‘Women are not commodities’ | The Witness

The response to recent gender-based violence (GBV) cases, where women have been killed by their boyfriends over allegations of cheating, has sparked alarm among anti-GBV activists.

The growing trend on social media, where some men justify such actions with comments like “a woman who cheats deserves to be killed,” has intensified calls for educating men that women are not “commodities”.

On Friday in uMgababa, 24-year-old Mlondi Cele allegedly stabbed his 22-year-old girlfriend, Bongeka Makhathini, and their three-year-old son to death before taking his own life. It is believed Cele thought their son was not his and that Makhathini had cheated on him multiple times.

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This follows last week’s viral video of Sibusiso Lawrence justifying the killing of his girlfriend, Nontobeko Cele, by claiming he had spent so much money on her and their relationship, only for her to cheat on him. He also accused her of lying about the paternity of their son.

Saturday’s Weekend Witness reported the concerning trend of people defending Lawrence’s actions on social media and blaming Cele for “provoking him”.

Men Fighting Against Gender-Based Violence activist Elton Adkins said the response to these incidents highlights the urgent need to amplify the message that men do not own women.

“A few days after Cele’s murder, another killing occurred when a man killed his girlfriend and their son, before hanging himself.

Instead of condemning these acts, some men are encouraging each other. Men need to realise that we do not own women; they are with us by choice, and we can leave them without causing harm

He added that the annual commemorations for 16 Days of Activism and Women’s Month seem ineffective, as incidents of GBV continue to rise. “It should be 365 days of activism against GBV. There are no solutions apart from making every day a day against gender-based violence.

“Campaigns have been launched, we’ve urged men to stop GBV, and services to help men deal with their rage have been provided, but none of it seems to work,” said Adkins.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula echoed Adkins’ sentiments, calling for men to stop treating women as “commodities” and to understand that gifting women things does not make them their partners’ property.

During a media briefing in Johannesburg on Saturday, Mbalula stressed the seriousness of the GBV crisis.

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“Men should not have any expectations when entering relationships with women. When you buy your woman a car, or other gifts, you think you own her. That’s not right. Women are human beings, not commodities,” Mbalula said.