Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa announced four immediate measures on Tuesday evening to combat violence against women and girls, amid a series of murders in Ekurhuleni, where the bodies of eleven women have been found since July.
Ramaphosa said in his national address that police investigation into the murders has been escalated to national level and that several suspects have already been arrested. Although there is concern that the murders may be linked, according to him there is currently no evidence that a single person is responsible. He acknowledged that the government's efforts to date have been insufficient and that more must be done to protect women.
The president ordered that unsolved murder, rape and other serious cases involving women and children be reviewed within sixty days, with recovery plans for cases stalled within ninety days. A funded plan to address forensic backlogs must also be submitted within sixty days. Municipalities must meanwhile conduct safety audits to identify poor street lighting, unsafe public spaces and dangerous transport routes, among other things.
A further plan to address alcohol-related violence through legislation and enforcement of existing laws must also be submitted to cabinet.
Ramaphosa emphasised that violence against women cannot be solved by stricter law enforcement alone and that prevention must begin in families, schools and communities. He called on men and boys to speak out against abuse and harassment and not to remain silent when other men commit violence against women. He also promised that the government would report quarterly on progress with the announced measures.
Click here to read the full address.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
