This country is hell on earth, it is a mess! We are living with monsters disguised as human beings. I wonder what we have done to deserve to live with people who continue to rape, kidnap and kill women and children.

How do such people even sleep at night. I guess these are questions that can be answered by perpetrators because no normal human being can do all these things they are doing.

When we heard of the disappearance of the 19-year-old UCT female student, we all hoped she will be back safe and sound. It is very disturbing to hear that she might have been raped before being killed.

The same Monday morning there was news that a grade R pupil was kidnapped in the Vaal. This brought shivers down our spines.

We have thought that 2018 was a turning point for the fight against gender-based violence in this country. There were lot of campaigns dedicated to fight against this demon. But it seems like we have taken two steps forward and five steps backwards.

There is a lot that needs to be done to win this war. Men must understand that they're part of the solution. We can't build united, nonsexist and safe society if women are not safe. Women must be free to walk anywhere without looking over their shoulders.

SA cannot be free if women and children are not free; we owe this to the current and future generations to win the fight against gender-based violence.

Tom Mhlanga, Braamfontein