The author appeals to parents and guardians, urging them to raise more worthy men to improve society. The country is witnessing alarming statistics: nine women were brutally murdered in Ekurukheleni, their bodies discarded in fields, near roads, and in open spaces. Police are investigating a possible link between the murders but have not yet confirmed the guilt of a serial killer.
This terrible situation is exacerbated by the fact that in 2022, the murder rate of women was 12.2 per 100,000 people, almost six times higher than the global average, with about seven women dying daily.
During the 2023/24 period, the police received 42,569 reports of rape, corresponding to over 116 cases daily, and the author notes that many cases are never registered. The National Prosecution Service recorded a 74% conviction rate for sexual crimes in 2024/25, but emphasizes that this figure only applies to cases that reached a verdict and does not reflect the percentage of all committed or reported rapes.
The author argues that one cannot continue to question the state of society because such murders of women are not new in South Africa, and if changes do not occur, it will not be the last case. Although the president and public leaders will condemn what is happening, and law enforcement agencies promise thorough investigations, such actions often only lead to a temporary reduction in outrage until the next act of violence or discovery of another body.
What is needed are not just words, but decisive action from the government, the justice system, communities, and most importantly, families. The author believes we are living in 'times without fathers' and calls on men to return home to teach their children respect for women, protection, and reverence for their dignity, rather than dominance or aggression.
The issue of mothers refusing fathers access to children was noted, but the author raises the question of the seriousness of fathers' intentions regarding presence. Raising better men requires five conscious steps: being present not only financially but also emotionally; demonstrating respect, especially in addressing women; teaching responsibility so that cruelty is not dismissed as 'boys will be boys'; teaching consent and emotional discipline from an early age; and healing internal wounds within the family, as traumatized people hurt others.
Achieving this goal requires efforts from both mothers and fathers, men and women. Love, discipline, boundaries, and values must return to families. We need to raise people who build, not destroy; who uplift, not trample on the dignity, rights, and lives of others. The call is: express your opinion, but then go home and do the work, becoming a protector, not an aggressor.