Local personality Boity Thulo says the government doesn't care about women and is doing nothing about femicide.
South Africa was in shock on Monday regarding the incidents of femicide, including the murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana.
The conversation on Twitter was dominated by femicide, with users calling for action to be taken on a personal and governmental level.
Boity also voiced her thoughts on the situation for women in SA, and criticised the government.
The tweet read: "All of you @GovernmentZA don’t give a fuck about the women of this country!! Nothing!!! We are dying daily and it continues because men have been shown and know very well that our government supports and protects rapists, abusers and murderers!!! @PresidencyZA."
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/GovernmentZA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernmentZAdon’t give a fuck about the women of this country!! Nothing!!! We are dying daily and it continues because men have been shown and know very well that our government supports and protects rapists, abusers and murderers!!! @PresidencyZA
— #BAKAE OUT NOW (@Boity)
The Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula came to the defence of the government and replied to her tweet: "But to suggest govt support rapists is more than drunken stupor. The anger is felt from all over the death of women at the hands of people who claim to be loving them is madness. Women must not succumb/ tolerate abuse."
But to suggest govt support rapists is more than drunken stupor.The anger is felt from all over the death of women at the hands of people who claim to be loving them is madness. Women must not succumb/ tolerate abuse .
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix 100days (@MbalulaFikile) September 2, 2019
That caused users to criticise Mbalula for putting the onus on women to "not succumb" to abuse.
File what are U saying? Are you saying the deceased tolarated abuse? STOP this.
— Yaya Mavundla (@YayaRSA) September 2, 2019
Bloody idiot this Minister of Transport, it hasn't happened to someone close to him hence the ignorance.
— PreshLaPresh (@reah_presh) September 2, 2019
"Women must not succumb" - are you mad???
— 🤪🤪🤪 Maggs Naidu (@maggsnaidu) September 2, 2019
I hate you
— Lady Skollie🇿🇦 (@LadySkollie) September 3, 2019
‘Women Should not succumb or tolerate abuse’ So it’s our decision 🥴 hectic. Scary tweet.
— Omuhle Makaziwe Gela (@Omuhle_Gela) September 2, 2019
Boity wasn't the only celebrity to criticise the government.
Former " Afternoon Express" presenter Bonnie Mbuli tweeted: "Would u look at that? The SA government took time out of their busy day of pretending to run a country to tweet a condemnation #Uyinene".
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Uyinene?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Uyinene💔
— Bonnie Mbuli (@BonnieMbuli)
The reigning Miss SA Zozibini Tunzi also spoke out against femicide, called women in this country an "endangered species" and requested men to stop killing women.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/UyineneMrwetyana?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UyineneMrwetyana
— Zozibini Tunzi (@zozitunzi)
Other celebrities who voiced their concern included Anele Mdoda, Jessica Nkosi, Lerato Kganyago and Thando Thabethe.
We made so much noise about how our parliament now boasts 50% women. Let’s see how that helps the most endangered group in the world, South African women. I’m tired. I’m sad. Really I am just waiting to die. We aren’t living...we are tense and just waiting our turn to die.
— Anele Mdoda (@Anele) September 2, 2019
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/UyineneMrwetyana?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UyineneMrwetyanaI’m haunted by thoughts of what you went through. I’ve been in tears since yesterday. #RIPUyineneMrwetyana
— Jessica Nkosi (@JessicaNkosi)
— leratokganyago (@Leratokganyago) September 2, 2019
Am I next?
— Thando Thabooty (@Thando_Thabethe) September 2, 2019