Kayla Thomas
On the evening of 4 September the student movement against gender based violence and sexual assault, #OneRapistOneBullet, marched to Brooklyn Police Station to read their demands to SAPS.
The students marched from residences around Hatfield to the police station where a circle vigil was formed to read a list of demands. Demands included increased police presence for student safety, increased police sensitivity regarding sexual assault incidents and a consistent supply of rape kits for cases that are opened.
PDBY spoke to Sinethemba Mohlokoane, a student at the protest, who explained that the movement went to Brooklyn SAPS to protest the bail of the student accused of rape who appeared for his bail hearing at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 4 September. Mohlokoane confirmed that the evening’s protest was a planned event.
Some residences such as Apartments on William and Hatfield Studios allegedly denied students the opportunity to join the march to the police station. Mohlokoane told PDBY that “[the students] are tired. We are tired. We will not live in fear.”
Students are calling for women to stand up and speak out, and to “stand […] for ourselves and stop asking other people to protect us”.
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Image: Adivhaho Maphwanya