Ramaphosa orders GBV case crackdown

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced four immediate actions to bolster the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. Following a recent spike in violence, with nearly ten women killed in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa expressed that previous efforts have been insufficient. He directed the Minister of Police and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to launch a national case-recovery operation, focusing on uninvestigated murders, attempted murders, rapes, and severe offenses against women and children.

Within 60 days, this operation aims to identify the number and demographics of these unresolved cases, including those awaiting forensic evidence and prosecutions delayed unjustly.

Additionally, Ramaphosa mandated the Minister of Police, National Commissioner of Police, and forensic authorities to draft a funded plan within 60 days to address forensic backlogs and establish clear turnaround standards specifically for gender-based violence and femicide cases. Priority samples in cases involving the rape or murder of women and children will be given top priority. The progress towards these turnaround standards will be reported publicly on a quarterly basis.

Municipalities are also required to conduct a women's safety audit without delay, identifying high-risk areas and potential hazards such as broken streetlights, overgrown public spaces, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes, and poorly secured parks. These audits must be completed within 60 days, and the most urgent hazards addressed within 90 days, with a plan outlining the necessary steps and timelines.

The results of these audits, along with progress in resolving identified hazards, will be made publicly available.

Furthermore, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, in collaboration with the Ministers of Health, Social Development, Police, and Cooperative Governance, will present a coordinated legislative and enforcement package aimed at reducing alcohol-related violence within 60 days. While alcohol does not cause GBV and cannot excuse it, excessive alcohol use significantly exacerbates interpersonal violence, and this issue must be addressed as part of the broader prevention strategy.

Ramaphosa emphasized that every government sphere must recognize that women's safety is a shared responsibility.

An Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide will oversee these measures, releasing consolidated public progress reports every quarter, with the first report due within 90 days. Ramaphosa stressed that these directives are not mere words; they assign clear responsibilities, set deadlines, and mandate regular reporting to the public.

These steps are designed to complement the ongoing implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, aiming to prevent violence before it starts by tackling underlying attitudes and societal beliefs that perpetuate gender inequality and control.