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| Will I be next? South Africa women ask | Will I be next? South Africa women ask |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A white coffin carries the remains of Karabo Mokoena. Her friends and family have gathered to say an untimely goodbye to their loved one. | A white coffin carries the remains of Karabo Mokoena. Her friends and family have gathered to say an untimely goodbye to their loved one. |
| She was found dead, burnt beyond recognition and buried in a shallow grave in a deserted field, several days after she went missing. | She was found dead, burnt beyond recognition and buried in a shallow grave in a deserted field, several days after she went missing. |
| It is alleged that her boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe doused her body with acid and then set her alight when she threatened to leave him. | It is alleged that her boyfriend Sandile Mantsoe doused her body with acid and then set her alight when she threatened to leave him. |
| Mr Mantsoe has been charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice but has not pleaded. | Mr Mantsoe has been charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice but has not pleaded. |
| The 22-year-old's death is the most recent case of femicide to have sparked public outrage. | The 22-year-old's death is the most recent case of femicide to have sparked public outrage. |
| She was buried in Johannesburg's Soweto township. | |
| Gender violence in South Africa | Gender violence in South Africa |
| Source: Medical Research Council (MRC) 2009 study; Stats SA's Demographic and Health Survey | Source: Medical Research Council (MRC) 2009 study; Stats SA's Demographic and Health Survey |
| Adele Tjale, one of the thousands of mourners gathered at her memorial, was visibly angered by her death. | Adele Tjale, one of the thousands of mourners gathered at her memorial, was visibly angered by her death. |
| She was a leader in a church Ms Mokoena attended and was described as her "spiritual mother". | She was a leader in a church Ms Mokoena attended and was described as her "spiritual mother". |
| "I'm livid, this cannot be the norm, too many girls are dying… the fathers of this nation have failed the girl child," she said as teas rolled down her face. | "I'm livid, this cannot be the norm, too many girls are dying… the fathers of this nation have failed the girl child," she said as teas rolled down her face. |
| Since Ms Mokoena's death, the bodies of four more bodies have been found in different parts of the country - all had died in similarly horrific ways. | Since Ms Mokoena's death, the bodies of four more bodies have been found in different parts of the country - all had died in similarly horrific ways. |
| The spate of brutal crimes against women has led to an protests on social media, with women using the tag #MenAreTrash, in which they shared their stories of domestic violence. | The spate of brutal crimes against women has led to an protests on social media, with women using the tag #MenAreTrash, in which they shared their stories of domestic violence. |
| 'If I didn't jump, I was to die' | 'If I didn't jump, I was to die' |
| It brought to light a series of gut-wrenching tales of near-death experiences. One such story was Bukelwa Moerane's. | It brought to light a series of gut-wrenching tales of near-death experiences. One such story was Bukelwa Moerane's. |
| She was abducted at a Soweto taxi rank in February by a stranger on her way back from the shopping mall in the evening. | She was abducted at a Soweto taxi rank in February by a stranger on her way back from the shopping mall in the evening. |
| "A man walked up behind me and told me to get into his car and not try anything stupid," said the 24-year-old who lost some of her teeth and was left badly scarred after the incident. | "A man walked up behind me and told me to get into his car and not try anything stupid," said the 24-year-old who lost some of her teeth and was left badly scarred after the incident. |
| "He kept swearing at me, calling me names and told me he was going to rape and kill me. | "He kept swearing at me, calling me names and told me he was going to rape and kill me. |
| "I knew I had to find a way out of this mess," she told me while nervously cracking her knuckles. | "I knew I had to find a way out of this mess," she told me while nervously cracking her knuckles. |
| Ms Moerane managed to jump out of the speeding car and run for a few kilometres to call for help. | Ms Moerane managed to jump out of the speeding car and run for a few kilometres to call for help. |
| But no-one has been arrested, she laments. | But no-one has been arrested, she laments. |
