Women’s Month a ‘celebration of survival’- Kubayi

Justice Minister Mamoloko Kubayi has lamented the fact that Women’s Month has become a “celebration of survival” for many South African women. 

Kubayi spoke at the memorial service of slain state prosecutor Tracey Brown in Gqeberha on Thursday.

Brown was gunned down in front of her partner and child outside her home last week. 

The assassination is believed to be linked to Brown’s recent work on cases looking into government corruption.

Kubayi said instead of celebrating women's excellence and resilience during Women’s Month, the country celebrates the survival of women from gender-based violence. 

“Women’s Month is about looking at the pride and fights which we continue to fight, and one of those fights is regarded as a pandemic, and that is gender-based violence," the minister added. 

She described Brown as an advocate against gender violence who ensured that cases of this nature were solved and the perpetrators were brought to justice. 

The minister lauded Brown for using her skills to ensure that communities felt safe by putting perpetrators of rape, murder, and robbery behind bars. 

“Like all prosecutors, Tracy wanted to win cases. But she didn’t want to win for winning’s sake because in our country, where crime is high, a win for a prosecutor is a saved life, a child protected, and a woman’s life changed for the better,” said Kubayi. 

“As we celebrate Women’s Month, let us pay tribute to patriots such as Tracy who have dedicated themselves to human progress. Let her life and work serve as an example of the kind of passion and dedication that all of us should demonstrate to achieve a just society, where women and children can be safe.”

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