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Opinion article by Bonolo Mahlatsi, Officer: Senior Student Experience in the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and a Sociology Master’s Graduate, University of Free State.

Femicide, gender-based violence (GBV), and violence in general have become an integral part of life for South African women. This horrendous crime is a national crisis, plaguing society as a whole. Despite South Africa’s robust legal framework, policies and strategic plans aimed at tackling GBV and femicide, they are still escalating and appear to be deeply rooted in societal norms. The epidemic of femicide South Africa is and has been facing is misogyny amplified, normalised, and reproduced. It has become normal for women to be violated and ostracised while already being vulnerable.

The violence against women, and its normalisation, has once again come under the spotlight with the murder of Olorato Mongale, who was killed by a man she went on a first date with. The unfortunate and untimely passing of Olorato, a reminder of what South Africa has become for women, hit home for many individuals, including her friends who tried to find her after her phone location indicated she was in a dangerous place. Upon realising she was missing, social media posts were circulated seeking assistance from the public about her whereabouts. Olorato was a postgraduate student. Her body was found in Lombardy West in Johannesburg on Sunday less than two hours after she was picked up.

The social media narrative

However, as if the murder of yet another young women was not bad enough, it was unfortunate to read the comments posted on social media, such as: ‘Why did she go out with a stranger,’ ‘Why did she not drive herself to the date’. The posts blamed her for not taking extra measures to avoid putting herself in danger. The comments continued despite people learning about the safety measures Olorato had put in place, including sharing her location with friends. The comments suggest she did not know any better.

Another grim and unfortunate instance of femicide was that of Sbusiso Lawrence, a KwaZulu-Natal man who took a disturbing video of himself ‘unaliving’ (killing) his partner in December 2024. Lawrence’s video sparked outrage after he shared the traumatic incident on social media, where he attempted to justify his actions, saying he was triggered by being mistreated in their relationship and was seen with blood on his face. After confessing, he was later found hanged from a tree near the murder scene.

The normalisation there was in people asking, ‘Why did she leave him? He was a good man’. And even when it was later revealed that he had previously attempted to unalive her, negative remarks were still passed about the victim. The narrative of victim-blaming became apparent following that incident. Again, we observed social media comments that her actions provoked his behaviour, which led to her death. The social media commentary is an invisible finger-pointing exercise that serves to blame women. And there are many other cases. It is such behaviour that normalises and perpetuates violence against women.

There is advice cautioning women to avoid becoming victims, such as ‘don’t walk alone at night, don’t wear provocative clothing or short skirts’. However, the same cautions aren’t used against men to say they shouldn’t violate women.

The unfortunate incidents show that social media has unfortunately become a breeding ground for victim-blaming. Victim-blaming has become a normative part of our thinking that goes unchallenged. Social media commentary that pushes the victim-blaming narrative fosters a culture of negativity on social media and only adds salt to the wound, which is another form of deviant behaviour illustrating gendered stereotypes. These narratives pushed through social media commentary obstruct sympathy and support for those who have suffered and those afflicted.

Start confronting femicide and GBV to alleviate the dangers

Generally, we observe the normalisation through social codes and social media posts that place the blame on women. What is unfortunate is that despite having such social codes that essentially spell out the terms in which women should conduct themselves all in the name of being ‘safe,’ women still become victims of femicide and GBV.

The normalisation of femicide and GBV is disheartening and inhumane; we need to start confronting it to alleviate the dangers they pose. How many mass movements will it take for women's voices to be heard that we live in constant fear day and night? Why should we suffer at the misogynistic hands of men? Such deviant behaviour cannot in any way, be normalised. The danger of continuously normalising such behaviour will get to a point where it will no longer feel wrong.

We will soon be celebrating Women’s Month, with our faces bowed with despondency from heartbreaking news we would have learned about since the year started and from previous years. Shortly after that, we will be celebrating 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, aware of the constant fear women live in.

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the Portfolio Committee on Women should start stepping up intentionally and practically advocating for women (young and old) and uproot the persisting issue with the help of all women to mobilise our cry for help, safety and not having to live in constant fear. Until that happens, as South African women, we will live in fear and be failed, which is appalling. Do we deserve to be treated like we are sub-human?