6 Years After Uyinene Mrwetyana’s Murder, South Africans Demand Urgent Action Against GBV

Six years after the brutal murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana, South Africans have continued to demand stronger action to combat gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide across the country.

On Saturday morning, students, parents, and young boys marched from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)’s District Six campus to Parliament. The demonstration was held both in memory of Uyinene and in honour of all those who have lost their lives to GBV.

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University of Cape Town (UCT) Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation, Professor Elelwani Ramugondo, highlighted how systemic violence against women persists.

“The memory of Uyinene and others will not be vanquished. Their memories live on in us. Their fight for justice lives on, and we should help them to bring an end to this gate,” Ramugondo said.

Uyinene Foundation Calls for Men to Join the Fight

The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation, which spearheaded the march, emphasised the urgent need to involve boys and men in changing harmful attitudes towards women.

The Foundation believes meaningful progress will only come when men are included in conversations and solutions that promote the safety and dignity of women.

Students Demand Government Prioritise GBV Response

UCT Student Representative Council (SRC) President Thando Lukhele said tackling GBV starts with changing how society views survivors.

“Real change begins by recognising GBV survivors as people, not just statistics,” Lukhele explained.

He praised initiatives such as Langa for Men, which works with young boys to challenge rape culture and instil respect for women. Lukhele also stressed that the government needs to treat GBV as a national crisis.

“Government should prioritise GBV with the same urgency it gives to the national budget,” he said.

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