President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government must take responsibility for protecting women from gender-based violence, as the killings of nine women in Ekurhuleni since July have fuelled outrage and renewed demands for action.

"The people of South Africa expect their government to protect them. So we will never run away from that responsibility. It is our duty; the women of South Africa deserve to be protected by their government. They deserve to walk in the streets at any time of the day and feel safe." 

Ramaphosa said authorities should make no excuses for failing to protect women.

"The killing of women, the rape of women, the abuse of women – these are things that we as a government must say we are going to take steps to protect the women of our country." 

The bodies of nine women, mostly in their 20s and 30s, have been discovered at different locations across Ekurhuleni over the past two months. Police are investigating whether the cases are connected.

The government has approved an emergency strategy, while a specialised multidisciplinary investigation team has been elevated to operate under the Deputy National Commissioner for Detective Services.

The killings have triggered protests and memorial events and renewed anger over South Africa's gender-based violence crisis, which was officially classified as a national disaster in November 2025.