Another life lost to South Africa’s GBV crisis

South Africa grieves the loss of another victim to gender-based violence (GBV). Zakithi Ndaba, 27-year-old, a journalism graduate and up-and-coming chef at Trumps Grillhouse in Nelson Mandela Square, was found dead in her apartment in Sunninghill.

It is believed that she was shot by her boyfriend, Aviwe Poswa, a brand activation manager at Student Village in Johannesburg, who, until yesterday, was on the run. 

Ndaba, who shared a three-year-old daughter, Niana, with the accused, was last seen alive at her home at The Apollo in Sunninghill, Johannesburg. After several unanswered calls, her mother reported her missing to the police.

When officers arrived at the apartment on Saturday, they found her lifeless body with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Poswa turned himself into the police on Monday, March 17, 2025, and first appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court this morning, where he applied for bail. The bail hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 20, at 8:30.

Another Woman, Another Name on the List

Ndaba’s murder is not an isolated incident—it is a tragic recurrence in a country where women continue to face systemic violence and inadequate protection. South Africa’s GBV statistics remain among the highest in the world. Every day, women are killed, assaulted, or abused at the hands of men they know and trust.

Ndaba’s story echoes that of so many women before her—ambitious, full of promise, yet tragically taken due to the violence of GBV. Her life was more than just another statistic. She was a dreamer, a chef, and a businesswoman who had co-founded INTOMBI’ZAKITHI, a company selling handcrafted traditional sauces. She was a mother, a sister, a daughter—now tragically taken from those who loved her. 

Justice for Zakithi

Ndaba’s family is devastated. They are pleading with the public to bring awareness to her case, to ensure that justice is served and that her death is not swept under the rug like countless other GBV cases.

“This cannot be just another case that fades into the background,” said a family member. “She had so much to live for. She was kind, driven, and loved her daughter deeply. Now, Niana is left without a mother.”

Ndaba was laid to rest in her hometown of Estcourt, Kwazulu Natal, on 15 March 2025.

Enough is Enough

The painful reality is that GBV is a national crisis. Women continue to die at alarming rates, yet the justice system remains slow to act. Bail applications for alleged killers like Poswa only reinforce the perception that perpetrators of GBV can evade consequences.

GBV in South Africa

The prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa is alarmingly high, underscoring the urgency of addressing this crisis. 

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), between July and September 2022, the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit arrested 4 375 individuals for crimes committed against women and children.

Additionally, the first South African National Gender-Based Violence Study, conducted in 2022, revealed that 9.8% of women nationally had experienced sexual violence in their lifetimes, regardless of partnership status. These statistics highlight the pervasive nature of GBV in the country and the critical need for comprehensive interventions to protect women and children.

The outrage over Ndaba’s murder must not be momentary. It must translate into sustained action—holding the justice system accountable, demanding stricter laws, and ensuring women are safe in their homes.

How many more women must die before South Africa treats GBV as the emergency that it is?