The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in Ekurhuleni has condemned the killing of women in Kempton Park, calling for urgent action to address gender-based violence.
The ANCYL says it is outraged by the discovery of the bodies of five women in the area, describing the killings as an attack on the safety and dignity of women.
The organisation has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and called for those responsible to be arrested and held accountable.
The ANCYL is calling for Kempton Park to be shut down immediately, arguing that the safety of women must take priority while investigations into the killings continue.
It says women should not be expected to carry the responsibility of protecting themselves from violence.
The organisation is also demanding increased police visibility, urgent investigations and accountability from authorities.
It has called on government, community organisations and civil society to work together to address gender-based violence and make communities safer.
The ANCYL says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s classification of gender-based violence and femicide as a national crisis requires urgent and extraordinary action.
The organisation says it will join the YWD Gauteng peaceful march and candle-lighting ceremony in solidarity with the families of the victims.
It is calling for perpetrators to face harsh sentences if convicted.
