President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced four immediate measures to strengthen South Africa’s response to gender based violence and femicide (GBVF), with new deadlines for police, municipalities and government departments. The measures, announced in an address to the nation on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, follow a series of killings of women in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, and include reviews of unresolved cases, action on forensic backlogs, municipal safety audits and stronger measures targeting alcohol related violence.
Ramaphosa said the body of another woman was found in Springs on Sunday, bringing to 11 the number of women’s bodies found in Ekurhuleni since July. The killings have prompted a specialised multidisciplinary investigation coordinated at national level.
The new directives establish responsibilities and deadlines of between 60 and 90 days. The Inter Ministerial Committee on Gender Based Violence and Femicide and the National Council on Gender Based Violence and Femicide will monitor implementation, with the first consolidated progress report due within 90 days and further reports every quarter.
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Ekurhuleni killings trigger national investigation
The killings of women in Ekurhuleni are receiving attention at the highest levels of government and law enforcement.
The Inter Ministerial Committee on Gender Based Violence and Femicide has approved an emergency response, while a specialised multidisciplinary investigation has been elevated to national level under the coordination of the Deputy National Commissioner for Detective Services.
The investigation brings together detectives, Crime Intelligence, forensic specialists, investigative psychologists and digital investigators. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is also assisting with the digital forensic investigation.
Several arrests have already been made in connection with individual cases, while police have identified persons of interest and collected forensic material in others.
Ramaphosa said police had not found evidence establishing that the killings were committed by a single perpetrator. All possibilities remain under investigation.
Visible policing has also been increased in Ekurhuleni and the operations will continue for as long as required. Pasted text
Unresolved cases involving women and children to be reviewed
The first of the four measures focuses on unresolved criminal cases involving women and children.
Ramaphosa directed the Minister of Police and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to work with the South African Police Service and, with consideration for prosecutorial independence, the National Prosecuting Authority on a national case recovery operation.
The operation will focus on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children.
Within 60 days, authorities must establish the number and age of unresolved cases, identify cases awaiting forensic evidence, determine where suspects have been identified but not arrested and identify cases affected by unreasonable investigative or prosecutorial delays.
Within 90 days, individual recovery plans must be in place for priority cases and cases that have stalled. Each plan must identify the outstanding action, responsible official and deadline for moving the case forward.
Government orders plan to reduce forensic backlogs
The second measure targets delays in processing forensic evidence in GBVF cases.
The Minister of Police, National Commissioner of Police and relevant forensic authorities have been instructed to present a funded plan within 60 days to reduce forensic backlogs and establish clear turnaround standards for priority cases.
The plan must identify the size and age of the backlog, shortages of personnel and equipment, resources required and dates by which outstanding cases will be reduced.
Priority forensic samples involving the rape or murder of women and children must be set aside for urgent processing. Progress against the turnaround standards must then be reported publicly every quarter.
Gauteng municipalities must conduct women’s safety audits
The third measure will have direct implications for municipalities across Gauteng.
Every municipality must begin a women’s safety audit and identify high risk areas in cooperation with provincial governments and police.
Within 60 days, the audits must identify:
- Broken streetlights
- Overgrown public spaces
- Abandoned buildings
- Unsafe transport routes and facilities
- Poorly secured parks
- Other conditions that place women at risk
Within 90 days of completing the audits, the most urgent hazards must either have been addressed or included in funded implementation plans with clear completion dates.
The results and progress in addressing identified hazards must be published so communities can see what has been identified, what has been fixed and what remains outstanding.
For residents of Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng and the West Rand, this means municipal infrastructure and public spaces identified as safety risks will form part of the national accountability process.
Liquor enforcement placed under greater scrutiny
Provincial and municipal authorities have also been instructed to strengthen enforcement of existing liquor laws and bylaws, particularly against unlicensed outlets and establishments operating outside permitted trading hours.
Ramaphosa also directed the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition to work with the ministers responsible for Health, Social Development, Police and Cooperative Governance on a coordinated legislative and enforcement package aimed at reducing alcohol related violence.
The package must be submitted to Cabinet within 60 days.
The President stressed that alcohol does not cause gender based violence and cannot excuse it. He said harmful alcohol use is an aggravating factor in interpersonal violence and should therefore form part of wider prevention efforts.
No 24 hour wait to report a missing person
Ramaphosa also urged South Africans to report missing people immediately when there is reason to believe something is wrong.
Only two of the women found dead in Ekurhuleni had been reported missing, according to the President.
He stressed that there is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a person missing.
