In his presidential address to fellow South Africans tonight, President Cyril Ramaphosa, described the violence against women and children as “a brutality that defies comprehension”.
He said the recent horrific rapes and murders of women is an epidemic, as much as COVID-19 is.
Ramaphosa noted that opening personal care services, which is largely dominated by women was important.
“The last three months have been particularly difficult for the millions of women who work as hairdressers, in spas, as therapists and technicians. Many of these are businesses are owned by women and a source of income in the informal sector. Giving women the necessary support to become financially independent is the greatest of priorities, especially now,” he said.
He also mentioned that alcohol is wreaking more havoc since it’s been unbanned, but that it is not alcohol that kills and rapes, it is men.
“These rapists and killers walk among us. They are in our communities. They are our fathers, our brothers, our sons and our friends; violent men with utterly no regard for the sanctity of human life. Over the past few weeks, no fewer than 21 women and children have been murdered. Their killers thought they could silence them.”
He said victims including, Tshegofatso Pule, Naledi Phangindawo, Nompumelelo Tshaka, Nomfazi Gabada, Nwabisa Mgwandela, Altecia Kortjie and Lindelwa Peni, will always be remembered.
“We will speak for the 89-year-old grandmother who was killed in an old age home in Queenstown, the 79-year-old grandmother who was killed in Brakpan and the elderly woman who was raped in KwaSwayimane in KwaZulu-Natal.We will speak for the innocent souls of Tshegofatso Pule’s unborn daughter who had already been given a name, six-year-old Raynecia Kotjie and the six-year-old child found dead in the veld in KwaZulu-Natal. They are not just statistics. They have names and they had families and friends. This evening, our thoughts and prayers are with them,” he said.
He commended the police for the swift arrests made this week.
“We now have a National Strategic Plan to guide our country’s national effort against gender-based violence. During the lockdown period, we have ensured that survivors of gender-based violence have access to support and services, including the GBV hotline, shelters and centres providing support to victims of sexual violence.”
He said 13 regional courts have now been upgraded into sexual offences courts, 7 000 evidence collection kits have been distributed regularly to every police station in the country and there are now over 1,000 survivor friendly rooms at police stations and that more than 3,000 government employees, who work with children and mentally disabled persons have been checked against the National Register of Sex Offenders.
“Legislative amendments have been prepared around, among other things, minimum sentencing in cases of gender-based violence, bail conditions for suspects, and greater protection for women who are victims of intimate partner violence. I urge our lawmakers in Parliament to process them without delay,” said Ramaphosa.
