A PHYSICAL WAR: GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE
- nomfundo mbuyazi
- May 21, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 15, 2023
Apartheid and Patriarchy can be viewed as conceptual twins, reflecting each other on the same principles of domination, inequality, and dependence. Both of these ideologies are indoctrinated with a social hierarchy that intersects into the oppression of women and during the Apartheid era, having even legalized problems such as Misogynoir.
Back in 2019, the brutal murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana added fuel to the fire that was already burning in South Africa. Women were now confirmed with the reality that we are living in a country that hates women. The death of Uyinene followed with social media hashtags that included #AmINext #Metoo #endgbv. Uyinene’s story is not new to our country, a shocking story of rape took place in 2001. Baby Tshepang was raped by her mother’s ex-boyfriend at the age of nine months old. The trial concluded at Upington High Court where David Potse was charged with raping a minor and also for sodomizing her. Baby Tshepang had to get reconstructive surgery after her mother and grandmother found the baby with blood between her thighs and private part. My mother recently told me about the story of Fezekile Ntsukela Khuzwayo who was known as Khwezi or Accuser X. She filed a case against former ANC president Jacob Zuma back in 2005 who denied raping her and was later acquitted. During this case, Khwezi faced many hardships which included being called a bitch (excuse my French) by the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) and she was spat on by many other Zuma followers. She and her mother also had their house burnt down as well as rocks were thrown at them. This case is popularly known for Zuma’s statement about HIV/AIDS which was on a rise in South Africa during that period, Zuma said, “I took a shower afterward.” This was after stating that he had had consensual sex with Khwezi who was HIV positive. During the lockdown, South Africa experienced a rise in GBV and Femicide, with many women becoming faces to this pandemic. Tshegofatso Pule, Naledi Phangindawo, Nompumelelo Tshaka, Nomfazi Gabada, Nwabisa Mgwandela, Altecia Kortjie, and Lindelwa Peni #SayHerName.
1 in 3 women in South Africa will experience sexual attacks, 2 in 5 women will be beaten up by their domestic partners, between 30 and 40 percent of women have experienced sexual or physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime. These shockingly gruesome statistics are what has made me title this post, A Physical War because we are at war, and under what actions and circumstances have women done to deserve this treatment, I don’t know. Even if there was, no human deserves to be dehumanized and I strongly do not believe in fighting fire with fire. One thing I will say is that we live in a very hurt and traumatized society that is in deep need of healing.
Gender-Based Violence isn’t a term that only applies to women but every human being living under the sun. I know GBV is also experienced by men and I’ve also discerned a rise in GBV cases against members of the LGBTQ+ community which also reflects an increase of Heteronormativity which is an issue that deserves a post of its own.
As a response to the GBV and Femicide pandemic, there has been a rise in activists fighting against these issues and well as organizations that aim to spread the word and help victims. Even though we are also having social media pages fighting against these causes increasing by the day, I still can’t help but feel that this fight feels stagnant, it seems that media is all we’ve got to offer as many people are struggling to be an actively helping hand. The truth is all these foundations and NGOs need funds to help them push their movement and the government needs to prioritize what is important and this GBV and Femicide pandemic is important. The fight against GBV and Femicide isn’t just a 16-day battle but every day every hour every minute kind of battle. Women and children are raped in South Africa every 26 seconds.
“Feminism is not just rage. There’s a fear, a real fear that comes with speaking the truth to power. We’re not stones. If you hit me, I bleed, if you hit me, I bruise, if you hit me, I hurt.” -Kgomotso Matsunyane
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