Community demands justice for Zenande Tshazibane amid escalating GBV crisis

Nyanga community members marched to Parliament to demand justice for 25-year-old Zenande Tshazibane who was raped and murdered allegedly by her ex-boyfriend.

Tshazibane’s body was found on June 22, 2025.

Residents called for urgent government intervention in the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence (GBV).

Tshazibane’s friend, Emihle Magadlela outlined the events leading to her death.

“On June 17 when we went to Philippi Magistrate’s Court to file a protection order against the man... the police didn’t attend to her matter immediately. On June 22, he went to her house, asked one of our friends to accompany him, but the friend never reached the destination as she was scared."

It is believed he waited for her to return before she was raped and murdered and locked inside her house.

"She was found by a friend lying in bed. The perpetrator is still on the run.”

Protest organiser Zuko Mndayi said the suspect believed to be responsible is reportedly hiding in the Eastern Cape.

“The police are very slow to make an arrest. They keep asking for the statements. Now he has decided to skip town. Whenever we ask for an update, we keep getting excuses. They keep changing detectives,” Mndayi said.

He explained that the demonstration was about raising awareness, not only for Tshazibane but for many other women who had been victims of gender-based violence.

“The march was to raise the voice that was silenced during the killing of Zenande, and we also raised the voice of many other women who are victims of gender-based violence. We had a march to the Nyanga police station over the murder of Zenande. We had a walkabout and a march around Gugulethu SAPS for the killing of Aisha. This is a culmination of many events that highlight gender-based violence and how it is continuing unabated,” he said.

Mndayi said protesters were calling for concrete government action to coordinate responses to GBV.

“One of the key demands is the convening of an ad hoc committee to deal decisively and coordinate government response with regards to gender-based violence. The problem is that the government seems to be responding in isolated attempts, you get a SAPS that completes the arrest, and then that case is moved to justice, and where it fails.”

He added that communities must also play a role in prevention.

“The immediate community-led response to GBV is the mobilisation of men. This moves from the premise that every man is a potential perpetrator of GBV, because most people are not killed by people they don't know. They are not killed by people that we as a community don't know. So if we could mobilise men, young boys in particular, we would be able to avert them from becoming actual perpetrators. Secondly, it is for the community to stand up and raise their voice.”

The marchers submitted a memorandum to Parliament, which was collected by a representative from the Speaker’s office, expressing concern over the continued crisis of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.

It called for urgent action to arrest the perpetrator, declaring gender-based violence a national emergency, and ensuring a stronger justice system response.

Protesters also demanded comprehensive prevention programmes led by Parliament, and the creation of a government-coordinated ad hoc committee including the Department of Police, Justice, and Women, Youth, Children & People with Disabilities (WYPD) to improve the state’s response to GBV.

The memorandum emphasised the need for protection orders to be enforced immediately and proactively.

Western Cape police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the investigation into the matter is  ongoing.

“A person of interest has since been identified, and detectives are using the available channels to trace the individual.

"The initial complaint was an inquest and was later changed to a murder following the results of the autopsy.”

Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or through the MySAPS mobile app.

Cape Times