Ramaphosa has announced a four-point plan to deal with the scourge of GBVF.
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 4 January 2022. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The EFF has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest address to the nation, popularly known as the “family meeting”, describing it as “reactionary”.
This comes after Ramaphosa briefed the nation on Tuesday night about the latest interventions in dealing with gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). He spoke of a four-point plan with timelines.
“The plan must set out the size and age of the backlog, shortages of personnel and equipment, the resources required and the dates by which the backlog will be reduced. Priority forensic samples in cases involving the rape or murder of women and children must be ring-fenced for urgent processing. Progress against the turnaround standards must be reported publicly every quarter,” he said.
Too little too late?
The briefing comes amid concerns about the discovery of 10 lifeless bodies of women in the City of Ekurhuleni. The women were found dead and dumped in the area.
“The president’s decision to address the nation only after immense public pressure, outrage and the exposure of the horrific killings in Ekurhuleni is a reflection of a government that responds to public outrage rather than one that anticipates and prevents violence against women.
“The women whose lives were taken in Ekurhuleni did not become victims when their bodies were discovered. They were failed long before their deaths by institutions that are supposed to protect them, and it is very insulting for the president to invoke their names in a national address while presenting the State as though it is only now confronting the reality of GBVF,” said EFF spokesperson, Thembi Msane.
Msane criticised government’s handling of GBVF cases. She also said there appears to be no political will in dealing with the abuse of women decisively.
“The state has extensive information on where violent crime occurs, the circumstances in which women are most vulnerable, the communities experiencing persistent violence, and the institutional weaknesses that prevent perpetrators from being brought to justice.
“South Africa does not suffer from an absence of information about GBVF; it suffers from a failure of political will, institutional capacity, and accountability,” said Msane.
ANC welcomes interventions
In a statement on Wednesday, the ANC in Johannesburg said it welcomed the interventions announced by Ramaphosa in his briefing to the nation. The party described the interventions as decisive.
“The African National Congress (ANC) Greater Joburg Region welcomes the decisive intervention by President Cyril Ramaphosa following the recent killings of women and girls and his call for all spheres of government and society to intensify the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
“The president’s address correctly places the safety of women and girls at the centre of the responsibilities of the state and society. In particular, the directive that municipalities undertake women’s safety audits must translate into visible and measurable action in communities,” said the party.
