UASA Media Release: 16 September 2026
Statement by Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union UASA:
UASA strongly condemns the ongoing kidnappings, gender-based violence (GBV) and brutal killings of women in South Africa. The recent discovery of multiple women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni is a painful reminder of the severe dangers that women continue to face in communities across the country.
According to reports, law enforcement officials have discovered ten bodies, with only two victims formally identified at this stage. As investigations continue to determine whether these cases are linked, UASA calls for urgent, decisive action to ensure those responsible are swiftly identified, arrested and brought to justice.
These tragic deaths must not become another statistic that briefly shocks the nation before public attention shifts elsewhere. Every victim represents a life lost, a family devastated and a community left in mourning.
We urge the state to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect all citizens and to enforce the law effectively. While rewards for information may assist investigations, they cannot serve as a substitute for a comprehensive and sustained response to the wider crisis of violence against women and children.
South Africans cannot continue to live in fear while repeatedly mourning women whose lives have been cut short by violence. We cannot continue issuing statements of outrage after every tragedy only to revisit the same conversation when another woman disappears or another body is discovered.
UASA calls on Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa and the government to clearly outline the concrete measures that have been implemented to protect women and children, as well as the additional immediate interventions that will be undertaken to address the ongoing scourge of violence.
Mr President, South Africans deserve answers. Women and children across the country are living in fear. What is being done to ensure that South Africa is a safe place for all who call it home?
The nation needs more than promises. It needs accountability, decisive leadership, and measurable action to prevent further loss of life. Mothers are losing daughters, children are losing mothers and senseless acts of violence are tearing families apart.
We demand visible and well-resourced law enforcement, strengthened crime intelligence capabilities, rapid responses to missing-person cases and thorough investigations that lead to arrests, successful prosecutions and meaningful convictions. Those who target women and children must face the full consequences of the law.
Gender-based violence is not only a criminal justice issue; it is a national crisis that requires an urgent, coordinated and unwavering response. South Africa’s women and children deserve to live free from fear, violence and persecution.
The time for action is now.
For further enquiries or to set up a personal interview, contact Abigail Moyo at 065 170 0162.