South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a nationwide audit of areas considered unsafe for women following the discovery of the bodies of 12 women in communities east of Johannesburg over a two-month period.
The deaths have triggered widespread concern over gender-based violence in South Africa, which continues to record one of the highest levels of violence against women globally.
As part of the government’s response, Ramaphosa has also directed officials to develop measures aimed at reducing violence linked to harmful alcohol use.
Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, the president acknowledged that more needed to be done to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. He said authorities were aware of concerns that the deaths could be connected to a single perpetrator. However, police have so far found no evidence confirming that the killings were carried out by one person. Four people have been arrested in connection with the cases.
Ramaphosa ordered every municipality to immediately conduct a women’s safety audit to identify locations and conditions that could expose women to danger.
The audits are expected to examine issues including inadequate street lighting, overgrown public areas, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes, poorly secured parks and other locations considered high-risk.
The president also instructed ministers to develop an enforcement plan targeting alcohol-related violence. He stressed that alcohol should never be used to justify gender-based violence, saying perpetrators remain responsible for their actions.
However, he noted that harmful alcohol consumption can contribute to interpersonal violence and therefore needs to form part of broader efforts to prevent such incidents.
Ramaphosa said tackling gender-based violence would require more than stronger policing and legislation, arguing that efforts must also address attitudes and social behaviours that contribute to violence against women. He pointed to beliefs that promote male control over women, as well as the normalization of jealousy, coercion and controlling behaviour in relationships.
The president called on men and boys to play a greater role in preventing violence against women and girls. He said women should not be expected to restrict their freedom as a way of protecting themselves, arguing that responsibility for ending violence must also rest with men.
South Africa continues to experience a high rate of violent crime. Police figures show that 5,427 people were murdered between April and June this year.
Although police statistics do not provide a gender breakdown of homicide victims, the South African Human Rights Commission reported that 569 women were killed and another 1,052 survived attempted murder during the same three-month period.
mfnewsgh.com
