Riyaz Patel
President Cyril Ramaphosa accepted a memorandum from protestors outside Parliament Thursday, announcing that he will address the nation on efforts to combat gender-based violence.
‘Enough is enough, and we will act on that,’ Ramaphosa said.
“We must declare a state of emergency – I will be addressing that issue as well. The issues that we have set out here, such as there are harsher penalties, is precisely what we can address.”
“We are going to take a firm stand, we essentially are going to draw a line in the sand and make sure that as a nation, as a government, we heighten the protection and the defence and the safety of the women of our nation,” he added.
Ramaphosa said further that government will consider harsher penalties, and advocate that convicted rapists will get a life sentence without parole or bail.
“Men who rape women, men who kill women, men who do all these things that abuse women do not belong in South Africa.”
Thousands gathered at the gates of Parliament to vent their anger of gender violence.
Representing a a cross-section of society, women and men of all races and cultures gathered dressed in black.
Some held up posters which read, “Stop Killing Our Daughters, Mothers and Nieces.”
Others were seen brandishing placards with the text “Am I Next” written in black.
