- President Ramaphosa directed acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, and Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, to undertake a national case-recovery operation focused on unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children.
- Individual recovery plans must be in place for priority cases and stalled cases, with each plan identifying the outstanding action, responsible official, and deadline.
- Within 60 days, an audit must identify the number and age of unresolved cases, cases awaiting forensic evidence, cases with identified but unarrested suspects, and cases with unreasonable investigative or prosecutorial delays.
- Priority forensic samples in cases involving the rape or murder of women and children must be ring-fenced for urgent processing, and progress against turnaround standards must be reported publicly every quarter.
- Every municipality must begin a women's safety audit without delay, identifying high-risk areas and hazards such as broken streetlights, overgrown public spaces, abandoned buildings, unsafe transport routes, and poorly secured parks.
- Within 90 days of completing the audit, the most urgent hazards must be addressed or included in a funded implementation plan with clear completion dates.
- Ramaphosa directed the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, to submit to Cabinet within 60 days a coordinated legislative and enforcement package to reduce alcohol-related violence, noting that harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence.
- The Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide will monitor these measures and issue consolidated public progress reports every quarter, with the first report due within 90 days.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has initiated a national case-recovery operation to tackle unresolved murders, attempted murders, and serious sexual offences against women and children. This directive, announced during a national address, aims to enhance accountability and expedite justice in a country grappling with high rates of gender-based violence.1
Ramaphosa has tasked acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, and Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi with developing individual recovery plans for priority cases and those that have stalled. “Each plan must identify the outstanding action, the responsible official and the deadline for moving the case forward,” he stated.23
The President emphasized the need for a 60-day audit to assess unresolved cases, including those awaiting forensic evidence and those with identified suspects yet to be arrested. “Priority forensic samples in cases involving the rape or murder of women and children must be ring-fenced for urgent processing,” he added.456
In addition to the case-recovery operation, Ramaphosa called for women’s safety audits in municipalities to identify high-risk areas and hazardous conditions. “Within 90 days of completing the audit, the most urgent hazards must have been addressed or included in a funded implementation plan,” he instructed.8
The President also highlighted the need for a coordinated legislative package to address alcohol-related violence, stating, “Responsibility always lies with the perpetrator. But harmful alcohol use is a significant aggravating factor in interpersonal violence.” The measures will be monitored by the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, with public progress reports issued quarterly.1213
“The operation targets unresolved murders, rapes, and serious sexual offences, with individual recovery plans for each priority case. Ramaphosa also mandated women's safety audits in every municipality and a legislative package to curb alcohol-related violence, with the first consolidated progress report due within 90 days.”
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