Men need to start leading the fight against gender-based violence, KwaZulu-Natal social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said on Monday.

“These programmes must be initiated by males. We as women have done a lot. We have held prayers. We have held marches. It is not enough,” she said.

“We plead with our male comrades and counterparts to stand up to find out what is wrong with the males. We expect them to lead these marches. We want them to initiate programmes to say they are going to protect us.”

Khoza was in Ndlaveleni in Wartburg, near Pietermaritzburg, where she met with the family of 31-year-old disabled woman Zanele Masikane, whose body was found in the Umzimkulu River on the KZN south coast last week.

It is alleged that her body was tied to a rock in order for it to sink in the river.

Khoza said it was clear that there was a deep hatred of women. “I can see it with this individual and other individuals, who have been killed,” she said.

Khoza added that the woman was killed in a “very gruesome way”.

“Her body was found drowned in a deep river.

“The individual who did this is on the run. He is nowhere to be found.”

Her department has dispatched social workers to counsel the family.