“If you have reason to fear that something is wrong, report it immediately,” Ramaphosa said. Pasted text
Information provided during the early stages of a disappearance can assist investigators. This may include a recent photograph, vehicle registration number, message, telephone call or other information about the person’s last known movements.
The President said even information that initially appears insignificant could provide investigators with an important lead.
Intimate partner violence remains a major concern
Ramaphosa also focused on violence committed within homes and intimate relationships, arguing that prevention needs to begin before violence escalates.
He cited a national study by the South African Medical Research Council, which found that more than 60% of women murdered in South Africa in 2021 and 2022 were killed by an intimate partner.
The President said prevention must involve how children are raised and what boys learn about girls, anger, rejection and consent.
Schools, universities, places of worship, sporting organisations and workplaces also have a role in prevention, he said. Ramaphosa specifically called on men and boys to challenge behaviour that humiliates, harasses or abuses women.
He stressed that responsibility for violence always rests with the person who commits it and not with the victim.
More resources expected for GBVF response
Government has reprioritised resources since gender based violence and femicide was classified as a national disaster last year, according to the President.
Resources have been allocated to strengthen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units, while Sexual Offences Courts and shelter services are being expanded.
Thuthuzela Care Centres continue to provide medical, forensic, counselling and legal services to survivors, while DNA and forensic evidence processing is also being strengthened.
Ramaphosa said the Minister of Finance would allocate additional resources in the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement.
Moral Regeneration Movement given new directive
The government response will also focus on attitudes and social norms associated with violence against women.
Ramaphosa directed the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture to strengthen the work of the Moral Regeneration Movement and ensure it contributes to changing attitudes, social norms and practices that enable violence against women.
He also acknowledged the work of faith based organisations, community organisations, women and youth formations, educational institutions and traditional leaders.
South Africa will begin the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in less than two months, with Ramaphosa calling for the period to be used to strengthen public mobilisation against GBVF.
First GBVF progress report due within 90 days
The new measures include a formal monitoring process.
The Inter Ministerial Committee on Gender Based Violence and Femicide and the National Council on Gender Based Violence and Femicide will monitor implementation.
The first consolidated progress report must be issued within 90 days. Public progress reports will then be released every quarter.
The directives support accelerated implementation of key pillars of the National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence and Femicide.
What This Means for Gauteng Residents
Gauteng is at the centre of the latest intervention because the measures were announced following the killings of women in Ekurhuleni.
For residents, one of the most visible changes should be the municipal safety audits. Local authorities will have to identify broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, overgrown public spaces, unsafe transport facilities and poorly secured parks within 60 days.
The measures will also affect unresolved cases in Gauteng involving murder, attempted murder, rape and serious sexual offences against women and children.
Residents should also note that a missing person can be reported immediately. There is no requirement to wait 24 hours before approaching police when there is reason to fear something is wrong.
The reporting requirements attached to the new directives will provide another measure of implementation. The first consolidated report is due within 90 days, followed by public reports every quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did President Ramaphosa announce on GBVF?
Ramaphosa announced four immediate measures covering unresolved cases, forensic backlogs, municipal safety audits and measures aimed at reducing alcohol related violence.
How long do municipalities have to complete women’s safety audits?
Municipalities must identify high risk areas and safety hazards within 60 days. The most urgent hazards must then be addressed within 90 days of completing the audit or included in a funded implementation plan with clear deadlines.
Do you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing in South Africa?
No. Ramaphosa stressed that there is no requirement to wait 24 hours before reporting a missing person. Where there is reason to fear something is wrong, the person should be reported missing immediately.
What will happen to unresolved GBVF cases?
A national case recovery operation will identify unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children. The audit must be completed within 60 days, with recovery plans for priority and stalled cases required within 90 days.
When will government report on progress?
The first consolidated report must be issued within 90 days. Public progress reports will then be released every quarter.
Government Faces First Deadlines Within 60 Days
The four measures place specific deadlines on national departments, police, forensic authorities and municipalities, with implementation expected to be tracked publicly.
For Gauteng, attention will remain particularly focused on Ekurhuleni, where the recent killings prompted an intensified national law enforcement response.
The first major deadlines will arrive within 60 days, when the national unresolved case audit, forensic backlog plan, municipal safety audits and government package addressing alcohol related violence are due.
Within 90 days, recovery plans must be in place for priority and stalled criminal cases, while the first consolidated report on implementation must also be released.
Government will then be required to report publicly every quarter on progress against the measures announced by Ramaphosa.
