The discovery of 12 women’s bodies east of Johannesburg over a two-month period has prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to order a national emergency response and a clean-up of high-risk areas. Four people have been arrested, while Ramaphosa said police had found no evidence that one person was responsible for all the killings.
Addressing the nation, Ramaphosa acknowledged that the government had fallen short in protecting women and girls. He directed municipalities to carry out women’s safety audits, focusing on hazards including broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, dangerous transport routes and poorly secured public spaces. The government will also introduce measures aimed at curbing violence linked to alcohol.
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Ramaphosa said lasting progress would require a fundamental shift in attitudes towards women. He called on men and boys to accept greater responsibility for preventing and ending gender-based violence.
