Nine women are dead.

Busisiwe Mahlangu.

Itumeleng Kekana.

Nomfesane Mjobo.

Gracious Nkomo.

Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo.

Dineo Motapane.

Jabulile Ntimba.

And two women whose names have not yet been publicly released.

We remember their names because they were more than nine bodies found in Ekurhuleni. They were women with lives, families, dreams and futures. Their deaths must not become another set of statistics in South Africa’s long and devastating history of gender-based violence and femicide.

We call on the Government of South Africa to do more than respond when women are already dead.

A government cannot continue to be mobilised only after the next woman is killed, after the next family is searching for a daughter, sister, mother or friend, after another community is traumatised.

The time for reactive action must end.

The Government has announced an emergency strategy and intensified investigations. These measures must be accompanied by sustained prevention, functioning protection and justice systems, accountability for failures, and concrete action to make women safe before violence occurs, not only after another life has been lost.

We demand more than condolences.

We demand more than emergency responses.

We demand more than promises.

We demand a state that acts before women are killed.

We stand with the families and communities mourning these nine women.

We will remember their names.

We will remember their lives.

We will remember that the state had a responsibility to protect them.

African women and girls stand in solidarity with our South African sisters. We mourn with you, we stand with you, and we will not be silent.