President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said intense dialogue was needed with boys and young men to stop the growing scourge of violence against women and children.
He was speaking during the second presidential summit on gender-based violence and femicide in Midrand. Ramaphosa said men must take responsibility for violence, rapes and murders against women.
He said not a day goes by without a story in newspapers, television or online platforms about a woman or child who had been killed or abused in the most horrendous manner.
“Since the rape and murder of 19-year-old Uyinene Mrwetyana in 2019 sparked mass marches around the country, there have been so many more women killed by men.
“Since then, the nation has been horrified by the brutal violence that took the lives of Tshegofatso Pule, Nosicelo Mtebeni, Hillary Gardee, Namhla Mtwa, Dimpho Skelenge and many other women.
“Innocents like Asithandile Same, Tshimologo Lotshabeng, Tazne van Wyk and Reagan Gertse have fallen victim to heartless men and criminals.
“Just as the country was reeling from the news of a gang rape of a group of women in Krugersdorp, we were confronted with the news of the murder of four-year-old little Bokgabo Poo, who was dismembered and her body parts thrown into a field.”
Ramaphosa said it was time to have a conversation with young boys and men to develop masculinity that values respect, understanding and accountability.
“We must have a dialogue with the men of our country.”
The elderly have not been spared, he said.
“We have in recent times seen a spate of rapes and killings of elderly women, our mothers and grandmothers who are meant to be respected and treated with dignity,” he said, adding that such behaviour went against the values of most South Africans.
“These horrors defy comprehension. There are really no words for them and the horrific manner in which all of these murders and rapes happen. They tell a story about our society that is deeply disturbing. It is a story of a nation at war with itself, the women and children of this country.”
These barbaric acts are a “shameful indictment” of the men of this country, he said.
“It is not women who are responsible for ending such crimes; it is men who are responsible and who must take responsibility to end violence, rape and murder against women.”
He said activists were right to be angry and frustrated at the government's slow pace in dealing with the scourge.
The two day summit, gathering under the banner of “Accountability, Acceleration and Amplification, NOW!” is expected to reflect on the commitments and successes made since the last sitting in November 2018.
During that year, it was agreed that a national strategic plan would be developed for better co-ordination between the various sectors.
To deal with the scourge, Ramaphosa said the first step the government took was to development of a GBVF emergency response action plan in 2019.
He then requested parliament’s presiding officers to call a special joint sitting of both houses of parliament to announce and debate the action plan.
“The plan was embraced by MPs representing all political parties. This was a significant moment for us in that GBVF was seen as a non-partisan matter on which all political parties demonstrated their preparedness to act together to address this scourge.”
In April 2020, the national strategic plan was released and “despite our efforts, violence against women and children continues unabated in our country”, said Ramaphosa.
Data from the police, he said, showed that sexual offences and rape increased by 13% between 2017/18 and 2021/22.
“Between the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 there was a 52% increase in the murder of women and 46% increase in the number of children murdered.”
Ramaphosa said the speakers were right to ask why the national GBV council had not been set up as agreed in 2018.
“We must make the national strategic plan happen. We cannot ditch it, so this is an accountability summit. The actions we take now will determine whether this crime forever remains a feature of our national life, or whether we can say we are the generation that ended it.”
Government departments are required to submit monthly reports to the presidency outlining their respective achievements towards the targets set in the NSP, but this has not happened, said Ramaphosa.
“The performance has been sporadic and incomplete, and I am going to make sure that these are submitted.”
An interministerial task team was also established to co-ordinate the implementation of the NSP across government departments and report regularly to cabinet.
“The bill that will pave the way for the establishment of the gender-based violence and femicide council is now before parliament.”
He conceded that: “This bill took too long to get to parliament due to a rather long period of consultation, but we are hopeful that it has been enriched by the extensive engagements that have been undertaken.”
The reason it has taken long to set up the council is because it could not be set up without the proper legal instruments.
“Now that it is going to go through to parliament, we are going to be quicker,” said Ramaphosa.
In January 2022, Ramaphosa signed into law pieces of legislation, namely the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act.
On funding the course, Ramaphosa said the R1.6bn was extracted from various departments to fund gender-based violence.
“Now that we will have a proper council in terms of law, the Treasury will be able to set aside on a separate basis the money that will fund this fight.”
Furthermore he said the victim support services bill has been approved by cabinet and published for public comment.
“In 2020, we also passed the cybercrimes act, which affords protection against sex crimes like so-called revenge porn, threats of sexual violence, blackmail and other acts that disproportionately affect women, especially young girls.”
He said the department of justice and correctional services was seized with implementing reforms in the criminal justice system to ensure that the system prioritises survivors and their needs, particularly on the accessibility and functioning of sexual offences court.
Since the last summit 83 courts have been upgraded into sexual offences courts.
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