National Gender Summit: Woman serving life for killing abusive husband speaks

1 November 2018 2:37 PM

The National Gender summit being held in Centurion, Pretoria turned chaotic when victims of rape and abuse chanted slogans holding female underwear in the air with messages written on them.

EWN reporter Thando Khubeka says the summit has been emotional as survivors of gender-based violence have been sharing the most harrowing stories.

She says one survivor, Martha Marumo told those attending the summit that she was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing her abusive husband back in 2003. She is currently serving her term at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre and was given permission to address the summit.

Attendees have called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to release Martha.

She was telling us of how she was abused for years by her husband and ended up taking his life.
— Thando Khubeka, EWN reporter

These women have been speaking about how the South African judicial system has let them down and how perpetrators have been left to roam the streets and telling the President that something needs to be done about the judicial system.
— Thando Khubeka, EWN reporter

To hear the rest of the conversation on Gender Summit, listen below:

Written by: Lengwadishang Ramphele