Crackdown on South Africa’s unsafe streets ordered by president to keep women safe

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has ordered a comprehensive audit of unsafe streets to protect women following the discovery of 12 women's bodies in just two months near Johannesburg. The president's announcement comes after a national outcry over the alarming rate of gender-based violence in the country, which has one of the highest rates globally.

Ramaphosa unveiled plans to tackle alcohol-related violence as part of a nationwide emergency response, emphasizing that gender-based violence cannot be considered a normal aspect of life. He acknowledged that South Africa had not done enough to safeguard women and girls. Ramaphosa stressed that the government's failure to prevent gender-based violence in recent years necessitated an urgent response.

The president directed municipalities to conduct immediate women's safety audits, identifying high-risk areas and addressing issues such as broken streetlights, overgrown public spaces, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes, poorly secured parks, and other conditions that endanger women. Additionally, ministers were instructed to develop an enforcement package targeting alcohol-related violence.

Ramaphosa emphasized that while alcohol does not cause gender-based violence, it can exacerbate it and must be addressed as part of a broader prevention strategy. He called for a fundamental shift in attitudes toward women, attributing the root of the issue to beliefs that men have the right to control women, jealousy being mistaken for love, control mistaken for protection, and coercion mistaken for affection.

The president urged men and boys to take the lead in ending gender-based violence, emphasizing that the solution cannot involve limiting women's freedom.