President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the families of recent victims of gender-based violence.
Ramaphosa’s first visit was to the family of Uyinene Mrwetyana at their home in the Eastern Cape on Friday morning.
In his remarks outside the home, Ramaphosa thanked the family for giving government an opportunity to pay its respects and condolences.
We’ve reached a watershed moment in relation to how our nation looks at gender-based violence.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
The president said government, society, and families should all play their role in combatting the scourge.
Ramaphosa also visited the families of Leighandre Jugels and Angelique Clark-Abrahams, including Jugels’ mom who is still in hospital.
National crisis
In his address to the nation on Thursday, Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence a “national crisis.”
He announced a raft of measures to curb the phenomenon, including a proposal for harsher minimum sentences for offenders.
Other measures include more funding for government campaigns against gender-based violence and strengthening emergency response teams.
Ramaphosa said he will request Parliament to consider amending legislation to allow the register of offenders to be made public.
Before his address to the nation on Thursday, the president also cut short his World Economic Forum on Africa programme and addressed protesters outside Parliament.