| "If I didn't jump, I knew I was going to die. I was willing to die while fighting for my life," she said as she choked back tears. | "If I didn't jump, I knew I was going to die. I was willing to die while fighting for my life," she said as she choked back tears. |
| Deadly cycle? | Deadly cycle? |
| President Jacob Zuma said "the manner in which women and children are being killed... [was] a crisis in the country". | President Jacob Zuma said "the manner in which women and children are being killed... [was] a crisis in the country". |
| He urged victims of gender violence not to turn a blind eye to the problem and added that he would consider calls for harsher sentences for sex offenders. | He urged victims of gender violence not to turn a blind eye to the problem and added that he would consider calls for harsher sentences for sex offenders. |
| A 2017 study by Statistics SA found that 1 in 5 women report experiencing violence at the hands of a partner. | A 2017 study by Statistics SA found that 1 in 5 women report experiencing violence at the hands of a partner. |
| Another study, by the South African Demographic and Health Survey, found that 8% of women reported experiencing violence in the previous 12-month period, while a further 6% reported sexual violence by a partner. | Another study, by the South African Demographic and Health Survey, found that 8% of women reported experiencing violence in the previous 12-month period, while a further 6% reported sexual violence by a partner. |
| While there is renewed public outrage about the spate of violence against women, this is not a new problem. | While there is renewed public outrage about the spate of violence against women, this is not a new problem. |
| "This is one of our episodic outbreaks of memory interspersed with amnesia," said Lisa Vetten, a gender-based violence researcher at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. | "This is one of our episodic outbreaks of memory interspersed with amnesia," said Lisa Vetten, a gender-based violence researcher at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. |
| "I'm sure this one will die down and the country will be outraged again when this crops up again." | "I'm sure this one will die down and the country will be outraged again when this crops up again." |
| Sonke Gender Justice, a Johannesburg-based NGO that focuses on tackling gender-based violence, has been organising workshops in several parts of the country to raise awareness. | Sonke Gender Justice, a Johannesburg-based NGO that focuses on tackling gender-based violence, has been organising workshops in several parts of the country to raise awareness. |
| But will men talk? It would appear so. | But will men talk? It would appear so. |
| At the workshop I attended in Soweto, some were justifying reasons for physically abusing their partners. | At the workshop I attended in Soweto, some were justifying reasons for physically abusing their partners. |
| "Women are very stubborn, they're pushy and there are limits to what a woman can get away with when she talks to me… I end up lifting my hand to command respect," said Mzwakhe Ndhlovu. | "Women are very stubborn, they're pushy and there are limits to what a woman can get away with when she talks to me… I end up lifting my hand to command respect," said Mzwakhe Ndhlovu. |
| But a woman, who was also a participant, disagreed. | But a woman, who was also a participant, disagreed. |
| "I lost respect for my partner after he hit me - everything I did from that day on was out of fear and not respect," said Philile Nkumane. | "I lost respect for my partner after he hit me - everything I did from that day on was out of fear and not respect," said Philile Nkumane. |
| Most agree that changing attitudes will not be easy. | Most agree that changing attitudes will not be easy. |
| "Outrage is not sufficient, there's no app or quick-fix solution, this problem needs ongoing attention" said Ms Vetten. | "Outrage is not sufficient, there's no app or quick-fix solution, this problem needs ongoing attention" said Ms Vetten. |
| Despite the fact that three women are killed by their partners every day, the conviction rate for such cases remains very low. | Despite the fact that three women are killed by their partners every day, the conviction rate for such cases remains very low. |
| Just as the friends of Karabo Mokoena continue to ask why she had to die in such a brutal way, so parents across South Africa are asking what more can be done to keep their daughters safe. | Just as the friends of Karabo Mokoena continue to ask why she had to die in such a brutal way, so parents across South Africa are asking what more can be done to keep their daughters safe. |
| But many women are living in fear and asking themselves: "Will I be next?" | But many women are living in fear and asking themselves: "Will I be next?" |