DURBAN - Minister in the Presidency for women and children Bathabile Dlamini has urged students to speak out on abuse.
She was speaking outside the Durban Magistrates Court where Mangosuthu University of Technology students had demonstrated against the bail release of murder accused Thabani Mzolo. Mzolo allegedly shot dead his ex-girlfriend Zolile Khumalo, 21, last Tuesday.
Dlamini urged student leaders to be exemplary.
"There are many who are abused by their boyfriends here," she said. "Another thing, student leaders from the SRC president, must be exemplary".
"The death of Zolile is the death of many other young women, of many other girl children. The abuse of women is linked to patriarchy and human rights, it happens to all women. Let us put our political jackets aside and fight violence against women, there must be a single platform of action," said Dlamini.
WATCH: Minister Bathabile Dlamini warned students not to stay in abusive relationships outside the Durban Magistrates Court to show support and oppose bail for #ZolileKhumalo's alleged murderer #ThabaniMzolo. Video: Karinda Jagmohan
Khumalo's cousin, Bongiwe Myeni, speaking on behalf of the family, thanked the students, the university and the public for the support they had shown since Khumalo's death.
"Siyabonga kakhulu (thank you very much)," said Myeni in a heartfelt message in isiZulu.
But another MUT student and supporter of the Justice for Zoe campaign, Bongiwe Radebe, questioned why it took the death of Khumalo for the conversation of violence against women to surface.
Bongiwe Radebe, an MUT student and ZolileKhumalo supporter says women are alone in this fight. Video: Karinda Jagmohan
Mzolo has been remanded in custody until next Thursday inorder for the state to verify his address.