Rising femicide rates: Two women killed in Cape Town in less than 48 hours
Shakierah Augustine's body was dumped in Mitchells Plain.
Image: Supplied
Two women were brutally murdered in separate incidents in less than 48 hours, just days after the police released its fourth quarter crime statistics this week.
South Africa recorded 546 fewer murders in the first three months of 2026 compared to last year.
Police confirmed the latest murder in Delft in Leeu Street on Monday, where the body of a woman was discovered after she had been shot.
“Police reports state that a body of a 42-year-old female was found lying on the street with gunshot wounds to her head and body; furthermore, she was declared dead at the crime scene,” said police spokesperson, Thembakazi Mpendukana.
“Delft SAPS has opened a murder case for further investigation, and no arrest has been made yet.”
On Saturday, the shocking discovery of Town Centre in Mitchells Plain’s inhabitant, Shakierah Augustine, was found dumped.
MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, said while the femicide numbers were rising, it must not be forgotten that just months ago, gender-based violence (GBV) was declared a national disaster.
Marais reiterated the national declaration on femicide.
“Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster, communities are rightfully expecting to see tangible and sustained interventions from all spheres of government.
"This includes improved policing responses, faster investigations, stronger prosecution of offenders, better victim support services, expanded shelters, and meaningful social interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of violence.
“The Western Cape Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety has also implemented preventative initiatives such as the GBVF Men’s Dialogue Programme, which focuses on educating men and young boys about healthy relationships, respectful engagement with women and girls, conflict resolution, emotional wellbeing, and dealing with personal trauma in constructive ways.”
GOOD Party councillor, Jonathan Cupido, echoed the same concerns.
“Cape Town has poured billions into enforcement, technology, and security-driven projects. Yet a fraction of that political energy and budget is directed at the social conditions that produce this violence: poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, broken family support, unsafe public spaces, unlit streets, unsafe transport, youth exclusion, and the daily vulnerability of women and children in our poorest communities,” he said.