A long history & recent acceleration in violence against women and children in Cape Town has erupted into a mass march across the Mother City. #EnoughisEnough is continuing to intensify as womxn and allies ban together to hold elected officials and the police force accountable and complicit in the perpetual inaction taken to combat male rape culture.
The march comes amidst national anger over the killing of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a 19-year-old student, who was allegedly bludgeoned to death after going to pick up a parcel from a post office in the Cape Town suburb of Claremont.
- Femicide in South Africa is five times higher than the global average, with over 20,300 murders recorded last year alone.
- One in five women are assaulted by their partner, and more than 40,000 cases of rape are reported every year, with most victims being female
Source: Medical Research Council 2009 study; Stats SA Demographic and Health Survey 2016
A powerful narrative being held by protesters is the responsibility of men, and ‘good men’ in taking ownership of the societal conditions that create, per-miss, and dismiss men who rape, murder and commit violence against womxn and children. A moment for men to recognize male responsibility was held on September 9th at 9:00am (local time) – (9/9/19 9:00am) – where male allies in the country stood outside in silence, bringing attention to the admittance that male rape culture and it’s continued existing is the fault of men and men are responsible for irradiating it from the ‘allowed behaviors’ of the gender role.
Recording artists Jayme Van Tonder (Slow Jack) participated in the mass demonstration in Cape Town on September 5th, documenting the energy, stories being told, and demands of her South African sisters. Images to follow.
Van Tonder is releasing a song on Tuesday, September 10th, recorded with Tatenda wekwaTenzi (also of Cape Town) that speaks to the determination, drive, and power of the female life force through the woes & reality of womxn’s plight throughout history.
‘And never will I take it slow,
I’ll give it more and more
I won’t give up…
Cause I’m a woman on a roll.”
from ‘Wolf at Night’ by Slow Jack & Tatenda wekwaTenzi (Prod. by Various Roots)
“Though the state of affairs in our city has us shaken to the core, the fear we feel every day is not something unique to the women of South Africa. The momentum of #metoo, and now the accountability and action we are demanding with #enoughisenough will be the legacy and narrative of our female generation. We will not give up on changing our culture until our story, womxn’s story, as victims of gender violence has been thrust into the annals of history and our sisters and daughters can live on more prosperous than we could have ever dreamed of as young womxn. With our song Wolf at Night, we hope to join countless other women in reclaiming our narrative as part of this movement.” said Van Tonder.
Another demonstration is being planned for September 21st in Cape Town, where organizers hope to make firm progress to engage political and law enforcement leadership in this movement along with continuing to develop awareness amongst men in the community to step up and stomp out toxic masculinity and rape culture.