Sibusiso Lawrence from Scottburgh, KwaZulu-Natal killed his girlfriend and confessed to the murder.
He posted a picture of her dead body on the social media platform, specifically on his Facebook page, with what seems to be her throat slit open.
Lawrence also posted a video in which he was totally bloody and said that he killed her and explained the reason based on his personal issues.
He stated that he was trying to make his girlfriend happy, he lost money and had to deal with the situation of her having a child from another man, which he claimed he fed for him despite not being his child.
It also mentioned the intentions to claim from Road Accident Fund (RAF) which may depict a sense of entitlement or desperation.
After the murder and his posting of the scene on social networks, Lawrence was eventually discovered by the police, dead from hanging, just a short distance from where the murder had taken place. This was revealed by the SAPS in KwaZulu-Natal.
The case has brought the issue of GBV back into the spotlight both nationally and internationally, underlining the extent of such violence in the country. It is considered as both a consequence and an aggravation of the existing problem of GBV in the country.
There is a clear view of South African society’s perception of gender, power and violence in this paper. The case has been a make for discussions on how cultural and systemic factors may lead to make such acts happen.
The Sibusiso Lawrence case is not just one case of a tragic event, but rather it is a wake up call to the numerous challenges that are present in South Africa with regards to the fight against GBV.
It highlights the need for a comprehensive strategy that focuses on the causes and the culture that accepts violence against women and not only the legal aspects.