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‘Men need to change’: Ramaphosa says progress made, but GBVF ‘must end’
The president delivered his keynote address at the Union Buildings to commemorate Women’s Day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa at a Presidential Imbizo at Dal Josaphat Sports Stadium in Paarl on 19 May 2023. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais
President Cyril Ramaphosa says government has made progress in combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) by ensuring that stricter bail conditions and life sentences are imposed on perpetrators.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on the occasion of Women’s Day on Wednesday.
The 9 August commemoration marks the day in 1956 when thousands of women – including notable figures Rahima Moosa, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and Sophia Williams de Bruyn – marched to the Union Buildings to protest against Apartheid pass laws.
‘Women do not feel safe’
Delivering his keynote address, Ramaphosa highlighted how the prevalence of GBV has remained one of the country’s biggest obstacles, saying crimes against women “must end”.
“The violence perpetrated by men against women and girls is an assault on our common humanity. Women do not feel safe in their homes, on the street, in places of work and study and worship.
“Women complained that whenever women who had been abused or violated reported their abuse to police they are often met by insensitive police officers at police stations who do treat their cases with he seriousness and urgency they deserve,” he told the crowd on Wednesday.
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The president said he believed there was “no justifiable reason” for men to think they own women.
“We must mobilise all of society to support the women of our country on their road to empowerment and the improvement of their lives. Society needs to change. Men need to change,” the president said.
Although Ramaphosa signed the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act into law in January last year, the president emphasised that more need to be done to tackle GBV.
“Awareness raising and social behaviour change programmes are taking place in schools, at places of higher learning, in communities and through door-to-door campaigns. And yet, despite progress on many fronts, women and children are still being abused, raped, assaulted and murdered by men.
“This tells us that it is not enough for our laws to change, for our policing to improve, for survivors to receive better care and support.”
Tougher bail conditions
Ramaphosa also pointed out that government has made progress through the National Strategic Plan, citing the call for tougher bail conditions for GBV perpetrators as an example.
“Effective from earlier this month, no police bail may be granted to persons charged with rape or if the victim was in a domestic relationship with the perpetrator.
“Such bail applications must be formally applied for in court. If the accused was in a domestic relationship with the alleged victim, the court has to issue a protection order against them before releasing them on bail.
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“Also effective from earlier this month, gang or serial rapists face life imprisonment, as do perpetrators of date rape, marital rape, child rape and incest” Ramaphosa said.
The president indicated that government was working on piloting a system in a number of provinces which will enable victims of domestic violence to apply for protection orders online.
The fourth quarter crime statistics, captured between January and March 2023, showed an increase in cases of rape and sexual assault in country.
Gender equality
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa further said the increase in the representation of women in his Cabinet, Parliament and the judiciary showed that the government was committed to providing more opportunities for women.
“Despite these gains, we need to do much more to achieve a society of true gender equality. There must be policies and laws that focus and advance the lives of women. Our laws and policies must have a bias towards improving the lives of women,” the president continued.
“The emancipation of women therefore cannot be achieved without economic empowerment. Women must also be breadwinners. They must have equal job opportunities and equal pay. They must be able to start, own and manage businesses. Women need to have the financial security and independence to have control over their lives.”
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