Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday commended the country’s law enforcement authorities for their action which led to the arrests of two suspects linked to the murders of University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana and SA boxing champion Leighandre Jegels.
Uyinene Mrwetyana was earlier reported missing. A 42-year-old man, reportedly a South African Post Office employee, has since appeared in court, charged with her murder and rape.
The man suspected of killing Jegels was also arrested but has since died in hospital.
In a statement, the Presidency said the murder of the two young women, one at the hands of a stranger and the other killed by a man who was reportedly her boyfriend, remain a stark reminder that the women of South Africa are not safe, either in their homes or on the streets.
On Monday, the body of a 14-year-old girl was found in a backyard in Cape Town, adding to a grim body count of murdered women and girls across the country.
"This is a very dark period for us as a country. The assaults, rapes and murders of South African women are a stain on our national conscience," the President said.
"We have just commemorated Women’s month. Sixty three years after the women of 1956 marched for the right to live in freedom, women in this country live in fear - not of the apartheid police but of their brothers, sons, fathers and uncles. We should all hang our heads in shame."
In 2019, the Presidency signed the declaration on gender-based violence and femicide with various civil society formations and has directed that urgent attention be given to its implementation, particularly on immediate measures around support to victims and access to shelters and places of safety.
The President has sent his deepest condolences to the Mrwetyana and Jegels families and urged all South Africans to keep them in their thoughts during this very traumatic time.
The Presidency said Ramaphosa will be meeting with the leadership of the police later on today to be briefed on, amongst others, steps being undertaken to stem the tide of gender-based violence in the country.
Deputy President David Mabuza joined President Ramaphosa in condemning, in the strongest terms possible, the murder and alleged rape of Mrwetyana.