As school friends, parents, teachers, politicians and family of slain University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana, 19, launched a foundation in her name with a protest march through the streets of Makhanda it finally rained in the drought-stricken university town. The foundation’s launch was described as a moment of hope in the fight against gender-based violence.

Mrwetyana’s mother Nomangwane led the march, flanked by family members.

“Today marks the culmination of the storm for us. Three months ago our lives were changed forever. We experienced the kind of havoc that no family deserves. I wish to express my sincere condolences to the family of Precious Ramabulana. No family deserves this,” she said.

Ramabulana, a student at the Capricorn TVET College in Limpopo, was murdered on Sunday 23 November.

“I stand here as a mother with mixed feelings. But I am here to share our vision for the foundation,” she said. Paying tribute to her daughter, she said Uyinene’s smile “could light up a room”.

“We will be the custodian of her memory and carry on fighting injustice in the world. Her name means God is truthful.”

She said they wanted the foundation to create a platform for engagement to fight gender-based violence and to become a strategic partner to other stakeholders fighting the scourge. She said more specifically they wanted to stress youth engagement.

“The answers we need can never be uncovered by a single organisation. We recognise the work other organisations have done, but we want to help to further their work.

“I want to challenge the young people in the room. I want to believe that gender-based violence is the struggle of your time.”

She said her vision was to work towards a society that was free of gender-based violence.

“We also want to convert the post office where she was murdered into a wellness centre to change a place of trauma into a place of healing,” she said.

The high-profile event was also attended by MEC for Social Development Siphokazi Lusithi and mayor of Makana Municipality Mzukisi Mpahlwa.

Learners from Kingswood College, where Mrwetyana attended school, sang as the protest, with a few hundred marchers, wound its way through Makhanda’s streets. Representatives from the Universities of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth and Rhodes University joined the march.

“As the march continued the heavens opened and showered us with God’s blessings,” Pastor Loretta Mkati said.

Mrwetyana was a media studies student at the University of Cape Town when she disappeared on 30 August after going to the Clareinch post office in Claremont to fetch a parcel. An extensive search was launched for her by the police, her friends and family. She was confirmed dead by investigators on 3 September.

Her killer, a post office employee Luyanda Botha, 42, was sentenced to life imprisonment in November for her murder, rape and defeating the ends of justice.

Kingswood College head Colleen Vassiliou said the launch of the foundation must be a moment of hope.

“Her murder and rape does not define who she was. She was powerful beyond measure because of her life.”

Vassiliou said while Mrwetyana never said she wanted to become the “poster child” for the fight against gender-based violence, her outspoken and feisty nature was a great fit for the role of an advocate for this cause.

“Let us have a celebration of her life,” she said.

Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, said in a video message of support:

“Uyinene had a future in front of her; lots of milestones ahead of her and lots of giving to her community and her family. We have been robbed of her and many other women. A loss of one woman in one year is a loss of one woman too many.

“There are critical things we have to do as a society to stay focused on the fight against gender-based violence. The prosecuting authority has to be jacked up. Perpetrators must have something to be afraid of. There are too many of them walking free. Sectors should work together in a formalised way to get results.

“We must change norms and behaviour in society — especially those of men and boys. In this issue, we cannot be bystanders. Women and girls should expect to be believed when they complain. We must remove people from society if they are a danger. Let’s move forward and continue the fight,” she said.

“Nothing is more important to us than to focus on women and girls, gender-based violence, homophobia and people being killed because of their sexual orientation,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka. MC