In a bid to ensure that cases involving violence against women and children are not stalled, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a four-point recovery plan to ensure that cases are processed and that perpetrators are brought to book.
Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, the President announced that he has directed the Acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia and Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to undertake a national case-recovery operation focused on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children.
He said individual recovery plans must be in place for priority cases as well as cases that have stalled.
“Within 60 days, this audit must identify the number and age of unresolved cases, cases awaiting forensic evidence, cases in which suspects have been identified but not arrested and cases in which investigative or prosecutorial action has been unreasonably delayed,” the President explained.
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Each plan, he said, must identify the outstanding action, the responsible official and the deadline for moving the case forward.
President Ramaphosa said he has also directed the Minister Cachalia, the Acting National Commissioner of Police Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, and the relevant forensic authorities to present, within 60 days, a funded plan to reduce forensic backlogs and establish clear turnaround standards for priority gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases.
“The plan must set out the size and age of the backlog, shortages of personnel and equipment, the resources required and the dates by which the backlog will be reduced.
Priority forensic samples in cases involving the rape or murder of women and children must be ring-fenced for urgent processing. Progress against the turnaround standards must be reported publicly every quarter,” the President said.
The President also announced that every municipality must begin a women’s safety audit without delay.
“High-risk areas must be identified working with provincial governments and the police. Within 60 days, these audits must identify broken streetlights, overgrown public spaces, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes and facilities, poorly secured parks and other conditions that place women at risk.
“Within 90 days of completing the audit, the most urgent hazards must have been addressed or included in a funded implementation plan with clear completion dates.”
The President has also directed the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, working with the Ministers of Health, Social Development, Police and Cooperative Governance, to submit to Cabinet within 60 days a coordinated legislative and enforcement package to reduce alcohol-related violence.
“Alcohol does not cause gender-based violence [GBV] and it can never excuse it. Responsibility always lies with the perpetrator. But harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence, and it must be addressed as part of our wider prevention effort.
“Women should not have to live in fear because government has failed to repair a light, clear a public space, process evidence or enforce a law. Every sphere of government must understand that the safety of women is part of its responsibility,” the President said.
He further added that every sphere of government must understand that the safety of women is part of its responsibility.
Progress reports
In addition, the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide will monitor these measures and issue consolidated public progress reports every quarter.
Speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the President said the first consolidated report must be issued within ninety days, with public progress reports every quarter thereafter, while also stressing that the directives “are not just a statement of good intentions.”
These, he said, establish responsibilities, deadlines and a duty to submit reports on a regular basis to the nation.
The directives support the accelerated implementation of key pillars of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which continues to guide the work underway across all spheres of government and all parts of society.
“We must prevent the violence before it starts because programmes, stronger laws, additional resources and more police officers will not, on their own, end violence against women.”
Attitudes and role players
He said attitudes that women are inferior and the belief that a man has the right to control a woman, among others, are not helpful.
“It begins when a man refuses to accept the word no. We must confront the uncomfortable, devastating truth that the primary GBV hotspot is in the home and in interpersonal relationships.”
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This as a national study by the South African Medical Research Council found that more than 60% of the women murdered in 2021 and 2022 were killed by an intimate partner.
He said the prevention of violence against women must begin at home.
“It must begin with how we raise our sons; with what boys learn about girls, anger, rejection and consent, and with what they learn from watching the men around them.”
He said the country has placed the burden of male violence on women.
“For too long, gender-based violence has been treated as a women’s problem to solve. That must change.”
He indicated that the freedom promised by the Constitution cannot be a freedom enjoyed fully by men and cautiously by women.
“It is time for good men to stop being silent men. We salute the many South African men who are already speaking out, including prominent figures such as Siya Kolisi and Temba Bavuma, who have used their public platforms to urge men to confront violence against women and to become better men.”
The President has directed the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture to strengthen the work of the Moral Regeneration Movement and to ensure that it contributes meaningfully to changing the attitudes, social norms and practices that enable violence against women.
He also acknowledged the work of faith-based organisations, community organisations, women’s and youth formations, educational institutions, traditional leaders and many other structures that confront gender-based violence every day.
