Five years after the brutal murder of seventeen year-old Anene Booysen, Special Assignment returns to Bredasdorp in the Western Cape. The town is a microcosm of many impoverished, rural communities whose vulnerable youth are surrounded by despair. Their lives are a far cry from what the promise of democracy was meant to deliver.

Anene’s gruesome attack made international headlines. Scores of South Africans took to the streets to protest against what is now a national crisis – our high levels of violent, sexual attacks against women and children.

Since Anene’s death, four more young girls have been violently raped and murdered in separate incidents in Bredasdorp. Sixteen year-old Jodene Pieters is the latest victim. She died the day before we arrived to film this episode, ironically, on the eve of the commemoration of Anene’s death.

Since February 2013, almost 210-thousand rapes have been reported to the South African police. The government is yet to appoint a national commission to deal with these crimes, as it promised to do after Anene’s murder. The 10-million rand Anene Booysen Skills Development Centre in Breadsdorp, stands unused.

How many more girls like Anene Booysen should we lose before decisive action is implemented to solve the national rape and murder crisis affecting our women and children?

REMEMBERING ANENE BOOYSEN is produced by Adel van Niekerk.

Watch Special Assignment, broadcast on Sundays at 21:30 on SABC 3.

Contact Special Assignment: 011 714 5419