Unemployed People’s Movement Press Statement
Thandiswa Qubuda has Died
Dark clouds are not strangers in our patriarchal society. They are gaining momentum. On Thursday night, 28 February 2013, Thandiswa Qubuda passed from this world. She had spent six weeks in hospital, brain dead, after she was savagely raped and beaten.
We ask ourselves why her story, such a painful story, is not getting media coverage and creating an uproar. The lives of poor people count for nothing in this country. There is no democracy for us.
After
Andries Tatane, Marikana and now Mido Macia the whole world knows that we are
oppressed by a police force every bit as savage as the police force under
apartheid. But the evil is not only in the state. It is amongst us too. This is
the truth that we must face. Our struggle to build a society in which every
person counts is with ourselves as well as with the state and the capitalists.
The will be a commemoration service for Thandiswa Qubuda on the 07 March 2013 at BB Zondani, Grahamstown at 16:00 to honour the life of the noble daughter of the soil.
Our country must bow its head in shame, all of us! We are leaderless and futureless.
We
can not continue on this route, there has to be change, revolutionary change.
The new struggle cannot start with men waving guns. It must start with the
recognition of the dignity of every person.
Xola
Sbongile Jonas - 079 780 3928 - UPM Secretary for Women
Ayanda Kota - 078 625 6462
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Unemployed People’s Movement Press Statement
It is Time for Real Action Against Rape
Thandiswa Qubuda was gang raped in the early hours of the 20th January 2013 at the corner of New Town and E Street in Grahamstown. She is 30 years old and the only one surviving in the family. Both her both parents have died and she was living with her aunt.
She was savagely beaten during the rape and is now permanently brain damaged and lying in hospital. Today at 12 noon the Revered Mzi Dyantyi, family members and the Unemployed People's Movement held a prayer and anointment in her ward.
The men that were arrested after this rape were granted free bail. The rape case was then dismissed and struck off the role because of the extreme negligence and incompetence of the police. The only charge that is remaining is attempted murder. Witnesses have been subject to serious intimidation by one of the accused. One has been taken to a place of safety after been threatened with death by one of the accused. Another has had to flee to
We do not believe that the state is taking the rape and assault of Thandiswa Qubuda seriously. The state holds poor people in contempt. We are just voting fodder to them. We are not human beings to them.
Our President cannot give leadership in the struggle against rape, attacks on lesbians and other forms of gender based violence. After his rape trial he emerged bruised and lacking in credibility to many South Africans. His utterance in court when he stated that he knew that a woman wanted sex because of what she was wearing was disgraceful. The way that his accuser was vilified was disgraceful.
If the president was to deal with the scourge of rape seriously and to lead the fight against women abuse with honesty and sincerity his dignity would be restored to many South Africans. But we have no faith that this will happen. When we look at Nkandla or his silence in the face of the repression of the movements and struggles of the poor we have no confidence that we will ever have leadership from above.
Therefore
it is clear that the leadership in the struggle against rape will have to come
from below. It is time for real action against rape. As the UPM we are
committed to doing what ever is in our power to work with others to end this
scourge.
Enough! Genoeg! Kwanele!
Linda Booi – 0731217706 - Cousin to Thandiswa Qubuda
Xola Mali - 0722995253 - UPM Spokeperson
Sbongile Jonas - 0797803928 - UPM Secretary for Women
