President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has announced a series of urgent interventions to address the growing concern of gender-based violence and femicide in the country. In a national address, Ramaphosa stated that the government had failed to do enough to protect women and that institutions and programs meant little if they did not work when a woman needed them. He emphasized that more needed to be done to address the issue.
Ramaphosa's announcement comes amid mounting concern about the discovery of the bodies of 11 women in Ekurhuleni since July. The President has ordered a national recovery operation targeting unresolved murders, rapes, and serious sexual offenses involving women and children. This operation will focus on identifying and solving cases, as well as providing support to survivors.
The national recovery operation will involve a thorough audit of unresolved cases, with a focus on identifying priority cases and developing individual recovery plans. The government has set a 60-day timeline for the audit and a 90-day timeline for developing recovery plans. The President has also emphasized the need for coordination and accountability in implementing these measures.
Fatima Shaik, executive director of People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), has welcomed the President's announcement, but emphasized that implementation, coordination, and accountability would be key to the success of these measures. Shaik noted that while police and forensic interventions were critical, it was also essential to focus on supporting survivors and preventing gender-based violence.
The President's interventions also extend to addressing the country's forensic backlog, with the police minister and national police commissioner tasked with producing a funded plan to reduce the backlog within 60 days. Additionally, municipalities have been instructed to conduct women's safety audits to identify and fix high-risk areas.
Ramaphosa has also ordered provincial and municipal authorities to intensify enforcement of existing liquor laws and bylaws, particularly against outlets operating without licenses or outside permitted trading hours. The President has emphasized that alcohol does not cause gender-based violence, but that harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence.
The government has allocated additional resources to support the fight against gender-based violence, including more resources for the family violence, child protection, and sexual offenses units. The President has stressed that the measures would ultimately require a sustained effort from all stakeholders to make a meaningful impact.
Key points
- President Ramaphosa orders national recovery operation to tackle gender-based violence and femicide
- Government sets timelines for implementing measures to address gender-based violence
- Interventions include addressing forensic backlog and strengthening support for survivors
