Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, has severely denounced the terrible and senseless murder of 25-year-old Nontobeko Cele by Sibusiso Lawrence Ntaka.
Chikunga expressed her condolences to Cele's family, friends, and loved ones, and emphasised the department's commitment to combating gender-based violence (GBV) and assisting families and communities touched by such tragedies.
"This incident, which occurred shortly after the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, is a devastating reminder of the need to accelerate our efforts to address GBV and femicide (GBVF)," she said.
"As a nation, we must move beyond 16 Days and commit to 365 Days of Activism to eradicate this scourge."
Chikunga went on to say that this horrific case was a sobering reminder that, while the government is making progress in mobilising communities, more has to be done to ensure these commitments convert into long-term change.
KwaZulu-Natal continues to report concerning levels of GBV.
According to national crime data, the province's police stations, such as Umlazi and Inanda, have the highest rate of GBV-related offences.
Recent statistics from the First South African National Gender-Based Assault Study, show that 35.5% of women in South Africa have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime, with KZN accounting for a large proportion of these occurrences.
Chikunga also strongly criticised the use of social media for promoting harm and violence.
"The exploitation of social media to glorify violence must be stopped. Platforms must take stronger measures to prevent the sharing of harmful content and ensure the dignity of victims and their families is protected."
IOL