Dear Editor
Gender-based violence remains one of the most urgent and devastating threats facing residents of the Eastern Cape, and students at our universities and TVET colleges are no exception. This crisis continues to rob young women of safety, dignity and opportunity on campuses meant to empower them.
Our young women face the daily reality of unsafe commutes and under-resourced residences. Families live with the knowledge that justice is often delayed or denied. The rape and murder of a 102-year-old woman in her own home in Butterworth is a heartbreaking reminder that nowhere is truly safe when systemic failure goes unchallenged.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that awareness must lead to action. We are calling for urgent steps to improve safety and support for survivors in post-school institutions. Public gestures mean little if they are not backed by lasting institutional change.
Between January and March 2025, the Eastern Cape recorded the highest rape rate in South Africa. The province saw 710 residential rape cases in just three months, despite having a smaller population than Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal. These figures reflect a pattern of vulnerability, not coincidence.
The DA stands in solidarity with the women who marched through Bhisho today, but reminds Higher Education Minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, that real change does not come from marching alone.
I have written to the Minister, proposing that she strengthen the partnership between the Department of Higher Education, SAPS and the Department of Justice to ensure that gender-based violence cases reported at TVET campuses are prioritised for forensic processing. Delays in DNA analysis allow alleged perpetrators to remain on campus or in student accommodation, prolonging trauma and undermining trust.
Students require dedicated safety patrols and safe transportation to and from campus, especially during early and late hours. We must invest in structured prevention programmes that engage young men and challenge the harmful power dynamics that too often go unexamined.
Every student wellness office should have a clear, direct pathway to support centres such as the Thuthuzela Care Centres, with staff trained to manage disclosures responsibly and compassionately.
These measures will not undo the harm already suffered, but they can prevent further damage. They send a message that we see survivors, we believe them, and we are committed to real change.
The people of the Eastern Cape deserve leadership that protects the vulnerable, invests in solutions and delivers a future built on dignity, safety and honest government.
Regards
Marlene Ewers MPL
DA Shadow MEC for Social Development