‘Olorato fought until her nails broke’: How do we end violence against women?
The murder of Olorato Mongale is once again putting the spotlight on South Africa’s gender-based violence crisis.
A memorial service was held for Olorato Mongale in Bloemfontein on 29 May 2025. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
702’s Bongani Bingwa speaks with Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities.
Listen below:
Olorato Mongale, a 30-year-old psychology student, was murdered in May by a man she went on a date with.
She took every precaution, sharing her location with friends and promising to update them every 30 minutes, but her life was still tragically cut short.
At her funeral on Sunday, 1 June, her mother remarked that she 'fought until her nails broke'.
This case once again highlights the severity of South Africa's gender-based violence (GBV) crisis and raises questions about what can be done to stop it.
Chikunga says we must ‘intensify efforts’ to fight GBV and femicide.
She adds that you cannot assume anyone is a safe person to be around, as criminals do not always look the part.
“We have a problem with crime. Any person to anyone must be a suspect.”
- Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities
As dire as the situation may seem, she argues that things have improved since Uyinene Mrwetyana’s murder in 2019.
Uyinene’s murder sparked nationwide outrage and a call for justice much like Olorato’s.
Since 2019, the government has established rapid response teams and technical teams to respond specifically to GBV and femicide.
Chikunga is calling on all families to teach their children how to treat each other, and especially teach their sons that it is not okay to harm a woman.
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