At least 11 women have been killed in Ekurhuleni since July. On Tuesday, September 29, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a nationwide safety audit and reviews of unresolved gender-based violence cases.
Safety Measures
The nationwide audit must be completed within 60 days. Local authorities must identify dangerous and high-risk areas, including places with broken streetlights, abandoned buildings and poorly secured parks. Ramaphosa said funded plans would follow the audits and address identified hotspots.
The measures focus on public places where women face risks. Ramaphosa said women change their routes home, avoid going out at night and warn one another about dangerous places and dangerous men. “We have placed the burden of male violence on women,” he said.
Authorities discovered the 11th victim’s body on Sunday. Residents were frightened, and Ekurhuleni remained on high alert as authorities investigated whether a serial killer or killers were responsible. Police haven't confirmed that the killings were linked.
Ramaphosa said police had arrested four suspects. In some cases, police had identified persons of interest and collected forensic material, including DNA, blood samples, clothing, cellphones and cellphone records. A high-level investigating team took on the Ekurhuleni killings.
Police and Case Reviews
Ramaphosa ordered police and the National Prosecuting Authority to review unresolved cases within 90 days. The review covers murders, attempted murders, rapes and other gender-based violence cases. The order puts police investigations and prosecution files at the center of the government’s response, alongside the local-authority audits.
“This cannot be accepted as a normal part of life in South Africa,” Ramaphosa said in a televised national address. “We must confront an uncomfortable truth. What we have done has not been enough.” He said funded plans would address backlogs in solving gender-based violence crimes, but the announcement didn't provide a figure for the funding.
The measures set deadlines for audits and case reviews. They don't report completed findings or results; those are expected to follow the announced reviews and plans.
Scale of Violence
South Africa recorded 5,427 homicides from April to July, according to official crime statistics. UN Women, the United Nations agency for gender equality, says the country’s femicide rate ranks among the highest in the world.
A 2022 study by a South African think tank found that more than 35% of South African adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence at some point. Ramaphosa said most women who experience such violence know their attackers and called on men to lead the fight against gender-based violence.
The immediate investigation remains unresolved: police haven't confirmed a connection among the Ekurhuleni killings. The government’s response assigns tasks to local authorities, police and prosecutors, while inspections will cover broken streetlights, abandoned buildings and poorly secured parks.