As the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence draws to a close, this second instalment of WitnessTV’s in-depth GBV series confronts the trauma, the complexity and the enduring aftermath of abuse through the voices of those who have lived it. At the heart of this hard-hitting episode is an exclusive and deeply personal interview with Wendy Hammond, mother of the late Delana Cader, whose brutal killing at the hands of her ex-husband on the eve of Mother’s Day in 2023, sent shockwaves through KwaZulu-Natal and ignited an outpouring of public grief and outrage. Hammond takes listeners back to the night she learned her daughter had been murdered, and through the harrowing trial that followed.
Her account is raw, emotional and unflinchingly honest — a stark reminder that long after headlines fade, families continue living with unimaginable loss. Alongside her is Nicole Simpson, an author, motivational speaker and survivor of prolonged familial abuse. She shares her own journey through trauma, fear, shame.
Her reflections offer critical insight into the invisible chains that keep victims trapped and the long, difficult path toward reclaiming one’s life. Together, these stories illuminate the human realities behind the GBV statistics: the character of abusers, the societal silence that enables them, and the reasons why “just leaving” is rarely simple. Yet, woven through this pain is also a message of hope that survival is possible, healing is real, and victims can find their way to the other side.
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Hosted by Witness journalist Shorné Bennie, the episode seeks to spark deeper conversation at a pivotal moment in the national GBV discourse. It urges listeners not only to acknowledge the scale of the crisis, but to recognise the individual lives behind it and to consider the role each of us plays in protecting, supporting and empowering survivors. This emotionally charged episode honours Delana’s memory, amplifies the voices of survivors, and reinforces the urgent call for collective action against gender-based violence. Producer: Jade le RouxInterviewer: Shorne BennieFilmed by: Samkelo MahlaseEdited by: Samkelo Mahlase
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