In the throws of the post-election convulsions yet another woman and mother of three children was brutally murdered in her house outside Hartbeespoort in North West.
It is horrible and a disgrace that women are not even safe in their own homes.
There was a lot criticism about the four women who silently protested when President Zuma gave his post-election speech. The country should rather have paid attention to their outcry instead of removing them forcibly. Zuma and his cabinet have proven themselves unwilling and uninterested to pay attention to the outcry of women in South Africa to be protected.
In fact, he made a mockery of women opposing any kind of abuse in public by saying we overreact. It is exactly this kind of attitude from the country’s president that sends the message that we are lesser human beings and must take what comes our way.
Apart from service delivery, combating crime in South Africa must be at the top of the new leaders’ list.
Criminals and murderers should be removed vigilantly and permanently from our societies. As women, we want to be free and safe in our country. It is our constitutional right and the leadership of this country cannot keep hiding behind safety doors and expensive and overrated body guards.
The Freedom Front Plus Women’s Committee intend to step up the fight for the rights of all women and children in South Africa. The new leaders must know the gloves are off.
We wish to express our deepest and sincerest sympathy towards the family and friends of Laurika Potgieter.
