Ramaphosa Orders 90-Day Crackdown After 13 Women Found Dead in South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a national response to the deaths of women whose bodies have been recovered in Ekurhuleni since July, directing authorities to identify high-risk areas, review stalled cases and reduce forensic backlogs.

Ramaphosa announced the measures in a televised address on Tuesday as concern grew over the deaths in the Gauteng municipality.

Police have not established that the killings were linked to a single perpetrator. Investigators are continuing to examine whether any connection exists among the cases.

Ramaphosa said a specialised, multidisciplinary investigation had been elevated to the national level and that authorities would continue working to resolve the cases.

He also ordered a 60-day national audit of unresolved cases involving the murder, attempted murder, rape and other serious sexual offences against women and children.

Within 90 days, authorities must prepare recovery plans for priority and stalled cases. The plans are expected to identify outstanding investigative steps, the official responsible for each action and a deadline for completion.

Municipalities across South Africa were instructed to conduct women’s safety audits, focusing on locations where inadequate infrastructure may increase risks. The audits will examine broken streetlights, abandoned buildings, overgrown public spaces, unsafe transport routes and poorly secured parks.

Authorities have 60 days to identify the risks. The most urgent hazards must be addressed within 90 days or included in funded implementation plans with defined deadlines.

Ramaphosa also directed police and forensic authorities to produce a funded plan within 60 days to reduce forensic backlogs. Priority samples linked to the rape or murder of women and children are to be processed urgently, with progress reported publicly each quarter.

The government will also increase enforcement of liquor laws, including action against unlicensed outlets and establishments operating outside permitted hours. Officials said the measure forms part of a broader effort to address factors associated with interpersonal violence.

Cabinet said on Tuesday that 13 bodies had been recovered in Ekurhuleni. It also confirmed that four suspects had been arrested in connection with three of the deaths.

Those figures do not establish that all 13 deaths are connected or that the four suspects are responsible for the wider total. Investigations into the circumstances of the deaths and any possible links remain ongoing.

Ramaphosa’s directives set deadlines for investigative reviews, forensic work and municipal safety measures. The first consolidated progress report is expected within 90 days.