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The discovery of a woman’s body in a shallow grave inside a shack in Lerato Park, Kimberley, yesterday, alongside reports of the horrific gang rape of a 62-year-old pensioner in Pampierstad, is a chilling reminder that gender-based violence (GBV) remains a brutal reality for women and children across South Africa, including the Northern Cape.

The Kimberley death is still under investigation, but comes amid several disturbing GBV cases reported across the province in recent weeks. A 15-year-old girl in Delportshoop was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 45-year-old man, while a Grade 12 learner in Kimberley was reportedly raped repeatedly near Santa Centre on 20 September. Recent reports of domestic violence further highlight that women face danger both in public and in their own homes.

The province’s latest crime statistics reinforce these concerns. Between April and June 2026, 284 rapes were reported in the Northern Cape. This is a 43.4% increase on the same period last year. Sexual offences also increased significantly.

Behind every statistic is a victim, a family and a community living with the consequences.

The DA in the Northern Cape calls on SAPS to strengthen the prevention and investigation of GBV. FCS units need adequate personnel, vehicles, forensic capacity and other resources, while Crime Intelligence must identify patterns, repeat offenders and high-risk areas. Victims must also receive appropriate support throughout the justice process.

But policing alone is not enough. Government must address environmental and infrastructure risks that leave women vulnerable.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s proposed 60-day women’s safety audits cannot become another bureaucratic exercise that delays action. Audits may identify risks, but they do not fix them. Municipalities must address known hazards such as broken streetlights, overgrown vegetation and neglected public spaces.

DA-run municipalities will continue addressing these safety risks and ensuring that communities experience the results.

We cannot allow GBV to become normalised in the Northern Cape. Every woman and child has the right to live free from violence and fear, and every sphere of government must be held accountable.

Crime also has a direct impact on livelihoods. People should not be denied the opportunity to fully participate in the economy, go to work or grow local businesses when communities are unsafe.

The DA will continue using our oversight role to demand the resources, urgency and sustained action needed to tackle GBV and femicide.

Women cannot wait 60 days for government to tell them what they already know, they need to be safe now.

Issued by DA Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson Lisa Schickerling