Cyril Ramaphosa unveils 4-point plan to tackle gender-based violence

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a comprehensive four-point plan aimed at addressing the persistent scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa. The announcement follows a series of high-profile incidents that have sparked national outrage and renewed calls for government intervention.

The President emphasized that the new strategy is designed to ensure that cases are processed more efficiently and that perpetrators are held accountable. As part of this initiative, Ramaphosa has directed the acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, to lead a national case-recovery operation.

This operation will focus specifically on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes, and serious sexual offences involving women and children.

The President further stated that individual recovery plans must be established for priority cases, as well as for those that have stalled within the justice system. This move is intended to clear forensic backlogs and provide justice for victims and their families.

In addition to the operational changes, the government has committed to allocating increased resources to the fight against GBVF. This includes strengthening the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units to ensure they are better equipped to handle the volume and complexity of cases they face.