A group of women have highlighted that the plight of women is still one that needs urgent attention.

According to the founder of the Facebook page SA Women Fight Back, Bronwyn Litkie, the group’s endeavors began on Women’s Day last year. Six months later, it has garnered the support of more than 250 000 women. Litkie said they are standing up for the South African women who are victims of criminals acting with impunity.

On Thursday, the group held events in Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London and at Cape Town’s Athlone Stadium.

There, they made a human chain and marched to the Athlone Police station.

“We’re also going to check on the 6-point system. The system was put into place in 2017 which each police station is meant to adhere to.  A lot of the police stations don’t even know it exists, which is a massive problem,” she said.

Likie said that the level of violence against women in South Africa is becoming ‘out of control and unfortunately it’s just getting worse.’

“We are a community of women who are fighting for no bail, harsher sentences for (perpetrators) and against gender-based violence in every way possible.

“When we find people out on parole committing these murders, we need to be holding someone accountable because it means our system is completely failing us.”

Their latest project started on Thursday, where their executive team handed over a petition to Parliament. It calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to fulfill the promises he made in the height of anti-gender-based- violence protests in 2019. The petition garnered more than 530 000 signatures.

“In September the president gave his speech with his 16 promises. We are sitting 6 months later and not one of those promises has he held to,” she said.

Litkie said their letter to Ramaphosa singles out members of parliament for not doing enough. These include Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola and Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane who she said has been “deafeningly silent.”

“We need them to be putting in structures. If you’re going in for rape and murder, it should be a life sentence as 25 years is not enough for a life sentence.”

Litkie also highlighted issues with South African prisons.

“Something else we desperately need to address is the prison system. They’re letting people out because they claim the prisons are too full, then they need to build other prisons,” she said.

“A lot of the things the president promised us is low hanging fruit. They are attainable but it’s just them getting out of parliament and actually put these things into action.”