#AmINext trends on social media as South African women protest murders and abduction of women in the country

Hundreds of demonstrators protesting South Africa’s high rate of violence against women blocked the entrance to the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town as the event got under way on Wednesday.

The protest was triggered by the murder last week of 19-year-old University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana -- one of the regular incidents of femicide in a nation notorious for its grim crime statistics. A woman is murdered every three hours in South Africa, according to police data.

The killing of Mrwetyana, who was raped and bludgeoned to death at a post office in an upmarket suburb of Cape Town, followed the murder of champion boxer Leighandre Jegels, 25, who was allegedly shot by an ex-boyfriend who had a restraining order against him. Before that, there was Meghan Cremer, an avid horse rider who was allegedly killed by three men as she left her farm outside of Cape Town.

More than a thousand people were involved in the protest, bearing placards including one that simply said: Stop Killing Us.

On Twitter and Facebook, women called for action using the hashtag #AmINext and suggested ideas including carrying pepper spray and taking self-defense classes, to imposing a curfew on men.

With the protesters having gathered twice during the day, security teams moved to put up fencing around the conference center’s entrances and shut down all but one access point. This meant rerouting WEF delegates and discouraging them from gathering at windows to look at the action in the street.

We’re here to support the women who are victims of sexual violence, Erin Connolly, one of the protesters gathered outside, said as the crowd chanted “how many more.

3915 women and children were murdered last year

That’s an average 10 women and children murdered every single day of 2018.

Every. Single. Day. #AmINext pic.twitter.com/ED9Xxi1sHD

— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) September 2, 2019

I was in a taxi today from benoni to davetorn then this guy said "it will be better it they were rapping lesbians as they don't know what they want"..
I cried in silence never felt more disgusted in my life and not being able to voice out to them was the breaking part💔#AmINext https://t.co/mLYMCpgiaM

— 🌈Owkey😇🌈 (@OkuhleThuso) September 3, 2019

Violence by men against women needs to end. Sending love to everyone in Cape Town who is supporting this incredibly important movement. #AmINext pic.twitter.com/NL5Eijyrws

— Caspar Lee (@Caspar_Lee) September 5, 2019

Most painful thing to watch 😢💔#UyineneMrwetyana #RIPUyinene#AmINext pic.twitter.com/E0tNfQKfEF

— Yesu Nyana Ka Thixo (@uYesuKrestu) September 2, 2019

Rest In Peace Beautiful, gorgeous Uyinene.... Lala ngoxolo Mafu, Langa, Khuboni, Mambele.... 🌸 yours is a sad reality we wake up too & sleep knowing that It could be me #AmINext 💔💔💔😭😭😭 #RIPUyineneMrwetyana pic.twitter.com/0btsctRn8F

— Asiphe Mdingi (@asiphe_mdingi) September 3, 2019

I'm at the #AmINext protest in Cape Town. The police just sprayed themselves with their own water cannon. Golden rule: don't piss into the wind. pic.twitter.com/9OEziyDJzr

— Simon Allison (@simonallison) September 5, 2019

3915 women and children were murdered last year

That’s an average 10 women and children murdered every single day of 2018.

Every. Single. Day. #AmINext pic.twitter.com/ED9Xxi1sHD

— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) September 2, 2019