Overview
- President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Tuesday and formally elevated the investigation into at least 11 women found dead in and around Ekurhuleni to national level under a specialised, multidisciplinary team.
- He ordered a national case‑recovery operation with a 60‑day audit of unresolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences and 90‑day individual recovery plans for priority stalled cases.
- Ramaphosa gave forensic authorities 60 days to present a funded plan to reduce backlog, required priority samples linked to rape or murder of women and children to be ring‑fenced, and mandated quarterly public reporting on turnaround targets.
- All municipalities must complete women’s safety audits within 60 days to map hazards such as broken streetlights and unsafe transport routes and must fund or schedule remediation within 90 days, while provinces must step up liquor‑law enforcement and send a coordinated package to Cabinet in 60 days.
- Police have made several arrests in some cases and collected DNA, phone and other forensic evidence, but authorities say they have not found proof a single perpetrator is responsible; families and campaigners are pressing for immediate protective action and the government will publish its first consolidated progress report within 90 days.