Umlazi Community Comes Together inCandlelight Vigil to Honour Woman Lost toGender-Based Violence
By Thandwayinkosi Buthelezi
UMLAZI, in grief and solidarity, filled the streets of Umlazi P section this afternoon as community members gathered outside the home of Nomvuyo Ntaka (30), a woman who succumbed to injuries sustained during a brutal physical assault.
Holding candles and standing together in silence, friends, family members, neighbours and community members came out to honour her memory and to make a collective statement against gender based violence (GBV) and the continued loss of women to violence. The candlelight vigil was both a moment of mourning and a silent protest.
One by one, candles were lit, their flames illuminating the darkness as members of the community gathered around them. For those who knew Nomvuyo, the gathering was a deeply personal farewell. For others, it was a reminder that violence against women is not an isolated issue, but one that continues to affect families and communities across South Africa.
The atmosphere was emotional as people stood together, many raising their candles and mobile phone lights in solidarity. No speeches were needed to convey the message; the candles spoke for themselves. They represented a life lost, a family left grieving, and a community demanding that violence against women must not become normalised.
For Nomvuyo’s loved ones, however, she was more than a victim of violence. She was a friend, a daughter, a sister, a neighbour and a person whose life touched those around her. Her passing has left behind pain that cannot easily be put into words. The vigil offered those who knew her an opportunity to grieve together while also standing in solidarity with countless other women whose lives have been affected or cut short by gender based violence.
As the candles burned, the community's message was clear: women deserve to live without fear of violence, and their lives deserve to be protected, valued, and remembered.
Tonight, the lights of those candles may eventually go out, but the hope expressed by those who gathered is that the conversation and the demand for an end to violence against women will continue.
For Nomvuyo, for every woman whose life has been cut short, for every survivor, and for a future where candlelight vigils are no longer necessary to mourn women lost to violence.
Community members light candles in honour of Nomvuyo during a vigil in Umlazi. | Photo by Thandwayinkosi Buthelezi
Candles burn as friends, family and community members gather to remember Nomvuyo. | Photo by Thandwayinkosi Buthelezi
A large crowd gathered outside Nomvuyo’s home in a show of solidarity and a silent protest against gender-based violence. | Photo by Thandwayinkosi Buthelezi
