Full Breakdown
South Africa’s Renewed Push Against Gender-Based Violence Amid a Wave of Femicide
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Surge of Female Homicides and Government Response
Since July, the municipality of Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, has seen eleven women discovered, reigniting national outrage over gender-based violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the killings a “national shame” and announced emergency measures to protect women and girls.
Background & Context
South Africa records one of the world’s highest murder rates, with 5,427 killings between April and June 2026. The gender-based violence crisis has persisted despite national plans and the 2019 women-led protests. Challenges include a forensic backlog, limited police resources, and a conviction rate of roughly one in ten murders.
Data & Statistics
- Femicide cases: 11 bodies found in Ekurhuleni since July (BBC reports 12 in the same area).
- Overall homicide: 5,427 murders (April-June 2026).
- Women-specific violence: 569 women killed and 1,052 survived attempted murder in the same period (South African Human Rights Commission).
- Alcohol-related violence: President Ramaphosa noted harmful alcohol use as an aggravating factor but not a cause.
Official Statements & Responses
Ramaphosa pledged a “60-day national audit” to map dangerous public spaces—poorly lit streets, abandoned buildings, overgrown areas—and to allocate budgets for rapid remediation. Local governments must complete safety audits within five months, targeting broken streetlights and unsafe transport routes. Five ministers were tasked with drafting a plan within 60 days to curb alcohol-fuelled violence.
Community groups are also mobilising. A non-profit led by Itumeleng Stephen Tamaga (“Bra Steve”) convened men in Johannesburg’s Organic Market settlement to promote positive masculinity and confront gender-based violence.
Criticism & Opposition
Shenilla Mohamed, executive director of Amnesty International South Africa, warned that timelines matter only if they translate into concrete action and accountability, noting that similar demands have been raised repeatedly since 2019 without substantive policy change. She argued that audits and forensic processing, while necessary, do not constitute a comprehensive prevention strategy and that municipalities have historically failed to deliver on mandates.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Two counts of the femicide toll appear in coverage: eleven bodies reported by most outlets versus twelve cited by a BBC feature. Both sources agree investigators have found no definitive evidence of a single serial killer, and arrests have been made in three cases. The remaining investigations stay open, and authorities caution against premature conclusions about a coordinated perpetrator.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Alcohol does not cause gender-based violence and it can never excuse it. Responsibility always lies with the perpetrator,” — Cyril Ramaphosa
- “There are women lying tonight in government mortuaries waiting to be identified, waiting for someone to claim them, waiting to be taken home and laid to rest,” — Cyril Ramaphosa