As Women’s Month commenced on Friday, a 53-year-old woman was found dead in her home in Browns Farm, Philippi, following an alleged domestic dispute.

The woman was allegedly beaten to death by her husband after a drunken altercation the night before.

A community member said, “The husband left for work on Friday morning after assaulting the victim throughout the night. He locked the door and left the key at the neighbour’s house.

“He told the neighbour to go to the shack and wake his wife. When she got there, she found the victim unresponsive and called the police.”

According to the resident, police fetched the suspect from his workplace and arrested him.

Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed a case of murder was registered at Nyanga police station following the discovery of the woman’s body at about 6am on 1 August at a premises in Block 6, Link Road, Browns Farm.

“The circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation. An adult male was arrested and is due to appear in court once charged. The motive is believed to be an argument,” said Van Wyk.

Anti-gender-based violence organisation Ilitha Labantu expressed concern over the killing.

Spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said: “This horrific incident marks a grim beginning to Women’s Month, a time that is meant to honour the courage and resistance of women in our country. Yet women continue to be brutalised and murdered in their homes and communities.

“We cannot claim to be making any real progress when women are never safe – not in their homes, not in public, and certainly not in intimate relationships.

“This is not an isolated case. It is part of a broader crisis of gender-based violence that has become normalised in our society, where women’s bodies are sites of violence and the justice system continues to fail to act as an effective deterrent. Each life taken is a reminder of how little value is placed on the safety and dignity of women in South Africa.”

Ilitha Labantu called for urgent and sustained action.

“It is not enough to issue statements of condemnation once violence has occurred. We need visible, coordinated efforts to dismantle the conditions that allow this violence to thrive – from poor policing and weak prosecution to the socio-economic vulnerabilities that trap women in abusive environments,” said Monakali.

“Until women are free from all forms of violence and abuse, we cannot claim to live in a just society. We will continue to demand justice, accountability, and protection for all women.”

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za

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