Ramaphosa says SA facing second pandemic: GBV
President Cyril Ramaphosa says more action is needed to stop the violence and abuse suffered by women and children.
At least 21 women and children have been murdered over the past few weeks.
Addressing the nation last night, the Ramaphosa likened the scourge to a second pandemic.
"I am appalled at what is no less than a war being waged against the women and children of our country.
"At a time when the pandemic has left us all feeling vulnerable and uncertain, violence is being unleashed on women and children with a brutality that defies comprehension," he said.
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He added: "The women of our county are being raped. They are being killed by men. These rapists and killers walk among us. They are in our communities.
"They are our fathers, our brothers, our sons and our friends; violent men with utterly no regard for the sanctity of human life."
Ramaphosa's called on men to play an active role in communities in protecting children, women and the elderly.
Questions have been raised about the unbanning of alcohol sales and whether it's contributed to a spike in gender-based violence cases.
Ramaphosa says violent crimes – especially murders and attempted murders - against women and children have increased significantly since the easing of lockdown restrictions to alert Level 3 this month.
"We need to ask some very difficult questions of ourselves as a society. In particular, we need to examine the effect of alcohol abuse not only on levels of violence but also on road accidents and reckless behaviour.
"Several international and domestic studies show clear linkages between alcohol abuse and gender-based violence."
Ramaphosa says this is a problem that needs urgent attention.
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