Ramaphosa: Abuse, rape and killing of women not our heritage

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned perpetrators of women’s abuse who attempt to justify their actions.

Not how women dress or how they behave – that cannot be a justification. Not because some favour is given to them, not because they leave a relationship, and not because they are a junior employee.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was addressing the 1956 Women’s Day commemoration at the Union Buildings, where he emphasized that the abuse, rape, and killing of women are not part of South Africa’s heritage. Much of the president’s speech focused on commitments to end the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV), with Ramaphosa urging communities to refrain from turning a blind eye.