga, Covid-19 Woman’s gun licence application ‘rejected’ for wearing head scarf, Politics SAFLII reproduces the Gazettes in line with permission from the Government Printing Works of the Republic of South Africa. “When I made this ad in 1999 I hoped things would change. Rape and femicide are still a huge epidemics in South Africa and clearly the system has failed women. Tape was put around her neck and her airways were blocked so that she could not breathe. ... Rape and femicide are still a … The murder of Chiara Paez outraged the country of Argentina, and sent thousands of people into the streets to protest. For perpetrating femicide For being a victim of femicide Risk factors Individual level • aUnemployment (3,4,11) • Gun ownership (especially in the USA but also in countries with high levels of gun violence, such as South Africa, and in conflict and post-conflict settings) (3,4,11,29) • Threats to kill with a weapon (3,11) “Circumstances surrounding the death of an unknown female believed to be in her 30s are being investigated after her body was discovered. “This national register of offenders will list all the men convicted of acts of violence against women and children. Throwing a rock on her was “vengeful and vicious, to cause death instantly”. Found guilty of homicide, but not murder, the lenient sentence by a black female judge Thokozile Masipa sent shockwaves around South Africa. I know it’s the end of the week, and you probably don’t feel like getting too serious, but there’s no escaping the fact that South Africa has an out of control femicide crisis. Apartheid. Her body was discovered in April 2017. Primary Menu ... Ramaphosa was speaking at the launch of the first-ever private-sector-led GBV and Femicide fund. SIGN IN Femicide In South Africa is the latest book by author and journalist Nechama Brodie. Mpumalanga. Primedia Broadcasting, one of the country’s major networks, said female employees, including those working on radio shows and news broadcasts, would not work on Friday in solidarity with the fight against gender-based violence. Last year, South Africa declared femicide a national crisis when nearly 3,000 women were murdered between 2018 and 2019. This is a lightly edited excerpt from Nechama Brodie’s Femicide in South Africa (Kwela Books, 2020). A date has not been set for the hearing yet. “Both victims were admitted to hospital, where the 31-year-old female succumbed to death. It was Susan’s discovery of her husband’s infidelity that had been the catalyst for the horrifying events that took place. On the day of her murder, Rust had planned to help Nigel get his driver’s licence, but instead, Nigel and his uncle killed her and robbed her of her jewellery and laptop. The South African-born Hollywood actor Charlize Theron has spoken out against violence against women in the country. Susan was murdered by her husband, Jason Rohde at the Spier Hotel in Stellenbosch on July 24, 2016. Violence Against Women in South Africa – A Country in Crisis 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I n South Africa, a country scarred by the history of apartheid, violence against women (VAW) is endemic. Cyril Ramaphosa's … Mantsoe was sentenced to 30 years for the murder, five years for assault and four years for the attempt to defeat or obstruct the course of justice. South Africa has a femicide rate that is five times greater than the global rate. Why Golf GTI should take note of BMW hot hatch, Parliament It’s one that there is no vaccination for, and even staying at home doesn’t guarantee safety. Nigel even described Rust as his “greatest fan”. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, … In November, Witbooi and Parsons were sentenced to life imprisonment for Cornelius’ murder, and life for her rape. Femicide is a growing concern in South Africa, with our president now referring to incidents of violence against women and children as a ‘silent pandemic’. ‘Man Shoots Woman’: Firearms and femicide in South Africa ‘Man shoots wife himself, after roadside argument’ – Pretoria News, 6 September 2001 ‘Man kills woman and himself on PE street ’ – EP Herald, 29 January 2002 Nigel Plaatjies and his uncle Johannes Plaatjies robbed and killed Rust in her home in Uitsig, Wellington, on May 11, 2016. Cyril Ramaphosa promises plan of action as protesters call for death penalty for perpetrators, Last modified on Fri 6 Sep 2019 17.48 BST. They put her in the boot after gang raping her, and she must have resisted because she was in pain and anguish. A national plan to curb gender-based violence will also be implemented in school programmes, workplace policies and community initiatives. According to an eyewitness report, a vehicle was seen dropping off the body next to a primary school. His comments are unlikely to bring comfort to protesters, however, with two women having been found dead on Friday. Karabo was only 22 years old when she was murdered by her on-again off-again boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe, who stabbed her and then burnt her body beyond recognition in a veld in Lyndhurst, north-east of Johannesburg. Just days after his conviction, Mantsoe had been sentenced to a cumulative 32 years in prison by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. Her killer was sentenced 17 years after her death. Do not be bystanders. Sandile Mantsoe and Karabo Mokoena. She was 77 years old when her life was taken. ... SA Reports 566 New Cases. Government Gazettes are public documents. