[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Women fight rape in Eastern Cape

[Patrick Bond]

Daily Dispatch

Women threaten panties protest

A GROUP of women protesters outside the Mthatha High Court yesterday 
threatened to “ strip down to their underwear” to ensure a suspected 
wife killer is denied bail at his court appearance today.

The women – all members of the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) – want the 
court to deny 34-year-old South African National Defence Force member 
Lundi Doba bail.

He stands accused of killing his school teacher wife, Wendy Nxusana, on 
March 16.

Her sister Auto Nxusana said the couple, who married without their 
families’ knowledge, had problems because he apparently suspected her of 
having an affair.

The angry women toyi-toyed outside the court and called for the death 
penalty to be reinstated following a spate of rapes and murders of women 
over the last month.

One of these was the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Ngquza, 
outside Lusikisiki, on March 17. The girl’s uncle has been charged and 
is scheduled to appear in the Lusikisiki Magistrate’s Court today.

Other victims of murder and rape during March include 27-year-old 
Lungiswa Ndunyane, whose body was discovered in Ngangelizwe Township 
with a bullet wound on March 28.

A 35-year-old teacher at the Masibambisane Senior Primary School, 
Vatiswa Sweli, was also gunned down, while going to work on the morning 
of March 11.

Before presenting a memorandum to magistrates Onke Myataza and Nkokeli 
Mdodana, a member of the ANCWL provincial committee Thokozile Sokhanyile 
demanded that suspects accused of crimes against women be denied bail.

The memorandum listed all the women who had been raped and killed in March.

“If the suspects get bail, you will see us marching back to this court 
only in panties,” she said.

“The list of grievances we are handing over to you is non-negotiable.

“We will be in court … (today) to see if you adhere to our grievances.”

Sokhanyile also called for the re- arrest of suspects who had previously 
been granted bail.

Myataza reassured the protesters that the courts took every rape and 
murder case seriously.

“This case (the murder of Nxusana) will find us ready for it,” he said.

The ANCWL said they would also send the memorandum to Eastern Cape 
Premier Mbulelo Sogoni and to President Kgalema Motlanthe - By LULAMILE 
FENI and BONGANI HANS, Mthatha Bureau