President Cyril Ramaphosa has introduced a new four-point plan to fight gender-based violence after the discovery of 11 women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni since July 2026. The president made the announcement during a national address on Tuesday evening — calling for immediate action from police and justice officials as well as municipalities. Ramaphosa said the government’s past efforts had not been enough to stop women from being killed and he acknowledged that many systems were failing.
Ramaphosa orders case reviews, forensic reforms and safety audits as authorities investigate a series of killings of women in and around Ekurhuleni.
Earlier Tuesday Cabinet said 13 bodies had been recovered since July in Ekurhuleni and surrounding areas. Ramaphosa’s evening address referred to 11 women’s bodies found in Ekurhuleni.
The plan includes a national case recovery operation aimed at resolving unresolved murders and attempted murders as well as rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children. Within 60 days officials must assess how many cases remain unresolved and identify delays in investigations or prosecutions. By the 90-day mark authorities must create individual recovery plans for priority cases and assign responsibility for each step forward.
Ramaphosa emphasized that no case should fall through the cracks due to lost files or poor handling of evidence.
The second directive targets forensic backlogs — requiring a funded plan within 60 days to reduce delays in processing evidence according to The South African. This plan must outline the size of the backlog and staffing shortages as well as equipment needs and set deadlines for clearing work. Priority samples linked to rape or murder of women and children must be processed urgently according to the president.
Government will also publish progress on forensic turnaround times every quarter.
The third measure requires every municipality to conduct a safety audit of public spaces that may put women at risk. These audits must be completed within 60 days and should identify hazards such as broken streetlights and overgrown areas as well as unsafe transport routes. Municipalities must also fix the most urgent issues or put them into funded plans with clear completion dates.
The final directive focuses on alcohol-related violence and requires a coordinated legislative and enforcement package within 60 days to reduce alcohol-related violence. This includes actions against unlicensed outlets and establishments operating outside their allowed hours. The Minister of Trade Industry and Competition will work with other ministers to develop this package.
Ramaphosa stressed that alcohol does not cause gender-based violence or excuse it but harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence. The president also addressed the broader issue of societal attitudes that contribute to gender-based violence according to a report from Citizen. He said the problem begins with beliefs that women are inferior or that men have the right to control them.
Ramaphosa noted that men and boys must also take responsibility for challenging abusive behavior in their communities as Mail & Guardian reported. He called on society to stop placing the burden of prevention solely on women. The president said it is unacceptable that South Africa still has to confront this crisis seven years after first addressing it publicly.
Police have already arrested four suspects in connection with the Ekurhuleni murders. Police have collected forensic material including DNA and blood samples as well as clothing and cell phone records. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is also helping with digital forensics.
Police have not yet confirmed a single killer behind all the murders and investigations are still ongoing. The president said the nation is angry and that women’s anger is justified in response to this violence. He emphasized that the government must act now to ensure women can live without fear.
The immediate test of the plan will be whether these deadlines lead to real progress in investigations and forensic processing as well as public safety. Gender-based violence and femicide were formally classified as a national disaster on November 21 2025. Since then the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has become operational to coordinate national efforts.
These efforts include expanding courts for sexual offences and improving DNA processing as well as increasing support for specialized police units. But Ramaphosa admitted that these steps alone are not enough to stop women from being killed. The president also reminded the public that only two of the victims had been reported missing before their bodies were found.
He pointed out that there is no rule requiring a person to be missing for 24 hours before being reported. In the address he spoke not only as the head of state but also as a man and husband as well as a father. He said the nation is angry and that he shares that anger.
The government has also launched high-visibility policing operations in Ekurhuleni to help with the investigation. These operations are part of Operation Shanela 2 and have been given additional financial and human resources.
The president’s latest plan sets clear timelines for all government departments to respond to the crisis. He said every level of government must take responsibility for women’s safety. Ramaphosa said the directives establish responsibilities and deadlines as well as a duty to report progress regularly.
IMAGE: Cyril Ramaphosa in 2026 Source 09.03.2026 – Chegada do Presidente da República da África do Sul ao Palácio do Planalto Author Lula Oficial CC4