The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has joined a chorus of voices condemning the killing of women in South Africa. More than 200,000 South Africans have signed a petition calling on Parliament to declare gender-based violence a state of emergency in the country.
South Africa had the fourth highest female interpersonal violence death rate out of the 183 countries, according to the World Health Organisation.
I condemn the violence that has been spreading around a number of our provinces in the strongest terms. I’m convening the ministers in the security cluster today to make sure that we keep a close eye on these acts of wanton violence and find ways of stopping them. pic.twitter.com/sizZkwIyPO
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 3, 2019
The murders of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana and boxer Leighhandre Jegels are just the latest to shock the country.
Mrwetyana was raped and killed while collecting a parcel from the post office, while Jegels was murdered by a man believed to have been her partner. Ramaphosa signed a Declaration on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide with civil society earlier this year. The statement by the Presidency also conveyed condolences to the families of the victims
The people of our country want to live in harmony; whatever concerns or grievances we may have, we need to handle them in a democratic way. There can be no justification for any South African to attack people from other countries. pic.twitter.com/StGyNlhV1q
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 3, 2019
Meanwhile, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said men need to hold each other accountable over the treatment of women.
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Source: eNCA