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and femicide is a persistent, widespread problem in South Africa and excessively impacting on women and children. South Africa– Blue Sky Publications (Pty) Ltd T/A TheSouthAfrican Number: 2005/028472/07. Describing the ordeal that Hannah went through in her last hours, Western Cape High Court Judge Rosheni Allie said that it was appalling that the accused had kept Cornelius with them after dumping Marsh, as it showed they wanted to take full advantage of her. SAFLII cannot edit or radact any information contained in the gazettes. Nearly 3 000 women are murdered in South Africa … I will propose to cabinet that all crimes against women and children should attract harsher minimum sentences,” he said. News South Africa North West. Western Cape. They have not. “We have established 92 dedicated sexual offences courts since 2013, with a further 11 to be opened this financial year. He tried to paint Karabo as a troubled woman who cut herself and assaulted him, but the court did not buy his testimony and found him guilty of murdering Karabo in May this year. In September 2019, after days of protests, the South African government declared femicide in South Africa a national crisis. Cecilia Steyn, Marcel Steyn and Zak Valentine stood trial in the South Gauteng … An extract from the book is published below with permission from the publishers. Ramaphosa has also promised 11 new courts, a review on cold cases and harsher penalties for perpetrators. Stay Smart About South Africa. The book looks at the story of femicide in South Africa from the past forty years. The motive is yet to be determined and no one has been arrested as yet.”. The Saartjie Baartman Center for Women allows survivors of domestic abuse to live and work with their children. Intimate femicide, the killing of a woman by her intimate partner, is considered the most extreme form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Northern Cape. This morning [Friday] at around 2am, a 33-year-old man was shot and wounded at his residence by unknown suspects. After killing his wife, Rohde then tried to stage Susan’s death, making it look like she had committed suicide. Protesters hold banners outside parliament in Cape Town. Limpopo. According to South Africa’s South Africa’s murder rate was 35.2 per 100,000 in 2017-18 and has fallen from 67.9 per 100,000 people in 1995, when an integrated national police force was created and national statistics were compiled for the first time. South Africans “must be extremely worried” about the number of women being murdered in the country, Minister Nathi Mthethwa told a femicide imbizo at the end of June. For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android. South Africa. “Susan’s ill-fated discovery was followed by months of harrowing trauma. South Africa. Her body was found on the morning of May 27, 2017 on the side of a road, near a wine farm outside Stellenbosch. 0. var googletag = googletag || {}; She added that the manner in which they preyed on Cornelius made it the “crudest and cruelest form of violence”. Hannah, a 21-year-old student at the University of Stellenbosch, was brutally raped and murdered by four men she did not know. North West. Closing Nasrec field hospital before third wave ‘short-sighted’, Covid-19 The last two charges will run concurrently with the murder sentence. Protesters clash with police in Cape Town. Femicide Protestors – The Conversation. Definitions of “femicide” vary. Our femicide rates are … There is a femicide every four hours and in 50% of the cases the woman is murdered by a partner. These numbers are shocking, but often ignored are … Stand up. “All gender-based violence cases that have been closed or that were not properly investigated must be reviewed.”. On Wednesday evening, a woman was found murdered at a shopping centre with multiple stab wounds to her body, while on Tuesday, a 21-year-old nursing student was abducted outside a hospital and raped. Demonstrations have been held for a third successive day. Van Niekerk received life sentences for Cornelius’ rape and murder, 20 years for each robbery, 10 years for kidnapping Marsh and Cornelius, eight years for kidnapping October, and 20 years for the attempted murder of Marsh. You have the power to change this,” she said. 558. Femicide, or the murder of a woman at the hands of a man, captured national headlines in 2018 with dozens of marches and court cases … According to court testimony of Dr Deidre Abrahams, who conducted an autopsy on Rust, there were signs that she had tried to fight off her attackers. Nigel and Johannes were found guilty of murder and robbery in 2017. JOHANNESBURG, June 16 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — A spate of murders of South African women in recent weeks, including a heavily pregnant woman stabbed and hanged from a tree, highlighted the need for tougher police action on violence against women, women's rights groups said. His sentences will run concurrently. The motive is yet to be established and arrests are yet to be made,” Traut said. The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has admitted the country is facing a national crisis of violence against women as protesters took to the streets for a third successive day. Theron also urged men to call out potential perpetrators. The recent world-famous case of Oscar Pistorius getting a five year sentence for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steen-kamp on Valentine's Day has put the issue of femicide back under the spotlight. South Africa: Gender-based violence and femicide offenders must face justice. Rohde is currently in Pollsmoor Prison awaiting the outcome of his bail application, pending his appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). Women have called for the death penalty to be reinstated for perpetrators of violence against women and children and for a state of emergency to be declared.“We are reviewing laws on domestic violence and sexual offences to prioritise the needs and interests of survivors,” Ramaphosa said. He claimed laws would be reviewed in parliament imminently. In a study conducted in South Africa in 2009, the rate of intimate femicide was 5, 6 per 100 000 women aged 14 years or older, whilst in 1999 the rate of 8.8 per 100 000 women aged 14 years and above was registered.1In terms of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act No 166 of 1998), it may be deduced that intimate femicide includes the killing of a female per…