Abortion law culprit in Gugulethu murder

The ACDP is deeply disturbed by the murder of Patronella Mkona, of Gugulethu in Cape Town, together with her daughter and sister reportedly by her (Mkona’s) boyfriend for refusing to have an abortion.

The ACDP has consistently said that abortion hurts women, not only physically but mentally and emotionally. However, we did not realize that this would include harm being inflicted on a woman who had chosen to honour the life of her unborn child by refusing to have an abortion. At the root of these tragic murders is the severe lack of respect for life in South Africa.

This murder highlights the fact that the rate of femicide in South Africa is escalating. Everyday, the news is riddled with stories of women killed by their male partners, not to mention the high rate of other forms of violence against women.

When it is legally acceptable to murder an unborn child, the door is left wide open inviting other ills such as what has happened to this young mother and her loved ones.

The late Mother Teresa of Calcutta was once quoted as saying a nation which murders its unborn children is a nation without a heart or soul.

It is imperative that we develop a culture of respect for life through assisting women and girls with crisis pregnancies giving them alternatives to abortion which value both the mother and her baby, a culture where individuals who conceive children take ownership and responsibility together for the life of the child. Ultimately, it is about encouraging people to choose family values or we will face the destructive consequences of abortion.

The ACDP is committed to eradicating this destructive influence and we will not waver in our attempts to have this legislation scrapped.