About 100 women dressed in black and demanded action
- Anelisa Tshaka, 26, was found dead inside a shack in Cosmos Street on Monday.
- Tshaka’s family has questioned the police response, while police say an inquest has been opened and a post-mortem will determine the cause of death.
- The march took place amid national alarm over the deaths of at least nine women whose bodies have been found across Ekurhuleni over the past two months.
Enkosi Sinomhlobo Baneti and Phamaka Simang
Questions about how the police have handled a young woman’s unexplained death brought more than 100 black-clad demonstrators on to the streets of Dunoon on Friday 17 September.
The march followed the death of Anelisa Tshaka, 26, whose body was discovered on Monday 14 September inside a shack in Cosmos Street.
The protesters marched through the township carrying handwritten signs and raising their voices against gender-based violence. Their songs called for stronger protection for women in a community where residents say crime is widespread and police visibility remains inadequate.
“Isono sethu yibafazi,” read one placard, ending with a crying-face emoji.
The circumstances surrounding Tshaka’s death have yet to be determined. Milnerton police have registered an inquest, and no person has been arrested.
Taking part in the protest, Ward 104 councillor Bulelwa Mayende lamented Tshaka’s death and accused the authorities of leaving Dunoon residents without protection.
“One of the reasons we are here today is because of legal uncertainty, especially in Dunoon. Police visibility is limited, and they take a long time to respond,” said Mayende.
“In the incident involving Anelisa’s death, they took time to arrive. Even now, there is no concrete evidence. We are pleading with the Western Cape government to step in so that if there is a suspect, that person can be arrested.”
She said the killing of women could not be tolerated.
Slow police response
Tshaka’s brother, Bonga Nkohla, said his sister had been with her boyfriend when relatives last saw her on Saturday. The family was told of her death on Monday.
“We want justice for our sister. We are in deep pain,” said Nkohla.
“She was bleeding from her nose and ears, and her complexion had changed. We want to know the truth about what happened to Anelisa.”
The family’s account, provided by Tshaka’s cousin Nandipha, places Tshaka and her boyfriend together on Saturday night. Nandipha alleged that other occupants of the property saw only the boyfriend on Sunday.
She said the boyfriend telephoned relatives on Monday and told them that Tshaka was no longer breathing. According to Nandipha, he said he did not know what had happened.
Relatives later identified Tshaka’s body at the mortuary. Nandipha said they saw marks they believed were bruises and asked for a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of death.
She also questioned the conduct of the police investigation. Nandipha alleged officers did not take statements from the family until Thursday evening. She claimed that no statement was taken from the boyfriend and that police returned a vehicle to him.
Police did not address those specific allegations in the response supplied to Iliso Labantu.
“We are left with no answers and no justice,” Nandipha said. “We are pleading for help to get the truth about what killed our sister, Anelisa.”
Rape and killing of women not taken seriously
The protest was convened by the Nomvuzo Foundation, which works with women and children affected by abuse.
Its founder, Nomvuzo Mukumela, said the gathering reached beyond one grieving family. It was also intended to give voice to women across South Africa whose rape and death had not been met with sufficient action, she said.
The Dunoon march came amid renewed national alarm over violence against women. Nine women, mostly in their 20s and 30s, have been found dead at different locations across Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, during the past two months.
Several of the bodies were discovered in open areas near major roads, including locations around Kempton Park and OR Tambo International Airport. Some of the victims were found partially undressed or showed indications of physical or sexual assault.
Police are investigating whether any of the deaths are connected but have not concluded that a serial killer is responsible.
Three suspects, two women and a man, have been arrested in connection with one of the nine deaths. Police have said that case may have arisen from a dispute involving intimate partners. The three suspects have not been linked to the other deaths.
Mukumela criticised the state’s broader response to gender-based violence.
“We are not happy, as women in this country, with the way the government is handling these gender-based violence issues,” she said.
“We wish and pray that they can introduce life sentences for crimes related to gender-based violence.”
No evidence of foul play, say police
At a circle in Cosmos Street, protesters vented their frustration over the absence of an arrest following Thsaka’s death
Mukumela said she had sought information from Milnerton police station during the week.
She said officers told her that an initial medical examination had not identified signs of foul play and that investigators needed the post-mortem findings before deciding how to proceed.
“If the results point to the deceased’s boyfriend, then justice must take its course,” she said.
Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that Milnerton police were conducting an inquest into Tshaka’s death.
“According to reports, the victim was found by her boyfriend inside their informal dwelling with no signs of life,” said Twigg.
“The victim was declared deceased at the scene by medical personnel. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”