“Do something.”

That was the plea from about 100 protesters, mostly women, who gathered outside Cape Town Central Police Station today to demand action following the deaths of at least eight women in Ekurhuleni.

The group, dressed in black and carrying placards reading “Girls just want to live” and “Leave women alone”, first demonstrated outside the Castle of Good Hope before moving to the police station.

The protest follows the discovery of the bodies of at least eight women in Ekurhuleni over two months, with the latest body found yesterday.

Police confirmed that most of the victims in the Kempton Park killings had been sexually assaulted.

The protest was organised by Cape Town-based stylist Selloane Jeminah Madonna, who posted on social media yesterday calling on people to attend. She said she was overwhelmed by the response.

Addressing the crowd outside the police station, Madonna called out the names of women who had been murdered, with some of the cases dating back to 2017.

Madonna said she was also a victim of sexual assault and, while her attacker did not kill her, she is forced to live with the trauma every day.

“As the women of South Africa we are tired. we need the men of South Africa to say something. What is happening in our country? What is happening to our mothers and sisters, aunts?”

Protester Olethwe Gigi said she joined the demonstration in solidarity with her friend, who died by suicide last year after she was raped.

“My friend and her perpetrator went to the same university. Nothing much was done about the incident. She eventually ended up committing suicide. We are tired.”

Another protestor, Khanya Kakaza said: “I am sick and tired of having to wonder, ‘Am I next?’ I am at a stage now where I don’t even know if I want my own kids. We are tired as women.”

During the demonstration, some women called out the ages they were when they were sexually assaulted or abused.

The group called on the government to take action to ensure the safety of women and children.

An amount of R400 000 has been put on the table for anyone with information that could assist in the investigation into the murders.  

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