'Men should take responsibility in fight against GBV'

As details emerge on the senseless killing of Olorato Mongale,30, who was murdered on Sunday allegedly by a man she met at a mall in Bloemfontein five days earlier, activists, legal experts, and civil society groups are calling for systemic reform, early education for boys, and urgent accountability from both the justice system and men in society.

The brutal killing has once again exposed the terrifying reality of gender-based violence in SA — and ignited nationwide outrage. Despite taking precautions many women are urged to follow, Mongale was still abducted and murdered.

South Africans are asking what needs to be done to save women as Mongale had seemingly taken enough precaution, including sharing her live location, prior going out on what turned out to be a fatal date.

Check me every 30 minutes, she told her friends before she left for her date with “John”, less than two hours later, Lerato’s lifeless body was found on the side of the road in Lombardy West, north of Johannesburg. Mongale’s was the third body of a woman to be found in the Sandton area, police said.

Lesley Ann van Selm, founder of Khulisa Social Solutions, said that women need to talk more about their experiences to create more awareness.

" The more we talk about our experiences, the more other women become aware of what is happening and the more support they will get. Women need to find courage and security, and if they talk, more people will stand up and say 'no more'.

"For the perpetrators, we need to find out what happened to them. Why are they so angry; where does the anger comes? We want accountability," said Selm.

Rumbidzai Chidoori from Sonke Gender Justice said there is a need to dismantle the systemic roots of violence.

"Everyone has a role to play in this struggle. Addressing GBV and femicide is not solely the responsibility of a few individuals or organisations. Society as a whole must engage in tackling institutional neglect, economic dependence, harmful masculinities, and the normalisation of violence in both private and public spheres.

She said society must move beyond surface-level commitments and critically analyse how power, gender, and inequality intersect to allow for the continued violation and silencing of women.

"Additionally, we need to evaluate the shortcomings of our current efforts, both as a society and within our government institutions, to combat GBV effectively," Chidoori said.

Diana Schwarz, a social media lawyer and GBV activist, said men need to stand up against GBV to ensure that they are protecting women and children rather than making the problem worse. 

“We need to educate boys from a young age on what is appropriate and inappropriate actions towards women & other victims of GBV. Many men are being brought up in some cultures that teach that women need to serve them and are owned as possessions & men in these cultures see themselves as dominant over women. Education & change in culture is key," explained Schwarz.

The police have since released the identity of the three men- Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Makhanya, and Bongani Mthimkhulu, who are believed to have been directly involved in Mongale's kidnapping and murder. Their investigation led to a house in Kew, Joburg, and later to Phoenix in Durban where the car allegedly used to kidnap Mongale was found at a panel beater with blood stains.

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe revealed that the suspects Makhanya and Mthimkhulu were on bail for kidnapping and robbery case of another woman in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, and were released in April.

They were arrested on April 20. 

" A vigilant police officer was conducting his regular patrols and he came across a suspicious-looking vehicle, a VW Polo – the same VW Polo in question – and when he confronted the suspects, he found that they had just kidnapped a woman and robbed her.

“We immediately placed these two suspects under arrest. They appeared in court on April 26, and they got bail. So they are currently out on bail,” Mathe said.

Since the police released the images and names of the suspect yesterday morning, they have received over 50 calls from women who claimed to have been victims of the same "syndicate. The police are now following 10 cases which are believed to have substantial evidence, said Mathe.

Sowetan visited the house in Kew where Mongale's bag was found outside the yard. The owner of the house said she was shocked and terrified when police stormed her house twice this week to interrogate her.

"On Monday, around 1am they jumped over the wall and entered my house to ask me about the whereabouts of the lady whom I was told her bag was found near my yard.

"On Tuesday, they came again and broke my gate and my door and searched the backroom where my tenants are. I am scared, my children are terrified,"

The woman claimed to have no knowledge of Mongale, the Polo and the accused.

Mathe urged anyone who spots the suspects to immediately contact Brig Nama on 082 778 9035.

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