Meghan Markle honors murdered South African student

CAPE TOWN: Meghan, the wife of Britain’s Prince Harry, has tied a ribbon at the site in Cape Town where a student was murdered last month, in a gesture of solidarity with those who have taken a stand against gender-based violence.

Uyinene Mrwetyana was raped and murdered in a Cape Town post office, one of a spate of killings and rapes that has been the catalyst for protests against gender-based violence in South Africa, a country with one of the world’s highest murder rates.

About 3,000 women in South Africa were murdered in 2018 – or one every three hours – which is more than five times higher than the global average, the World Health Organization says.

 

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“Simi kunye kulesisimo” – ‘We stand together in this moment’ The Duchess of Sussex has tied a ribbon at the site where 19-year-old Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana was murdered last month, to pay her respects and to show solidarity with those who have taken a stand against gender based violence and femicide. Over the last month in Capetown, protests erupted through the streets in outrage over GBV in South Africa. The Duke and Duchess had been following what had happened from afar and were both eager to learn more when they arrived in South Africa. The Duchess spoke to the mother of Uyinene this week to relay their condolences. Visiting the site of this tragic death and being able to recognise Uyinene, and all women and girls effected by GBV (specifically in South Africa, but also throughout the world) was personally important to The Duchess. Uyinene’s death has mobilised people across South Africa in the fight against gender based violence, and is seen as a critical point in the future of women’s rights in South Africa. The Duchess has taken private visits and meetings over the last two days to deepen her understanding of the current situation and continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls. For more information on the recent events in South Africa, please see link in bio. #AmINext

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Sep 27, 2019 at 11:35pm PDT

South African women have been wearing black and marching on parliament, the stock exchange and through the streets, with thousands using the hashtag #AmINext to call for reform.

A picture of Meghan tying the yellow ribbon at the site where Mrwetyana was killed was posted on Instagram on Saturday, along with a short text that said she and Harry had “been following what had happened from afar and were both eager to learn more” during their trip to South Africa.

“The Duchess (of Sussex) has taken private visits and meetings over the last two days to deepen her understanding of the current situation and continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls,” it said.

Meghan also spoke with the murdered girl’s mother, it said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa this month outlined a five-point emergency plan to tackle gender-based violence, including enhancing the legal and policy framework and ensuring adequate care and support for victims.

Harry, Meghan and their four-month-old son Archie landed in South Africa on Monday for their first overseas tour as a family, which has featured engagements including visits to poor townships and a meeting with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu.

Harry then traveled alone to Botswana and Angola, where he visited a landmine clearance project that featured in some of the most famous photographs of his late mother, Princess Diana.