Government’s Emergency Action Plan, announced in Parliament last month, is taking off with R1.6-billion being reprioritised to implement the plan to address gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

In his weekly newsletter to South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the plan has measures to improve the criminal justice process and create economic opportunities for abused women.

“The violence perpetrated by men against women remains a scourge and national crisis that we must act urgently to end. The women of our country demanded that financial and other resources should be made available to address this national crisis. I directed that government should respond to the call that had been made by the women of our country. The government has responded,” said Ramaphosa.

He welcomed the three life sentences given to the rapist and murderer of University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana and warned those who commit crimes against women and children that they will be apprehended and tried.

“The pain we felt as a nation at the brutal killing of Uyinene, of Jesse Hess, of Leighandre Jegels, of Janika Mallo and of the many other slain women and children remains fresh. We dare not rest,” Ramaphosa said.

The president will be updated weekly on the implementation of the plan.

DEVELOPMENTS

Government will open 11 more sexual offences courts by the end of the current financial year and 11 more courts have been selected for upgrades.

Provinces are also identifying underutilised buildings to be refurbished as shelters.

The National Prosecuting Authority is chipping away at case backlogs and has implemented a 100-day “rapid results approach” to increase case turnaround times.

Government is also set to look at legislation to tighten bail and sentencing conditions for GBV perpetrators and also extend protection to victims of GBV.

Citizens with complaints against police officials, prosecutors and magistrates in GBV and femicide cases can now call a 24-hour call centre to make their submissions.

Meanwhile, government is hoping to roll out a tracking mechanism to deal with GBV case backlogs in forensic laboratories.

The South African Police Service is putting 312 new recruits through basic training in the Family, Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units and cold-cases will soon be reopened, with a pilot project already underway in the Eastern Cape.

At least 1 222 government officials working with children and mentally disabled persons have been vetted against the National Register of Sex Offenders.

“The women of our country are tired of living in fear. It is their rightful expectation that they should be protected from violence, and that perpetrators of such acts should be imprisoned. I have taken personal responsibility to ensure the emergency plan is implemented, and I will provide our citizens with regular reports on our progress,” said Ramaphosa.