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  I don’t usually speak about issues not related to an edition, but this week I want to continue the discussion about gender based violence (or GBV) and the atrociously high numbers of rape in South Africa. Why is this not at the centre of our discussions? Women and children are being brutally raped and murdered daily, and aside from several days of protests this time last year, not much is done to make this stop. Sexual assault, violence and rape continue to go unreported and predators are allowed to continue hurting people, with only the occasional news report making the rounds. Every single caseRead More →

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SUSANNA ANBU, KAYLA THOMAS AND SAM MUKWAMU  On 2 September students began protesting outside Apartments on William (AOW), calling for an alleged sexual assault perpetrator to be arrested. The protest spread to Studios@Burnett on 3 September, where the protesters intended to confront a different alleged perpetrator, who was later taken into custody.  At both locations, the students chanted the names of the alleged sexual assault perpetrators but no contact was made between students and the alleged perpetrators. The protests followed outrage on Twitter after the confirmed rape and murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana prompted students to share their experiences of sexual assault and nameRead More →

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CAREL WILLEMSE  Approximately 10 cases of defamation of character were opened at the Brooklyn SAPS station following the public naming of alleged rapists on social media platforms. The naming of alleged rapists on Twitter and other social media platforms followed the recent #AmINext protests against gender-based violence (GBV) at the University of Pretoria and its surrounds.  According to a statement issued by Brooklyn SAPS, threats were also made against these so-called rapists. “The young men opened cases for defamation of character and are fearing for their safety based on these unfounded allegations. No case dockets were opened against them for the alleged offences”, read theRead More →

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University of Johannesburg To take a stand against gender-based violence (GBV), the University of Johannesburg participated in multiple silent marches throughout all four of its campuses on 16 September. Protesters were equipped with posters bearing slogans such as “My Body, My Choice” and “equality is a human right”. The protesters demanded that university management organize self-defense classes and distribute safety kits containing pepper spray.   University of Witwatersrand Students clothed in black and purple at the University of Witwatersrand organized their own march that comprised of a sit-in, prayer, and handing Wits management a memorandum on 9 September. Some of the demands included the needRead More →

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Stephanie Cookson The University of Pretoria held a vigil on 3 September to address the on-going xenophobic violence in Pretoria and issues of sexual and gender based violence across South Africa. The vigil was held at 12:00 at the amphitheatre on Hatfield Campus, and concluded shortly after 14:00. The event began with five minutes of silence to acknowledge the lives lost to xenophobic and gender based violence in South Africa and Pretoria recently, followed by a short speech from SRC President, David Kabwa and Zenia Pero, chairperson of Amnesty International UP. Next, UP students were given the opportunity to articulate their outrage and sadness, manyRead More →