Women’s Month: CapeTalk's Refilwe Moloto gets choked up, angry over Krugersdorp rapes

‘We’re dying in front them, and they don’t care, we can’t go into another Women’s Month like this,’ the CapeTalk host Refilwe Moloto said. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

‘We’re dying in front them, and they don’t care, we can’t go into another Women’s Month like this,’ the CapeTalk host Refilwe Moloto said. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Aug 2, 2022

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Cape Town - Popular radio host, Refilwe Moloto started off Women’s Month with an emotional attack on the ruling party’s failure to curb crime, after being moved to tears while discussing the Krugersdorp rapes.

Moloto, the host of the “Breakfast with Refilwe Moloto” on CapeTalk, started her daily “I Feel Quite Strongly About This (IFQSAT)” feature addressing the horrific gang rape of eight young women at a video shoot in Krugersdorp.

Moloto’s also discussed the news about more than 80 illegal miners arrested who were arrested after the gang rape of eight women in West Village on Friday.

The crew were filming the video when about 10 men wearing Basotho blankets, balaclavas and mining-type overalls allegedly started firing in the air and ordered everyone to lie down, then searched everyone, robbing them of their clothes, cellphones, rings, passports, watches, handbags, cash, cameras and other valuables to the value of R1.5 million.

After this, the suspects allegedly whistled and another 10 men wearing Basotho blankets and balaclavas joined them. They then proceeded to take the women one by one into the bush and gang-raped them.

The IFQSAT feature often sees Moloto tackle burning thoughts that the radio host feels moved to speak on.

During Monday’s broadcast, the host started off the feature with a mirthless laugh before getting overwhelmed with emotion as she spoke.

“It cannot be...It cannot be the ANC anymore. I know I sound like a broken record but I’ve literally been saying...every five minutes, (Police Minister) Bheki Cele is on my screen.

“Every week, Bheki Cele is on my screen, which is an indication, because we know he is attention seeking, it is an indication of how much crime is going on,” she said.

“We see him when a crime has successfully been concluded. That’s the only time he comes out to talk to us, and if I’m seeing him every single week over a national tragedy, (and/or) disaster - the 21 children, and now it’s eight women?! It cannot be the ANC.

“It can’t,” she said, choking up on air.

“We’re dying in front them, and they don’t care... We can’t go into another Women’s Month like this.”

She ended by saying: “I don’t care who you vote for, it can’t be these guys. It cannot be the ANC any more. We are dying.”

The police minister has called the Krugersdorp sexual assault the “shame of the nation” and said that government is working tirelessly to ensure victims get support.

When releasing the crime stats for the period between January and March of this year, Cele noted that there was an increase in murder and rape cases.

Murder increased by 22.2% from 4 976 in the same period last year to 6 083 in 2022. Rape also shot up by 13.7% to 10 818 during the first three months of this year.

Cape Argus