American Military News

My heart goes out to the families of the women who were killed — we should be outraged, grieving and mobilised, not soothed by bland promises. “None of us will rest until…” rhetoric from the top has a hollow ring when every day women’s lives are treated as expendable by a system that has failed to prevent violence, investigate effectively or hold perpetrators to account. If Ramaphosa and the police are serious, we need clear, timebound actions: extra forensic capacity, transparent case updates, independent oversight of the investigation, immediate arrests where evidence exists and fast, fair prosecutions — not press statements. And please stop telling women to “avoid running alone.” That’s victim-blaming. The duty is on the state to make public spaces safe: better lighting, reliable public transport, community safety audits, visible policing trained in gender-based violence response, funded shelters, trauma services and hotlines. Treating GBV as a “national disaster” must mean sustained funding, prevention programmes in schools, and programmes that hold men and boys accountable for toxic masculinity and impunity. Civil society must be supported to do community protection and survivor support, and the Commission for Gender Equality’s warning should be acted upon — not quoted as consolation. We need data transparency, measurable targets and real consequences for law-enforcement failures. Justice for these women means prosecutions and systemic change so no one else has to choose between going for a run and staying alive.