In brief
In the wake of 12 female victims found in close proximity east of Johannesburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a nationwide audit of streets that put women at risk. He announced a multi‑layered emergency response aimed at curbing gender‑based violence, with municipalities tasked to identify broken streetlights, overgrown spaces and unsafe transport routes. The president also called on men and boys to lead the fight against gender‑based violence and launched an enforcement package to reduce alcohol‑related aggression. Over 500 homicides were recorded in the first quarter of the year, while the Human Rights Commission reported 569 women killed between April and June. The move reflects a government shift toward addressing systemic safety failures and changing cultural attitudes toward women’s autonomy.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a nationwide safety audit of streets that put women at risk after a disturbing number of murders in the Johannesburg suburbs.
In a televised address, the leader said that 12 women were found in close proximity east of Johannesburg over just two months and that “gender‑based violence can not be accepted as a normal part of life.”
He ordered every municipality to conduct a “women’s safety audit” immediately, targeting broken streetlights, overgrown parking lots, abandoned buildings, unsafe transit routes and poorly secured public parks.
Parallel to the audit, ministers are tasked with drafting an enforcement package aimed at curbing alcohol‑related violence, stating that “ alcohol does not cause gender‑based violence but harmful use is a significant aggravating factor.”
- Audit criteria: broken streetlights, overgrown spaces, abandoned structures, unsafe transport routes, poorly secured parks.
- Alcohol policy: stricter licensing, public awareness campaigns and tougher penalties for excessive alcohol consumption.
- Call to men: “men and boys must lead the fight against gender‑based violence.”
Ramaphosa warned that the violence “begins much earlier,” in attitudes that regard women as inferior and in the failure to respect a woman’s word “no.” He reaffirmed that South Africa had “not done enough” to protect women and girls.
According to the South African Human Rights Commission, 569 women were killed and 1,052 others survived attempted murder between April and June, while total homicides rose to 5,427 in that quarter.
The president’s remarks come amid growing national grief and calls for robust interventions to reduce gender‑based violence and make streets safer for women and children.
