The South African government has intensified its efforts to bring justice for the murdered women in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (IMC on GBVF) has approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy to speedily bring to justice the perpetrators behind the killing of nine women in Ekurhuleni. This strategy is in line with the key elements of the National Strategic Plan on the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
The IMC on GBVF, co-chaired by Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, met on Thursday to receive a briefing and consider recommendations from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) on the work to speedily find the perpetrators of the murders. The committee has elevated the multidisciplinary specialised team established to investigate the murders to be coordinated by the Deputy National Commissioner: Detective Services.
Minister Chikunga, during a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, urged families to report any missing persons at their nearest police station, particularly in and around Kempton Park, Kwa-Thema, and Tembisa. She emphasized that there is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a person missing, and that early reporting enables the police to initiate the necessary investigation and search processes without delay.
The government has called on community members with any information on the murders to report to the police. Warrant Officer Elvis Manyike can be contacted on 082 465 7249, or the South African Police Service Crime Stop number on 08600 10111. Minister Chikunga also warned against sharing unverified allegations, graphic images, or personal information of victims through social media or informal community platforms.
The Department of Social Development has commenced providing psycho-social support to the families of the identified victims in line with their needs. Minister Chikunga expressed that each of the murdered women was a human being of equal dignity, with relationships, hopes, and a rightful place in society. The government stands with the affected families and remains committed to ensuring they receive the necessary support while justice is pursued.
The public can report GBV incidents and access support by contacting the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre on 0800 428 428. The GBV Command Centre can also be reached by sending a Please Call Me to 1207867#, SMSing “HELP” to 31531, or contacting Skype: Helpme GBV. This support system aims to provide assistance to victims of gender-based violence.
The government remains committed to fighting against gender-based violence and femicide. The Comprehensive Emergency Strategy approved by the IMC on GBVF aims to prevent and rebuild social cohesion, enforce laws, provide protection and safety, and ensure justice and victim-centered support. The efforts to bring perpetrators to justice will continue, and the government urges the public to cooperate and report any information that may assist in the investigations.
Key points
- The South African government has approved a Comprehensive Emergency Strategy to bring perpetrators of the Ekurhuleni murders to justice.
- The government urges community members to report any information on the murders to the police and provides support for victims of gender-based violence.
- Psycho-social support has been provided to the families of the identified victims.
