Full Breakdown
President Ramaphosa Announces Urgent Measures to Tackle Gender-Based Violence After Ekurhuleni Women’s Killings
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Background & Context
A 2022 study by a South African think-tank found that more than 35 % of adult women had experienced physical or sexual violence. In July 2026 a series of murders of women began in the Ekurhuleni municipality east of Johannesburg, prompting national alarm. The killings are being investigated as a possible serial case, though police have not confirmed a single perpetrator.
Data & Statistics
- Reported deaths of women in Ekurhuleni since July 2026 range from 11 to 12 bodies discovered.
- South Africa recorded 5,427 homicides between April and July 2026.
- The national audit of unresolved gender-based-violence (GBV) cases must be completed within 60 days, with individual recovery plans due within 90 days.
Official Statements & Responses
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on September 29, 2026 and outlined four immediate measures:
1. National case-recovery operation – police and the National Prosecuting Authority will prioritize unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children. Audits of case backlogs must be finished within 60 days; recovery plans for priority cases are required within 90 days.
2. Forensic backlog plan – SAPS and forensic agencies will submit a funded plan within 60 days to reduce the backlog, with fast-tracking for priority GBV samples.
3. Municipal women’s-safety audits – every municipality, in coordination with provincial authorities and police, must conduct safety audits identifying hazards such as broken streetlights, abandoned buildings and unsafe transport routes. Audits are to be completed within 60 days, with urgent risks addressed or incorporated into funded implementation plans within 90 days.
4. Alcohol-related violence package – trade, health, social development, police and cooperative-governance ministries must deliver a coordinated legislative and enforcement package within 60 days.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide will monitor implementation and issue consolidated public progress reports every quarter, with the first due within 90 days.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What we have done has not been enough. We need to do much more,” — Cyril Ramaphosa
- “Within 90 days, individual recovery plans must be established for priority and stalled cases, identifying outstanding actions, responsible officials and deadlines,” — Cyril Ramaphosa
- “Alcohol does not cause gender-based violence and it can never excuse it. Responsibility always lies with the perpetrator,” — Cyril Ramaphosa
- “A woman who summons the courage to report abuse must not be turned away from a police station. A woman seeking a protection order must not be sent from office to office,” — Cyril Ramaphosa
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The number of women killed in Ekurhuleni is reported as 11, 12 or nine; no source has confirmed that all cases are linked.
- Police have arrested four suspects according to some reports, while other outlets note three arrests. The identity and status of the remaining suspects remain unclear.
What’s Next
- Additional funding for GBV initiatives is slated for consideration by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement to be tabled on October 21, 2026.
- Quarterly progress reports on the four measures will be released, beginning with the first report due within 90 days of the September 29 address.