BOITY’S TWEET GETS SA TALKING
Rapper takes to social media to criticise the government over its failure to protect women
BOITY Thulo says the government doesn’t care about women and is doing nothing about femicide.
South Africa was in shock on Monday over shocking incidents of femicide, including the rape and murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana.
The national conversation on Twitter was dominated by femicide, with users calling for action to be taken on a personal and legislative level. The celebrity also voiced her thoughts on the situation for women in SA and criticised the government.
“All of you @GovernmentZA don’t give a f**k about the women of this country!! Nothing!!! We are dying daily, and it continues because men have been shown and know very well that our government supports and protects rapists, abusers and murderers!!! @PresidencyZA,” Thulo tweeted.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula came to the defence of government and replied: “But to suggest govt support rapists is more than drunken stupor. The anger is felt from all over the death of women at the hands of people who claim to be loving them is madness. Women must not succumb/ tolerate abuse.”
Users then criticised Mbalula for putting the onus on women to “not succumb” to abuse.
“File what are U saying? Are you saying the deceased tolerated abuse? STOP this,” wrote @YayaRSA.
“Bloody idiot this Minister of Transport. It hasn’t happened to someone close to him, hence the ignorance,” tweeted @reah_presh.
“Women must not succumb” – are you mad???,” said @maggsnaidu.
“Women Should not succumb or tolerate abuse. So it’s our decision 🥴 hectic. Scary tweet,” @Omuhle_Gela replied.
Thulo isn’t the only celebrity to criticise the government.
Former Afternoon Express presenter Bonnie Mbuli tweeted: “Would u look at that? The SA government took time out of their busy day of pretending to run a country to tweet a condemnation #Uyinene.” Miss SA Zozibini Tunzi, also spoke out against femicide. She tweeted: “Someone asked me in an interview a few days ago if I thought we had a successful women’s month this year? And I thought to myself: how? When we’re dying for being women. As far as I’m concerned, women in my country are an endangered species. Stop killing us! #UyineneMrwetyana”.
Anele Mdoda, Jessica Nkosi, Lerato Kganyago and Thando Thabethe also voiced their concern.
“We made so much noise about how our parliament now boasts 50% women. Let’s see how that helps the most endangered group in the world, South African women. I’m tired.
“I’m sad. Really I am just waiting to die. We aren’t living...we are tense and just waiting our turn to die,” said Mdoda.
“Okay ..... senzenike manje!!! What do we do. I’m so defeated. I feel so hopeless. I’m so so so sorry #UyineneMrwetyana I’m haunted by thoughts of what you went through. I’ve been in tears since yesterday. #RIPUyineneMrwetyana,” Nkosi wrote.
Kganyago posted a picture captioned: “Women in South Africa are in trouble”.
And actress Thabethe, who has joined the #AmINext campaign, tweeted: “South African Parliament: Parliament needs to declare Gender Based Violence in South Africa a State of Emergency - Sign the Petition.”