South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced new national measures on Tuesday, September 29, to confront gender-based violence after at least 11 women were killed in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, since July.
In a televised address from Pretoria, Ramaphosa called violence against women a source of “profound pain and national shame” and acknowledged that previous government action had not been enough. The announcement followed the discovery of another woman’s body over the weekend and renewed public anger over safety and the pace of investigations.
Two deadlines for government agencies
The first measure requires local authorities across South Africa to complete women’s safety audits within 60 days. Officials are expected to identify high-risk places such as areas with broken streetlights, abandoned buildings and poorly secured parks, according to Associated Press reporting published September 30.
The second directs police and the National Prosecuting Authority to review unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and other gender-based violence cases within 90 days. Ramaphosa said the reviews should be followed by funded plans addressing both dangerous locations and investigative backlogs.
Investigations continue in Ekurhuleni
Police have not established that the killings are linked, and authorities have not confirmed the presence of a serial offender. Ramaphosa said investigators must keep all possibilities open. A high-level team has been assigned to the Ekurhuleni cases, and officials have reported arrests and the collection of forensic evidence in parts of the investigation.
Reuters reported September 30 that the victims were mostly in their 20s or 30s and that the deaths had intensified fear in communities east of Johannesburg. The president said unresolved investigations would not be allowed to go cold.
The measures are commitments with specific deadlines, not completed outcomes. Their impact will depend on whether local audits are finished, problem areas receive funding, and prosecutors and police turn the case reviews into measurable progress.
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Featured image: Women gathered outdoors in South Africa. Photo by Tlou Manamela on Unsplash. The stock photo is illustrative and does not depict the Ekurhuleni cases.