During September 2019 protests against Gender Based Violence (GBV) peaked after Uyinene Mrwetyana, a student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), was brutally raped and murdered on 24 August 2019 by Luyanda Botha, a post office worker. [1] Her body, which had been stored in a Clarenreich post office safe overnight and then set alight, was found shortly afterwards in Lingelethu West, Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. [2] As a result of her death and the rise in femicide in South Africa, hundreds of protestors took to the streets with #Am I Next posters to emphasize that all women in South Africa are unsafe in a crime ridden South Africa. [3] The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that yearly 12,1% of 100 000 women are victims of femicide in South Africa. [4] South Africa is also ranked as the fourth highest country for the murder rate of women. [5] These protests mainly occurred outside Parliament in Cape Town and outside the International Convention Centre, also located in Cape Town, where politicians gathered for the World Economic Forum. [6]
These protests highlighted the frustration of women against the inability of law enforcement to stop gender-based violence against women and children. [7]
Globally, these protests escalated to Amsterdam and New York as South Africans in the Netherlands and America protested the injustices and danger women experienced in South Africa. As a result more than 10 000 women protested outside Parliament in Cape Town wearing black as a symbol of mourning for murdered women and children, while other South Africans living in Amsterdam in the Netherlands gathered together in Dam Square. [8] There they protested against gender-based violence in South Africa to create global awareness about femicide in South Africa and to pressure the South African government to take action. [9] Similarly, over 200 South Africans in America took to the streets in Time Square (New York). This protest made international headlines as it caused a “shut-down” in Time Square. [10] Similar chants and banners appeared at this protest as in South Africa asking # Am I Next? and declaring #Enough is Enough. This protest was organized by Lyla Illing, a South African radio presenter, singer, author and activist who moved to America in 2017. [11] As a singer, she has performed for several charities and as a part of her activism she is a headline act at “Victims’ Rights Week” in New York for the past two years. [12] She commented on the gender-based violence protest she organized in New York and stated that it was “beautiful and heartbreaking”, as it showed the “strong sense of community” and unity South Africans had at home and abroad. [13] South African protestors in New York commented that they knew that femicide and crime has always been a problem in South Africa. However, they stated that the rise in protests occurred due to women running out of patience and losing faith in the authorities’ ability to react properly to crime. [14]
End notes
[1] Unknown Author, “South African women’s fury at gender-based attacks spills onto the streets”, World Economic Forum, (Uploaded: 5 September 2019), (Accessed: 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/gender-based-violence-in-africa/ ↵
[2] V. Cruywagen, “Uyinene Mrwetyana was raped twice, her body hid In a safe, later doused and set alight”, Cape Argus, (Uploaded: 7 November 2019), (Accessed: 28 February 2020), Available:
https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/uyinene-mrwetyana-was-raped-twice-her-body-hid-in-a-safe-later-doused-and-set-alight-36815 ↵
[3] Unknown Author, “South African women’s fury at gender-based attacks spills onto the streets”, World Economic Forum, (Uploaded: 5 September 2019), (Accessed: 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/gender-based-violence-in-africa/ ↵
[4] T. Head, “Femicide rates: South Africa vs the rest of the world”, The South African, (Uploaded: 4 September 2019) (Accessed: 27 March 2020), Available at: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/how-many-women-killed-south-africa-femicide/ ↵
[5] T. Head, “Femicide rates: South Africa vs the rest of the world”, The South African, (Uploaded: 4 September 2019) (Accessed: 27 March 2020), Available at: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/how-many-women-killed-south-africa-femicide/ ↵
[6] Unknown Author, “South African women’s fury at gender-based attacks spills onto the streets”, World Economic Forum, (Uploaded: 5 September 2019), (Accessed: 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/gender-based-violence-in-africa/ ↵
[7]A. Sicetsha, “WEF Africa 2019. Protests taking place in Cape Town on Wednesday, 4 September”, The South African, (Uploaded: 4 September 2019), (Accessed: 25 February 2020), Available at:
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/cape-town-traffic-latest-protests-road-closures-wednesday-4-september/ ↵
[8] Staff reporter, “’Watch: Am I Next’: protests hits Amsterdam”, Cape Argus, 10 September 2019, (Uploaded: 10 September 2020), (Accessed: 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/watch-am-i-next-protest-hits-amsterdam-32746986 ↵
[9] T. Head, “SA women “shutdown” New York to protest GBV in South Africa”, The South African, (Uploaded: 24 September 2019), (Accessed; 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/south-africans-abroad/south-africa-protest-new-york-gbv-violence-women-photos/ ↵
[10] Ibid. ↵
[11] L. Illing, “Meet Lyla”, LylaIlling (Accessed: 28 February 2020), Available at: https://www.lyla-illing.com/ ↵
[12] Ibid. ↵
[13]T. Head, “SA women “shutdown” New York to protest GBV in South Africa”, The South African, (Uploaded: 24 September 2019), (Accessed; 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/south-africans-abroad/south-africa-protest-new-york-gbv-violence-women-photos/ ↵
[14] T. Head, “SA women “shutdown” New York to protest GBV in South Africa”, The South African, (Uploaded: 24 September 2019), (Accessed; 25 February 2020), Available at: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/south-africans-abroad/south-africa-protest-new-york-gbv-violence-women-photos/ ↵