Xaba murder case: Political parties, activists call for concerted war against GBV

Ngcebo Thusi abandoned bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where he made a brief second appearance following his arrest at the beginning of the month.

Reiterating his utterances from his emotive address at Xaba’s memorial service last week, Nyambi said as activists they could not sit back and allow the killing of women and children.

“South Africa is killing children and women as if they are killing chickens, and the government is doing nothing about it. They’ve got no plan. So, we must assist them. We must assist our president, and we must assist the parliament. As student leaders, we must stand up and fight against this thing. That’s why I came out openly to say if they give him bail, we are going to kill him.”

Political parties and civic organisations braved the wet weather to stage a protest outside courton Monday, calling for an end to the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.

EFF MP and Gauteng GBV officer Naledi Mpungose said the accused did not appear remorseful.

“There are two ways around cases of this nature, it’s either there is remorse on the account of the perpetrator; and second is that they are hoping that civil society will not organise themselves in the manner that they have on that particular day and then try again another day or a few weeks to come. 

"On this particular case, having been inside the court, having seen the perpetrator and his face, his reaction and the arrogance on his face I doubt he was because there was remorse or regret on his part,” added Mpungose.

ALSO READ: Ntokozo Xaba’s alleged killer abandons bail

The parliamentarian has given the state six months to conclude the matter, while lamenting what she dubs the lack of uniformity between the police and the courts.

“The police make arrests, and the courts then release [the suspects], and then we have a reiteration of the same violence in our communities against women, of GBV and femicide. So, within six months this case should be concluded, and the very harshest sentence should be sent out to the perpetrator, so Ntokozo also gets her justice.

The ANC's Paballo Ponoane said resources have been ploughed into fighting GBV, however there seems to be a contradiction.

"Such types of crimes should not be up for consideration [for bail]. Maybe this is something we need to change within our laws that with the different schedules of offenses, when can we consider bail. Right now GBV is something that is really a scourge in our society. 

We've had so many public resources directed towards GBV and femicide, so if we are saying on the one hand that we want to stop it and on the other hand we continue giving bail it's as if we are contradicting each other," commented Ponoane. 

Thusi returned to the police cells where he will remain in custody until his next appearance at the end of next month.

NIMNI DEMANDS AN AUDIT OF GBV-F FUNDS

Civic organisation Not In My Name International (NIMNI) has called for an audit of the fund created to increase efforts to combat GBV-F in South Africa.

In 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged R1.6 billion towards the fund, however, NIMNI claims nearly five years later, researchers dedicated to the cause have found no trace of the funds.

“On 28 January 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed three new GBV laws aimed at strengthening efforts to end GBV in South Africa. One of the revisions to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act states that the list of people who are to be protected should be expanded and include other vulnerable people such as women under the age of 25 who are studying or living in a student residence,” said NIMNI spokesperson Mo Senne.

It’s alleged Xaba had reported the abuse she allegedly endured from Thusi in August last year before she ended their relationship.

“It follows logic to assume that had Thusi been convicted the first time around and Xaba’s residence been protected, the ending of this story could have been different”, Senne added.

The NPA could not immediately confirm reports that the initial matter was dismissed.

The organisation wants an audit and a comprehensive report on the process of the programs which the R1.6 billion was intended to fund. It’s also demanded to be given an update on how the revisions to the GBV bills are being implemented and enforced.