Sister’s murder inspired Asonele Melapi to fight gender-based violence

After her sister, Nokwanda Patocka, was murdered, Asonele Melapi left her IT job to start a nonprofit organisation dedicated to combating gender-based violence and femicide.

The Local Hero nominee established the Nokwanda Patocka Gender-Based Violence Foundation in her sister’s memory, shortly after her tragic death at the age of 44 in Ginsberg.

“Our organisation offers daily programmes to empower our community,” Melapi said.

“These initiatives include child support, youth motivation programmes and visits to youth correctional centres to encourage young people to reform and make positive changes.

“We also host awareness campaigns and provide skills development training, teach entrepreneurial skills and offer funding assistance.”

The organisation also offers self-defence classes to college and university students to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Patocka was killed by her boyfriend, Lunga Nqayi, in October 2021, and Melapi started her NPO the following month.

Nqayi was sentenced to life in prison for the  murder.

The NPO provides a safe haven for victims, as well as youngsters, women and men navigating life’s challenges. 

The gender-based violence activist said she did not want to just fold her hands. 

“I didn’t want to be like my sister’s neighbours who didn’t come to her rescue the night the incident happened.

“I couldn’t accept just being a citizen who isn’t speaking against gender-based violence and femicide,” she said. 

“I decided to quit my job as an IT specialist in corporate and went as far as selling my car to fund the NPO.

“It’s not an easy road especially without financial support but I have managed to overcome the challenges.”

She said her mission was to create a safe space for everyone, especially young children who were still navigating life. 

“Our vision is creating a space not only for children but also men, women, the LGBTQI+ community, victims, the disabled and all vulnerable people.” 

She said one of the reasons that fuelled the decision was her niece, who witnessed the incident.

“I needed to show Thabathani [Nokwanda’s daughter] that you are not your circumstance, whatever you experience you can overcome and I wanted her to believe in that,” she said. 

Melapi said when the incident happened, her sister was on the verge of turning her life around. 

“She was a divorcee who was coming back from overseas and wanted to do [early childhood development] because she loved children.”

The 33-year-old is now following in the footsteps of her sister, who was passionate about community development. 

“I think young people in higher learning institutions are more vulnerable.

“We also host an annual gender-based violence march and we call upon all residents in the metro to join us and on the day we usually have a mobile clinic.

“We also try to engage the community on cases that were never solved, hoping they will get the answers they need.” 

She said one of their visions was to start a survivors’ camp to support people who had been victimised. 

“We want to change my sister’s house and make it a shelter for women and children who are victimised and we don’t have much of that as a province.” 

Thembalethu Joko said Melapi deserved to be celebrated for the great work she did. 

“She runs an unfunded civil society organisation working at grassroots level to advocate and support gender-based violence victims and families.

“She has innovative programmes for prevention such as self-defence classes for vulnerable groups, that she runs in institutions of higher learning and in underprivileged and urban communities.

“She has also taken a holistic approach on advocacy and is a referral centre for professional services.

“Her vision is to create a safe and secure environment for all abused women, men, children, the elderly, people living with disability and the LGBTQI+ community.

“Her mission is to provide awareness and fight GBVF by becoming a referral centre for victims, moulding young people through various programmes, and providing support to families of victims, so that people can live in a safe and secure environment.

“She believes in human dignity, self-respect, freedom, life and justice,” he said. 

DispatchLIVE