South Africa in a crisis of violence against women, says President

South Africa is in a crisis of violence against women, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said, as he announced a series of emergency measures to tackle the scourge.

Addressing the nation on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the country was “in the grip of a crime wave” that had left women and children living in fear.

We have agreed, among all social partners, that we need to take extraordinary and concerted action – using every means at our disposal – to end this crisis.

The president announced that the government would be implementing a number of measures, including the establishment of 11 new courts dedicated to gender-based violence cases, a review of cold cases, and the introduction of harsher penalties for perpetrators.

He also said that the government would be working to improve the way that police handle cases of gender-based violence, and that it would be providing more support to victims.

The announcement comes after a series of high-profile murders of women in South Africa, which have sparked widespread protests and calls for action.

Ramaphosa said that the government was “determined that attention and resources be directed at all parts of the country where women are under siege from gender-based violence.”