Lower Thirds: 

0:02	Report by Dianne Hawker-Kalubi

1:23	Maphiri Mofokeng, Protester

1:39	Dianne Hawker-Kalubi / DW Correspondent

2:12	Lebogang Ramofoko / Corruption Watch Executive

2:51 	Tumi Sole / Lawyer and social activist

(( info: More than a third of South African women have experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes.  

This is just one of the shocking numbers that illustrate the problem of violence towards women in South Africa.  

Now South Africa is known to have some of the highest murder levels globally.  

In the last financial year – 2025/26 - the country experienced 23102 murders. 

That translates to an average of 60 murders daily.   

The violent murders of 9 women – whose bodies were dumped in open areas near Johannesburg over two months – has shone a spotlight on violence against women in particular.  

While men account for the majority of those murdered, women are far more likely to be killed by an intimate partner.  

According to a report by the SA Medical Research Council, more than half of all women who are murdered are killed by an intimate partner.  

But many South Africans are questioning whether the government is doing enough to keep women safe in the country.  ))

Script: 

(Natsound singling – Senzeni Na)  

South African women, using an Apartheid struggle song to ask a simple question. 

(Natsound singling – Senzeni Na) 

What have we done?  

00:16 - 00:31 Date: 17 September 2026 – DW footage  

Days after the discovery of the body of a 9th woman – murdered and dumped in this open field - (show field). 

Most of the women had been sexually assaulted police said.  

Arrests have been made in two of the cases so far.  

In Kempton Park – where the body of runner Elizabeth ‘Tsontso’ Moselakgomo was found – women and men gathered to remember those who died 

And to demand that police do more to prevent and prosecute these crimes. 

00:48 –01:10 SOT: Protest participant  

“A country cannot call itself free when its women are not safe. To our girls, your life matters, your dream matters.to our government, we are done with speeches we are done talking and so should you be, done talking. And act, and protect.” 

Some say the fear of living, walking and running on South Africa’s streets is already being passed on to the next generation of young women. 

01:23 – 01: 31 SOT: Maphiri Mofokeng / Protest participan 

“This is actually a trauma. It doesn’t have to happen to my family but the kids are watching. Like my daughter just said is there a way I can convince you not to go there. It broke my heart.”  

The United Nation says the country needs a clear strategy to tackle femicide if it wants to change things.   

01:40 – 01: 59 PTC Dianne Hawker-Kalubi / DW Correspondent  

‘South Africa’s femicide problem goes beyond these recent killings. Lasy year, the murder of women and girls was declared a national disaster. Mof those participating in this march as well as civil society have questioned whether that declaration has had any meaningful impact. ”  

Among them is Corruption Watch. Executive director Lebogang Ramofoko who says recent revelations of deep-rooted corruption within the police show how corruption impacts citizens. 

02:12 – 02:31 SOT: Lebogang Ramofoko / Corruption Watch Executive director  

“Corruption is not a victimless crime and we have seen women pay the price, amongst others for corruption. Because how do we find bodies of 9 women, when we are having policing that is functioning in a society? What is the performance score card of the police when you are finding the bodies of 9 women?” 

South Africa has 187 000 police officers on the books. That’s eight thousand fewer than in 2010 – despite a growing population. 

02:44 – 02:50 DW footage: 15 September 2026  

The number of detectives investigating crimes has also gone down – 5 700 detective jobs are vacant.  

02:50 – 03:05 SOT: Tumi Sole / Lawyer and Social activist  

“The constitution is clear. It says the state has the obligation and positive right to protect citizens and all of that and we are being failed by the government, we are being failed by the laws that are there that ought to be implemented.”  

South Africa’s government says it will prioritise solving these murders and dealing with femicide more broadly.  

But many women say the time for talk is over – they want to see swift arrests, safer streets and clear action taken against perpetrators.  

End