President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South African men to take greater responsibility for violence against women, announcing a series of measures to address gender-based violence following a recent wave of killings that has sparked public anger at authorities.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that insufficient protection had been extended to women. He announced that police would review unsolved murders, attempted murders and serious sexual offences against women and children within 60 days. The police will also produce a funded plan to reduce the forensic backlog for such cases within the same timeframe.
The president's statement comes as South Africa faces mounting public concern over recent murders of women. The measures represent an attempt by Ramaphosa's administration to respond to criticism that law enforcement has failed to adequately investigate and prevent gender-based violence in the country.