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Social media may spread awareness about gender-based violence but the outrage that it elicits never lasts, writes Aphiwe Mhlangulana.

Every six hours a woman is killed by her intimate partner, a national study of female homicide in SA has concluded. The country’s rate of femicide is one of the highest globally when compared with other countries where data is readily available.

Despite initial promises that a national council would be set up by December to deal with gender-based violence (GBV), women’s rights groups say the government is still a long way off from fulfilling its promise. The National Strategic Plan (NSP) to stop gender-based violence, launched in March 2020 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, makes provision for the establishment of a National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. The council would ensure implementation of the plan, and was supposed to be formed within six months.

The Foundation in her honour on Saturday marched to parliament calling for an end to gender-based violence.

Groups of women and some civil organisations joined a march to Parliament by the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation, calling on the government to end the scourge of violence against women.