in South Africa, in the month of August, including 28-year-old Ndivhuwo Munyai and 23-year-old Nosicelo Mtebeni. In the case of Munyai, she was shot dead on 22 August, allegedly by her husband, a police sergeant. On the other hand, Mtebeni’s head and hands were found in the house she shared with her boyfriend, while her torso was found in a suitcase and her limbs were found in a plastic bag disposed of in the street. Her boyfriend Alutha Pasile is currently in custody and remanded until later this month.
HRW says one of the highest rates of gender-based violence (GBV) is recorded from South Africa each year, with the rate of reported sexual offences between 2019 and 2020 increasing by an average of 146 incidences a day. Magaisa noted that comprehensive legislation enforced through a credible criminal justice system remains an essential development to curbing GBV in the country. She recommended the implementation of programmes in the education system that could generate a transformation in attitudes towards women, misogyny, and harmful practices underpinned by patriarchal norms.
“No month dedicated to celebrating them can be taken seriously while this is the reality for women in South Africa,” the HRW associate noted.
