Am I Next: Sikhalel’ uNene!

This August, which has since become known as Womxn's Month, the womxn of South Africa were scared for their lives while retweeting and reposting posters of missing womxn every day.

Two days after the end of this celebratory month, I read that a fellow student and womxn has passed in the hands of a rapist. I read that a womxn, who had a protection order to protect herself against their abuser, was shot dead by her abuser.

I remember that the number of times I had retweeted and reposted posters far exceeded the number of times that I have seen news of anyone being found ALIVE. I remember that we still did not know where Karabo Ncube is. We are still living around abusers who were never exposed or convicted.

The hashtag #BringBackNene took over social media in the past week since they were discovered to be missing and on Monday, 2 September, it was confirmed that their body was found following the confession of their murderer and rapist during his appearance at the Wynberg High Court.

The students of University of Cape Town came together to mourn the death of one of our students. “Sikhalel’ uNene!” (We're crying for Nene) the students sang with heavy hearts and tears in their eyes. The tears and heavy hearts reflect pain. The pain that we feel for the womxn who have been raped, murdered and abused by men. The pain that we feel for having to live in fear. The pain that we feel for being powerless, being helpless. Pain, because we are and have been crying, but we are still on our own.

Due to the alarming rate of rape, murder and kidnapping in the past month, the womxn of South Africa are standing up (as we always have, but a little bit more). On Wednesday, 4 September, there will be a shutdown at the University of Cape Town and on Thursday, 5 September, there will be a march to Parliament in Cape Town. Black is the chosen colour code to show that we are mourning, thus dress accordingly.

Siyakhala. Siyoyika. #AmINext?