South Africa has one of the highest rape statistics in the world, even higher than some countries at war
It was a cold night in New Doornfontein when Nompilo felt her chest tighten in fear. Once again the shouting had begun. From her small room on the third floor, she heard the familiar sound of glass breaking, followed by a woman’s screams coming from the corridor.
“Drunk men often turn violent against women,” she recalls. The walls, made of cardboard, are thin and there’s no escaping the noise or the violence. She sits there hoping the screams will stop before it’s too late.
This is the reality for many women living in Johannesburg’s occupied buildings — structures abandoned by landlords or owners but occupied by families with nowhere else to go. For these women, it is not just about having shelter, but it is about surviving the threat of gender-based violence (GBV).
The annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence from November 25 to December 10 aims to raise awareness about the persistent problem in our country. But the stories of women like Nompilo, who live in spaces where they don’t feel safe, are often unheard. These women are pushed to the margins by systemic failures and forced to live in unsafe conditions because the state has not provided decent, affordable accommodation in the inner city.
The lack of affordable housing leaves them with no other option. Poverty and unsafe living conditions compound these women’s vulnerability, creating an environment where violence against them is possible. Women have to think about their physical safety more than men.
The dangers they face are further amplified by their economic situation. For instance, with limited job opportunities, and a lack of regular, stable income, many women are compelled to depend on men for financial support, which results in power imbalances that lead to exploitation and abuse.
Women rely on men because they have no jobs and men use this against them because they know that women have no option but to stay. Economic dependence can amplify power imbalances, leaving women in low-income housing vulnerable to abuse and unable to escape.
The desperation of poverty can push women into transactional relationships where they exchange sex for money just to feed their children. This dynamic increases their exposure to sexual violence and coercion, trapping them in cycles of abuse from which they find it difficult to escape.
Their living conditions further escalate the likelihood of violence against them. The buildings are overcrowded, with dozens of men and women forced to share communal spaces like toilets and shower areas, increasing the vulnerability of residents to assault, especially women.
Buildings with inadequate lighting also increase women’s vulnerability to assault making it unsafe for them to travel to and from their rooms because the corridors are poorly lit, especially at night.
In some buildings security measures are inadequate — gates are often left open and unattended leaving residents, particularly women, exposed to people with ill-intentions who can freely enter. Basic services such as electricity and water become sources of conflict due to their scarcity further escalating the exposure to GBV.
Such living conditions expose women to harassment, assault and even rape.
These women’s vulnerability is not just because of individual actions; it is because of structural violence perpetuated by the state’s neglect. When basic human needs such as safe living spaces and reliable infrastructure are not met, compounded by economic insecurity, it creates conditions ripe for GBV.
The state’s failures manifest as poor infrastructure, overcrowded spaces with shared facilities, no security, no basic services and poverty, all of which puts women at risk.
The fear Nompilo felt that night is not an isolated incident but part of the daily reality for many women in Johannesburg’s inner city. As the shouting faded she sat in the dark, knowing this was far from over. The threat of violence looms over her like a shadow, a reminder of the systemic failures that have left her exposed and unprotected.
Women deserve to live safely — a right that should be given to every human being, no matter where they live.
As we mark the 16 Days of Activism this year, we must address the immediate need for systemic change. The state must prioritise provision of affordable and secure housing to ensure women are not forced to live in spaces where they feel unsafe and are vulnerable to GBV.
Let’s turn this time of awareness into action and recognise that safe and dignified housing is key to breaking the cycle of GBV. Women like Nompilo deserve to live free from violence, knowing that their safety is a human right.
Nolwazi Mahlangu is a research intern at SERI. Fredah Motshwane an executive member, and Thobile Zondo the deputy chairperson, at the Inner City Federation.