Condemnation of the gang rape and murder of a Western Cape teenager in Bredasdorp continues to pour in.
|||Bredasdorp - Condemnation of the gang rape and murder of a Western Cape teenager in Bredasdorp, in the Western Cape, continued to pour in on Friday.
The Anglican Church of SA said rape was killing the aspirations of South Africa.
“The hope of our rainbow nation dies, agonising cry by agonising cry, every time a woman is raped - approximately 3500 times a day,” Bishop Rubin Phillip said in a statement.
Booysen, 17, was found raped and mutilated at a construction site on Saturday morning and died in hospital that night.
“But it is not only Anene who has died brutally this week,” Phillip said.
“How is it that the dream nation has become the rape capital of the world?”
The ACSA called on church members to reflect on the impact of rape during Lent and the importance of reporting sexual abuse.
The Young Communist League in Overberg expressed its shock at the crime in a statement on Friday.
“...This is a pure hate crime, a crime against humanity,” spokesman Mzwakhe Magadla said.
“We call upon the justice system to also make sure that the perpetrators are brought to book so that the community can have faith... that the justice system of this country is there to stand up for the plight of victims.”
The YCLSA extended its condolences to Booysen's family.
“No parent, relative, sibling, or even friend should go through what they are going through.”
The YCLSA Overberg district would picket outside the Bredasdorp Magistrate's Court when the three men arrested in connection with Booysen's murder appeared on Tuesday.
Earlier, the department of women, children, and people with disabilities said the men responsible should “rot in jail”.
“The department... has urged the courts to ensure that those responsible for the brutal rape (and) murder of Anene Booysen rot in jail,” spokesman Cornelius Tanana Monama said in a statement.
He urged people to work with law enforcement to stop gender-based violence.
The DA and Cosatu said they would take part in marches against rape in Bredasdorp.
Democratic Alliance spokeswoman Liza Albrecht said in a statement the party would join a march by local residents on Friday afternoon. She said the DA would make sure police and the courts prosecuted the perpetrators speedily.
Congress of SA Trade Unions provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said a rally against rape would take place in Bredasdorp after Booysen's memorial service on Sunday.
“Cosatu believes that this event is bigger than party politics and all organisations and individuals are welcome to attend.”
Also on Friday, United Democratic Front Women's Organisation secretary general Thandi Nontenja condemned the attack and called on South Africans to stand together to fight rape.
“One would think that with a female police commissioner, sexual offences would be higher on the South African Police Service's list of priorities,” Nontenja said. - Sapa