President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for life behind bars for men found guilty of crimes against women and children.
“Let us declare that enough is enough,” Ramaphosa told the nation on Thursday night in a televised speech, revealing government’s plan to tackle gender-based violence.
But his speech was thin on details.
One of his proposals to Parliament will be around the National Register of Sexual Offenders.
“We are going to overhaul and improve the National Register and Violence Against Women and Children.
“I will urge Parliament to amend legislation so that the National Register of Sexual Offenders is made public,” Ramaphosa said.
Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)
He also said he would propose to Parliament that all crimes against women and men attract harsher sentences.
“A life sentence must mean a man who perpetrates violence against women must be in prison for life,” he said.
“It is men who rape and kill women. There is an obligation on the men in our country to end these violent crimes against women and children.”
He said finance minister Tito Mboweni will be asked to allocate more funds to a government campaign to fight gender-based violence, while Parliament will be asked to discuss “urgent emergency interventions” to combat gender-based violence.
Earlier Thursday, the president spoke to thousands of #AmINext protesters outside Parliament, saying he would declare a state of emergency.
The march comes after a spate of femicides which has left the country reeling, including the rape and murder of 19-year-old UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, the murder of 19-year-old UWC student Jesse Hess and the fatal shooting of boxing champion Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels.
Thursday was the second day of anti-femicide protests in Cape Town.
HANDS OFF OUR WOMEN: Placards at the protest.
Chaos erupted on Wednesday when the police used stun grenades and water cannons to disperse protesters which consisted of school pupils, university students and members of civil advocacy groups outside the CTICC where the World Economic Forum on Africa was underway.
Some in the crowd chanted “bring death sentence back”.
The group had stormed the venue, demanding that Ramaphosa address them.
Eleven protesters were arrested and taken to Cape Town Police Station. They have since been released.
Yesterday morning, the President had to cut short his planned participation at World Economic Forum Africa to address protesters at Parliament who had promised to shut down the country unless he came to engage them.
“I agree completely that the killing of women must be brought to an end here in SA. We want the men of this country to take responsibility for the slaughtering of the women of our nation. We want the men of our country to stop raping the women of our country,” he said.
“Because men who rape women, who kill women, do not belong in society. They belong behind bars.”
The president added:“We will also be advocating and changing the laws so that once you have raped a woman you get life. And life must mean life. If you are arrested for rape or killing a woman, you must get no bail. If you have raped and killed a woman, there should never be any parole.”