PRESS STATEMENT: 16 SEPTEMBER 2026
Women’s safety must be treated as a local governance priority
How many more women must die before women’s safety becomes a local priority? The discovery of women’s bodies in Kempton Park, City of Ekurhuleni is a deeply disturbing reminder that women continue to navigate public and private spaces under the threat of violence. The question is not only how these women died but also about the systems that failed to keep them safe.
As an organisation working with communities across Ekurhuleni and in the broader Gauteng Province, Planact strongly condemns the senseless killings and sympathises with the affected families and communities at large.
Women’s safety cannot be addressed through reactive measures alone. Proactive measures such as municipal safety plans, particularly in Ekurhuleni, must intentionally combat violence against women. The discovery of the bodies is not only a criminal justice concern, but also a question of community safety structures in which women must have a meaningful voice in shaping the places where they live.
We are calling for community-centred safety interventions. All municipalities must upgrade physical spaces by adding streetlights, clearing dark and hidden paths as well as intentionally designing open public areas. Municipalities must create an enabling environment where residents, especially women, must be included to influence planning, designing and managing tailor made safety initiatives. This will ensure that the solutions match the real daily needs of the community.