Ramaphosa orders national review of unresolved GBV cases

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening the government’s response to gender-based violence and femicide, including a national review of unresolved cases and safety audits in every municipality.

Ramaphosa announced the measures in an address to South Africans on Tuesday evening following the discovery of the bodies of 11 women in the Ekurhuleni area since July. African News Agency reports that the killings have prompted renewed concern over the government’s response to violence against women.

One of the main measures announced is a national case recovery operation covering unresolved murders, attempted murders and rape cases involving women and children. The Ministers of Police and Justice and Correctional Services, the National Prosecuting Authority and police leadership have been instructed to conduct the review.

Ramaphosa said unresolved cases must be identified within 60 days, with recovery plans for priority cases to be in place within 90 days. The review will seek to determine which investigations have stalled and what is required to move them forward.

Ramaphosa also instructed the police minister and National Police Commissioner to develop a plan to reduce forensic backlogs affecting GBV investigations. The government is also introducing mandatory women’s safety audits at municipal level.

Municipalities have 60 days to identify hazards that could place women at risk, including broken street lights, poorly secured parks and cemeteries, overgrown areas and hijacked buildings. Urgent hazards identified through the audits are to be addressed within 90 days, with high-risk areas also to be made public.

The measures accompany existing interventions in Ekurhuleni, including the clearing of overgrown areas and illegal dumping and increased police visibility. Ramaphosa said visible policing had already been strengthened in the area but stressed that policing alone could not resolve the broader GBV crisis.

The government has also previously announced the establishment of a multidisciplinary specialised investigation team to investigate the Ekurhuleni killings, alongside increased law-enforcement visibility through Operation Shanela.

Ramaphosa called for liquor laws and municipal by-laws to be enforced and urged anyone with information about violence against women or the Ekurhuleni killings to report it. He also stressed that there is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a person missing, saying early reporting could assist police investigations.

The President acknowledged that government action to date had not been sufficient and said stronger efforts were required from government and society. He said the government would continue providing updates as investigations into the killings progress.