Thursday 24 August marks four years since the brutal murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana in Claremont, and members of the university community and wide public will gather this Saturday 26 August for a unity walk in her memory, and the many others who lost their lives due to sexual and gender-based violence.

It became one of UCT’s bleakest moments when the first-year student was brutally raped and murdered by a male post office worker in 2019. She had gone to the post office to collect a parcel.

In November 2019, Luyanda Botha was handed three life sentences after admitting to the rape and murder of 19-year-old Uyinene.

Her killing in August sparked large protests over the high levels of violence against women in the country. Out of the 6,228 people killed in the country between April and June 2023, 895 were women. A total of 293 children were also murdered during this three-month period.

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The unity walk will commemorate and celebrate the life of Uyinene, a beacon of hope and inspiration whose tragic passing shook campus and forever changed lives of family and friends.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Transformation, Student Affairs and Social Responsiveness, Professor Elelwani Ramugondo, said: “The month of August is not only for the country to celebrate women. It is during this month that we are also reminded of – and we intensify our efforts in – confronting sexual and gender-based violence.

“As a university, we put every effort toward creating an environment on and around campus where students and colleagues can feel safe, against the background of SGBV as a broader societal scourge.”

The theme of the walk is “United Against GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide)”.

Ramugondo added: “Beyond serving as a commemoration of Uyinene’s life, the walk will show support for everyone affected by SGBV as we stand as a unified community with students and staff from the Western Cape in the commitment to eradicate SGBV.”

Ramugondo remembered Uyinene as a young student whose life was one characterised by determination, intelligence and a passion for positive change.

“As a student at UCT, she demonstrated exceptional academic prowess, an unwavering commitment to her studies, and an infectious enthusiasm for life. Her vibrant spirit, warm heart and compassionate nature made her a beloved member of our campus family. To honour her legacy, UCT created the Uyinene Mrwetyana Scholarship in the Faculty of Humanities.

“Let us remember Uyinene as not just a victim of violence but as a champion for humanity, equality and justice. Let her life inspire us to strive for a society where everyone feels safe, valued and heard.”

The walk will start at Roscommon Residence at 09:00 on Saturday and proceed to Clareinch Post Office, and the public has been invited to join.

To join the walk, please register on the Uyinene Foundation’s website.