Johannesburg – Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Tuesday women had the right to decide whether or not they wanted to have sex, regardless of their marital status.

Sibani Mngadi of the health department said: “The minister said it was critical that the right of women to take decisions about sex and their sexual health was respected by their partners, irrespective of the couple’s marital status.”

Tshabalala-Msimang was reacting to the murder of two women and a seven-year-old child, who were shot dead by the husband of one of the women in Soweto on Monday.

Sibongile Khumalo reportedly refused to have sex with her husband, Sipho Khumalo, fearing he was HIV-positive.

The Star newspaper said conflict about this had led to the murder of Sibongile, her mother, Ellen Madlabane and her foster brother, Kingdom Mabena.

Gender inequality and violence

Tshabalala-Msimang said: “We need to sustain our efforts to address the challenge of gender inequality and violence against women and children within our families and communities.”

“This is the kind of violence and brutality to which some women and children are still subjected, even on a Human Rights Day.”

Khumalo took the two women and the boy hostage, and then killed them before committing suicide at a house in Chiawelo on Monday morning.

Captain Mbazima Shiburi said the man had barricaded himself and his victims in the house about 01:00.

“Two women and a boy were shot and killed in the kitchen. The man then went into one of the bedrooms, where he shot himself in the head.”

After a breakdown in communication with negotiators – caused by Khumalo’s suicide – police task team members threw stun grenades into the house and stormed it shortly after 07:00.

Edited by Andiswa Mesatywa

Source: News24.Com
URL: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/New…/p>