Being an activist is increasingly becoming risky as more human rights defenders are being ill-treated or even killed. Activists across Africa remain in fear as they build social movements, stand up for the rights of the voiceless and attempt to balance the scales of society. Over a week ago a South African activist, Thato Molosankwe was shot and killed in his home in Mahikeng meanwhile the US has sanctioned a senior Tanzanian police official over allegations linked to the "torture and sexual assault" of East African rights activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire last year. Peter Ndoro spoke to Dr Tendai Mbanje Researcher at the University of Pretoria.