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Nereya Otieno
Sep. 23, 2019 06:21PM EST
Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP/Getty Images

Death of Another Young South African Woman Prompts Sadness, Outrage

The ongoing gender-based violence in South Africa has the nation on edge.

Another week, another sad story of violence against women in South Africa. 22-year-old Sinethemba Ndlovu was taken to the hospital this weekend after sustaining "two stab wounds below the left armpit and stomach" according to police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala. She died while in medical care. As per BBC, witnesses stated that Ndlovu was working a motorsport event in KwaZulu-Natal Saturday night when a man forced himself on her. As of now, no arrests have been made.

The extreme violence against women has been a major topic in South Africa as of late. Earlier this month, people took to the streets in droves to protest the normalized culture of violence against women. In response, last week President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an emergency plan to curb rising assaults on women and pledged to commit $75 million to the cause as reported by Al Jazeera. But actions are not having an effect quickly enough.

Ndlovu's death is only the most recent murder to stir national outrage. In August, a young University of Cape Town student, Uyinene Mrwetyana, was brutally raped and murdered in a post office. She was thought to be missing until the police discovered her body a week later. This event, after a hectic string of violent attacks, prompted calls for the death penalty as punishment. It also spawned the hashtag #AmINext on social media.

The trending hashtag is meant to underline the frequency of attacks and the vulnerability felt by South African women. Many people have taken to Twitter to express their condolences for Ndlovu–using the hashtag #RipSne and #SinethembaNdlovu–as well as sharing their reactions to another instance of violence.






south africa sinenthemba ndolvu gender based violence femicide am i next
Style
Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Wekafore Releases Fela Kuti Inspired Collab With Daily Paper

The one-of-a-kind 'The Spirit Don't Die' capsule collection celebrates African heritage and a hope for a brighter future.

Amsterdam-based African streetwear brand Daily Paper has joined Nigerian fashion brand Wekafore in creating a unique capsule collection of note. The 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection is inspired by fashion and Nigerian activism icon Fela Kuti, but celebrates the bountiful beauty, potential, and heritage of Africans.

Nigerian designer Wekaforé Maniu Jibril, owner, and designer of the Wekafore brand has been hot since his 2013 debut. The brand has gone on to become a great success within the realm of West African fashion. Wekaforé represents a newer, more fearless generation of African designers and their latest collaborative collection tells the tale.

Daily Paper x Wekaforé 'The Spirit Don't Die' collectionImage courtesy of Daily Paper


The two popular brands share a rich history and intention to further African fashion's reputation in the world, as well as as a shared desire for raw necessity, organic growth, and authentic community engagement, development and, support. The fashion brands are making it known that street and casual wear are more than we once thought - fashion can be inclusive and fun. The stars truly aligned to bring us this partnership guided by similar core values and the hunger to celebrate Africa and her diasporas through fashion.

The Fela Kuti-inspired collection is filled with distinctive and bold pieces, honoring Africa's past while paving the way towards the future. Wekafore is known for their clear integration of West Africa's 1970's cultural golden age, and this limited collection speaks to those themes, making it a no-brainer to dedicate the line to the legendary King of Afrobeat, whose style never disappointed. It's clear to see how Kuti's influence inspired the exciting and vibrant creative renaissance seen in the collection. On using Kuti as his muse, Wekaforé says, "Like Fela, the pieces are very punk, very psychedelic, and very African at the same time. And that represents me 100%. And I think being able to speak that way through a platform like Daily Paper is a testament to contemporary African consciousness."


Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Daily Paper x Wekafore 'The Spirit Don't Die' Collection

Check out more of Daily Paper x Wekafore's collection 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection here.

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