A Stop Violence Against Women and Children graphic has been carved along Musgrave Road in Durban as 16 days of Activism Against Women and Children Abuse begins today. | Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
Durban — The 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children Abuse campaign has started on a bad note with the brutal murder of a KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure employee.
Zandile Ngcobo and her son were shot dead at their home in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday night just hours before the official start of the campaign on Monday.
MEC Martin Meyer shared the news about her and her son’s tragic death during the unveiling of a R1 billion project to renovate the Esplanade Government building in Durban on Monday.
Before the event could start, Meyer asked for a moment’s silence for Ngcobo and her son.
Meyer condemned the incident saying it happened while the country was starting to observe the 16 days of activism against women and child abuse.
“Our thoughts are with her family. It is due to officials like her that we are here today. It is absolutely unacceptable to me that we live in a society where this continues to happen. Our freedom we fought so hard for came in 1994 and we will fully celebrate it if women are still being killed. It is a sad day for us at Public Works but I will be visiting the family and we have been in touch with her husband,” said Meyer.
Meyer said the early indications are that she was killed by someone known to the family but added that the details are still sketchy. The incident also preceded the official launch of the campaign by Premier Thami Ntuli and the cabinet in Pietermaritzburg later on Monday. Ntuli is expected to reflect on the incident and outline the government’s plan to combat the scourge which has been dubbed the second pandemic after Covid-19.
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