Many shocking statistics. One painful fact.
At least 110 women are raped in South Africa. Every day. This according to Stats SA.
There are many similar numbers, all pointing to the same stupefying fact – that South Africa is one of the most dangerous places for girls and women. This writer too is a survivor of an episode of violence, which – ironically – happened the evening before the country celebrated Women’s Day (August 9) in 2014.
In South Africa, a strong patriarchal mind-set, coupled with the intersection of race, gender, class and other identities, influence gender-based violence. There is also a gross under reporting of such crimes.
In the following pages, two educated young women recount how they didn’t let their own experience of violence get them down.
Samantha Smit* (name changed to protect identity) and Bukelwa Moerane reside 40 kilometers from each other, one in the affluent area of Roodepoort, and the other in Diepsloot, a township in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
Their paths have never crossed, but destiny served them the same experience from hell – and they survived it.
SAMANTHA SMIT, 28
In 2013, three days after South Africa celebrated Women’s Day, Smit was drugged and raped by three male friends she had known for seven years.
When we meet her on a warm Thursday evening in January, the neighborhood is quiet, and her home warm and secure with high security fences.
Wearing an oversized t-shirt and jeans, she leads us to the pool area her father helps set up for us.
Underneath Smit’s warm exterior is a strong woman coming to terms with a disturbing episode in her past.
This story is from the March/May 2018 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March/May 2018 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Wives. Widows. Survivors.
The widows of Marikana. Different faces. The same setting. The same inconsolable fate. The same seething anger at the cops who killed their men and changed their lives forever.
This Could Be You!
One in four South African employees are diagnosed with depression annually. There are ways you can seek help while your identity is protected by law..
The Top 7 Investment Trends For 2019
Most people give up on their resolutions by mid February. As we usher in March, a reminder that it’s never too late for investment goals.
Apps To Cure The Mind
Mental health issues affect us all, but are seldom discussed. Thankfully, technology can now act as a medium to bypass the stigma associated with seeking help.
Working With Cancer
After battling months of treatment, cancer survivors often find a bigger struggle waiting for them when they return to work – the apathy of employers to reintegrate them into the system.
A Growing Trend
Africa’s multi-billion dollar hair care industry is seeing more indigenous brands and consumers rooting for the natural look. Also in existence – a ‘hair mafia’.
One For The Red Carpet
The small-town designer dressing up the rich and famous.
‘I Call It A Hustle'
The first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon, wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane is a fighter, both on and off the court.
Gender Parity Will Come Sooner
The Managing Director of the ABN Group, Roberta Naicker, is Top Businesswoman of the Year at the 2018 Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
Deals, Dollars And Development
The first-ever Africa Investment Forum was a resounding success with some fascinating math: 49 projects worth $38.7 billion over three days, all for the continent.
