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Ramaphosa orders emergency national response

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a new plan to clear high-risk areas and address safety gaps nationwide after 12 women were found dead in an area east of Johannesburg over the past two months. Acknowledging that the state has not done enough to protect women and girls, Ramaphosa said a multi-disciplinary, nationwide emergency response process will be launched.

The deaths have sparked widespread anger in the country over the scale of violence against women. Four suspects have been detained in the investigation, and Ramaphosa said police have not yet found evidence showing the killings were carried out by a single suspect.

Municipalities ordered to inspect women’s safety

Under the new plan, every municipality has been told to begin women’s safety inspections without delay. The aim is to identify physical and environmental conditions that put women at risk and ensure a rapid response in those areas.

  • Broken streetlights and dark areas
  • Neglected or overgrown public spaces
  • Abandoned buildings
  • Unsafe transport routes and facilities
  • Poorly protected parks

Ramaphosa stressed that these inspections are not just a technical review, but a concrete step toward reducing the risks women face in everyday life. The government’s approach places responsibility on local authorities as well, rather than limiting safety efforts to police action alone.

Alcohol-linked violence and social attitudes also in focus

The president said the government will also unveil an action package aimed at reducing alcohol-related attacks as part of efforts to curb violence against women. Ramaphosa said alcohol is no excuse for violence, but it must be treated as a major factor that intensifies interpersonal abuse.

He added that the problem cannot be solved by police and laws alone, and that attitudes that demean women and encourage the idea that men have a right to control them must also change. Calling on men and boys to take on more responsibility in the fight, Ramaphosa said the answer cannot be to restrict women’s freedom.

Data shows the scale of the crisis

South Africa is among the countries with the highest homicide rates in the world. According to police data, 5,427 people were killed in the country in the April-June period this year.

The South African Human Rights Commission said 569 women were killed in the same period, while 1,052 women survived attempted murder. Although official police statistics do not separate victims by gender, the figures have once again highlighted the deadly level of violence women face in the country.

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