As the number of women’s bodies found in Ekurhuleni continues to rise, South African public figures and content creators are questioning why the burden of staying safe continues to fall on women.
By Mapaballo Borotho
As fears continue to grow following the discovery of multiple women’s bodies across parts of Ekurhuleni, South African content creators have taken to social media to question the advice being directed at women to “take precautions” and avoid exercising alone.
Thus far, nine bodies of women have been found in the embattled metro in the space of a few weeks, with police assuring the public that they are working around the clock to investigate the deaths and identify those responsible.
These developments have left women, particularly in Gauteng, even more fearful, with law enforcement continuing to call on women to remain vigilant at all times.
This message has been received with a pinch of salt by women, who are questioning how much more they can do to protect themselves.
South African food content creator and published author Onezwa Mbola expressed how broken she is by the deaths.
She said she was particularly heartbroken for the eight-year-old daughter of 38-year-old Elizabeth Moselakgomo, who waited for days for her mother to return, only for her to be brought home in a body bag.
“And now her childhood is forever changed because her mom was violently and senselessly taken away from her. As a woman living in South Africa, I already have a laundry list of things I do not do or have filed under precautions, but it really doesn’t matter, does it?” she asked.
Mbola said someone can simply decide that a woman is not worthy of being among other living beings.
“What is more heartbreaking is that we say their names and march in their honour, we rage, and still nothing changes because the government has decided that our lives are not worth saving and there’s nothing we can do,” she added.
She said there is no precaution a woman can take against a man who has decided to kill her, unless the precaution is that women cease to exist.
At the same time, Polygamist actress Kwanele Mthethwa called out South African men for being tone-deaf in their responses to the conversation.
“You are busy defending yourself from an accusation nobody personally made against you, and you have completely missed the fact that women are talking about being killed. The lack of empathy and critical thinking is actually frightening,” she said.
Meanwhile, South African journalist, food content creator and feminist Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile said women are already vigilant.
She said most women in South Africa have built their entire lives around trying not to become victims and that it is exhausting.
Lifestyle content creator Ofentse Mphuti also chipped in, questioning why the advice is always directed at women whenever a woman is brutally killed in South Africa.
The comments come as police continue investigating the deaths of women whose bodies have been discovered in different parts of Ekurhuleni.
Police have not confirmed that all the cases are linked, although the possibility of a connection has not been ruled out.
Investigations into the deaths continue.
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