South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an urgent audit of streets and public spaces considered dangerous for women after the bodies of 12 women were found within two months in an area east of Johannesburg. The deaths have triggered a national outcry and renewed questions over the scale of violence against women in South Africa, which has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. Ramaphosa announced a series of measures aimed at improving the safety of women and girls.
The audit will focus on conditions that could make public spaces dangerous, including damaged or missing streetlights, overgrown areas, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes and facilities, as well as parks that lack proper security. Ramaphosa said every municipality must begin a women's safety audit without delay and identify high-risk areas that need to be addressed. The president acknowledged that the government had not done enough in recent years to prevent violence against women and girls.
Ramaphosa said there had been concern that the deaths could be linked to one person, but said police had not established such a connection. At present, the police have not found evidence establishing that these killings were committed by a single perpetrator. Police have so far made four arrests in connection with the cases. The president directed ministers to prepare an "enforcement package" aimed at dealing with alcohol-related violence.
Ramaphosa emphasized that alcohol does not cause gender-based violence and it can never excuse it, but argued that harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence. He said efforts to tackle violence against women must go beyond arrests, policing and laws, arguing that the problem begins much earlier through attitudes and behavior. The president called on men and boys to play a leading role in efforts to stop gender-based violence.
Ramaphosa said violence against women starts with beliefs that place women below men and with attempts by men to control their partners. He said a deeper change, beyond policing and legislation, must take place to reduce violence against women and girls. The president argued that the solution to violence against women cannot be to make women less free and that men must take responsibility for tackling male violence.
South Africa is also dealing with a high overall murder rate, with police figures showing that 5,427 people were killed between April and June this year. The police figures do not separate homicide victims by gender. However, the South African Human Rights Commission recently reported that 569 women were killed during the same period, while another 1,052 women survived attempted murder.
The latest deaths have added to wider concern over the safety of women and girls and prompted the government to combine policing, safer public spaces, action on alcohol-related violence and changes in social attitudes as part of its national response. Ramaphosa's measures aim to address the root causes of violence against women and girls, and to create a safer environment for them.
Key points
- President Cyril Ramaphosa orders urgent safety audit of streets and public spaces in South Africa.
- The audit aims to identify high-risk areas and address conditions that make public spaces dangerous for women.
- Ramaphosa calls on men and boys to play a leading role in efforts to stop gender-based violence.
