Parliament, Friday, 30 May 2025 – The Chairperson of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus (MPWC), Ms Lindelwa Dunjwa, has expressed her deepest sorrow and strongest condemnation following the tragic and brutal murder of Olorato Mongale, a young life lost to the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV).
Ms Dunjwa noted that a person has been taken in for questioning as well as the latest reports that one of two identified men in the incident have allegedly been killed in a shoot-out with police.
Ms Mongale was last seen leaving her apartment in northern Johannesburg for a date with a man who called himself John on Sunday afternoon. Her body was discovered in Lombardy near Alexandra. The white VW Polo used to pick up Mongale was found at a panel-beating workshop in Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday. The owner of the vehicle, an elderly man, was questioned and another two were identified as people of interest in the murder.
Ms Dunjwa said Ms Mongale’s death is not just a statistic – it is a heartbreaking reminder of the ongoing crisis faced by women and girls across our country. Her life was full of potential, cut short by senseless violence that continues to plague our communities and devastate families.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Olorato’s family, friends and community. Their grief is shared by a nation that must now once again confront the harsh reality of what it means to be a woman in South Africa.
The Multi-Party Women’s Caucus calls for swift and decisive justice for Ms Mongale. “The perpetrators must be held fully accountable under the law. Ms Dunjwa called for comprehensive education and awareness campaigns to address toxic masculinity, misogyny and entrenched cultural norms that perpetuate GBV.
“We further call on all sectors of society – government, civil society, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders organisations, men and boys, and every citizen – to play an active role in ending this national crisis. Let Olorato’s name not be forgotten. Let her death be a turning point. We must stand united in ensuring that no woman or girl lives in fear simply because of her gender,” emphasised the Chairperson.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE MULTI-PARTY WOMEN’S CAUCUS, MS LINDELWA DUNJWA.
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