Latest news with #genderViolence
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
Olorato Mongale's family struggles to come to terms with her tragic death - ‘Our worst fears came true'
She was filled with excitement as she prepared for a date with a potential suitor, only to have her life tragically cut short just hours later. Her untimely death has left South Africa grappling with a profound question: 'When will women truly be safe?' The family of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale, an only child, remains in disbelief following her tragic death. They say each day presents new challenges since the discovery of her lifeless body. Mongale's life was abruptly and violently taken on Sunday afternoon, just two hours after she informed friends she was going on a date with a man she had recently met at a mall in the Free State. The man reportedly contacted her again while visiting Johannesburg, and she agreed to meet him. Family spokesperson and close friend, Criselda Kananda, told Drum Magazine that Mongale had taken safety precautions. She informed her friends of the date and asked them to check in with her every 30 minutes. Despite these measures, Mongale's life was still cruelly stolen. 'Olorato knew the risks women face in this country. That's why she asked her friends to keep checking in while she was out,' said Kananda. 'When an hour passed and no one could reach her, her friends contacted her parents. A missing person poster was created and circulated.' At that point, the family still hoped for her safe return. 'We were worried because her phone was off, but we remained hopeful. It had only been about three hours since she left her apartment,' Kananda explained. 'Unfortunately, our worst fears came true when her body was discovered by the roadside in Lombardy, just two hours after she left for the date.' The family is devastated. 'There are no words to describe the pain we're going through. Every day brings a new challenge,' said Kananda. 'We refuse to let Olorato become another statistic, a young woman discarded on the street. She worked so hard for her future, for her country, and for women everywhere. We cannot accept this as normal.' Olorato Mongale was described as a vibrant, ambitious woman who knew what she wanted from life. She had earned an Honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and worked briefly as a multimedia journalist for TimesLIVE. She was pursuing a Master's degree in ICT Policy and Regulation at the University of the Witwatersrand at the time of her death. 'She was her mother's best friend. I cannot imagine how her mom will carry on from this,' Kananda added. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that a manhunt is underway for three suspects believed to be involved in Mongale's murder. 'The investigation led us to a lodge in Kew, Johannesburg, where two suspects had booked a room,' said Mathe. 'Further intelligence took us to KwaMashu in Durban, to the home of one of the suspects. The vehicle used by the suspects was found at a panel beater workshop, and upon inspection, SAPS forensic experts discovered traces of blood inside.' An elderly man believed to be the owner of the vehicle has been arrested. However, police are still searching for three men suspected to have been directly involved in the murder: Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya, and Bongani Mthimkhulu.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez killed on TikTok livestream
A 23-year-old Mexican social media influencer has been shot dead while live streaming on TikTok, the state prosecutor's office Marquez was killed when a man entered her beauty salon in the city of Guadalajara "and apparently fired a gun at her", according to the Jalisco state prosecutor's motive for the fatal attack has not been identified but the case is being investigated as a femicide - when women and girls are killed because of their gender, the state prosecutor violence is highly common in Mexico where the UN reports 10 women or girls are murdered every day by partners or family members. Moments before her death, Ms Marquez was sitting at a table holding a stuffed animal at her beauty salon in the suburb of Zapopan doing a later, she is shot dead, with the footage only ending when another person picks up her phone to stop the media reports say she was killed by a man pretending to bring her a arrived at the scene around 18:30 local time (12:30 GMT) and confirmed Ms Marquez's death, according to the state prosecutor's office did not name a of Ms Marquez, whose social media following totalled nearly 200,000 across TikTok and Instagram, have reacted with horror to her of Zapopan Juan José Frangie said his office had no record of Ms Marquez requesting help from the authorities due to threats against her, adding "a femicide is the worst thing", according to news agency state prosecutor says forensic experts are investigating the shooting.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez shot dead during TikTok live stream
A young Mexican social media influencer, known for her videos about beauty and make-up, was brazenly shot to death during a TikTok live stream, in an incident that sent shock waves through a country that faces high levels of gender-based violence. The death of Valeria Marquez, 23, is being investigated according to protocols for femicide – the killing of women or girls for reasons of gender – the Jalisco state prosecutor said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. Femicide can involve degrading violence, sexual abuse, a relationship with the murderer, or the victim's body being exposed in a public space, according to Mexican authorities. Marquez was killed on Tuesday in the beauty salon where she worked in the city of Zapopan by a man who entered and shot her, the statement said. The prosecutor's office did not name a suspect. Seconds before the incident, Marquez was seen on her TikTok live stream seated at a table clutching a stuffed toy. She was heard saying, 'they're coming', before a voice in the background asked: 'Hey, Vale?' 'Yes,' Marquez replied, just before muting the sound on the live stream.
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- The Guardian
Mexican beauty influencer shot dead during TikTok live stream
A young Mexican social media influencer, known for her videos about beauty and makeup, was brazenly shot to death during a TikTok livestream, in an incident that sent shockwaves through a country that faces high levels of gender-based violence. The death of Valeria Márquez, 23, is being investigated as a femicide – the killing of a women or girl for reasons of gender – the Jalisco state prosecutor said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. Femicide can involve degrading violence, sexual abuse, a relationship with the murderer, or the victim's body being exposed in a public space, according to Mexican authorities. Márquez was killed on Tuesday in the beauty salon where she worked in the city of Zapopan by a man who entered and shot her, the statement said. The prosecutor's office did not name a suspect. Seconds before the incident, Márquez was seen on her TikTok livestream seated at a table clutching a stuffed toy. She was heard saying, 'They're coming,' before a voice in the background asked: 'Hey, Vale?' 'Yes,' Márquez replied, just before muting the sound on the livestream. Moments later, she was shot to death. A person appeared to pick up her phone, with their face briefly showing on the livestream before the video ended. Márquez, who had nearly 200,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, had said earlier on the livestream that someone came to the salon when she was not there with an 'expensive gift' to deliver to her. Márquez, who appeared concerned, said she was not planning to wait for the person to come back. Mexico is tied with Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia as the countries with the fourth-highest rates of femicide in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the latest data from the United Nations economic commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, at 1.3 such deaths for every 100,000 women in 2023. Jalisco is ranked sixth out of Mexico's 32 states, including Mexico City, for homicides, with 906 recorded there since the beginning of President Claudia Sheinbaum's term in October 2024, according to data consultancy TResearch.
