Johannesburg police light 365 candles against violence targeting women and children
Dozens of Johannesburg metro police employees gathered at Mary Fitzgerald Square on Thursday, lighting 365 candles to demand year-round action against gender-based violence and the killing of women and children.
Footage showed police vehicles arriving at the square as participants gathered for speeches, drumming and a candlelight vigil.
“Those 365 candles symbolise 365 days. Protecting our women and children can't be an event. It has to be an ongoing thing,” said Reuben Malema, chairperson of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department Men's Forum.
Activist Moss Makwati shared his personal experience of gender-based violence, recounting how his uncle killed both his mother and his own wife.
“This pandemic, for me, is very close to my heart,” Makwati said, highlighting the devastating impact of such violence on families. Demonstrator Khanyisa Mdaka also stressed the human cost, reminding attendees that every woman killed is someone's mother, daughter, friend or relative.
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The vigil followed a series of killings in Ekurhuleni, where the bodies of 11 women have reportedly been discovered since July.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
