1) The President signed three new pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening protections against gender-based violence. 2) The new laws tighten bail restrictions for suspects charged with rape or murder of women and children. They also expand protections for vulnerable groups like the disabled and elderly. 3) The laws are intended to empower and protect survivors of gender-based violence by holding abusers accountable and preventing further trauma through the legal system.

1. From the Deskof the President,Monday31 January 2022
NEW LAWS STRENGTHEN THE FIGHT AGAINSTGENDER-BASEDVIOLENCE
Dear FellowSouthAfrican,
Late lastyear,I receivedaletterfroma groupof concernedcitizenscallingonthe governmentto
protectthe womenand childrenof thiscountryfromviolence.
Pointingtoan increase inrape andsexual assault,theywrote thataswomentheycontinue tolive in
fear;theyare losingtheirfaithinthe law.Iwas deeplymovedandtouchedbytheiraccountof the
fearthat the womenof our countryare subjectedtoona dailybasis.
In response tothe sufferingthatwomenandchildrenare subjectedtowe have passedlaws
designedtoprotectthem.Butdespite penaltiestoremove perpetratorsfromsociety,womenand
childrencontinue tosufferanddie.
I calledanemergencyJointSittingof ParliamentinSeptember2019, where Icalledonlawmakersto
prioritise tighteningexistinglawsandpoliciesaroundgender-basedviolence.
I am pleasedthatdespite the significantdisruptionscausedtothe Parliamentaryprogrammebythe
COVID-19pandemic,ourparliamentarianshave passedlawsthatwill strengthenexistingprovisions
aroundgender-basedviolence.
Last week,Isignedintolawthree piecesof legislationthathonourourpromisestostrengthenthe
criminal justice system,promote accountabilityacrossthe state andput supportforsurvivorsat the
centre of all our efforts.
The newCriminal andRelatedMattersAmendmentActprotectsthe vulnerablefromsecondary
victimisationbyallowingcourtstoappointintermediariesthroughwhichaminor,adisabledperson
or an elderlypersoncanbe examinedinproceedings.
It alsoallowsforthe extendeduse of evidence bymeansof anaudio-visuallink.Thishelpstoshield a
witnessagainstharm,preventunreasonable delaysandsave costsinproceedings.
At the JointSittingof Parliament,Isaidthatthe state shouldoppose bail forsuspectschargedwith
the rape andmurderof womenandchildren.

2. The newlawsignificantlytightensupourbail regime.
A prosecutorwhodoesnotoppose bail indesignatedcasesmusthave theirreasonsplacedon
record.The court mustconsideranythreatsof violence made againstthe complainantandthe
complainant’sviewof theirownsafety.Unlessthe courtissatisfiedthatexceptionalcircumstances
existthatwarrant release onbail,bail mustbe denied.
In the JointSittingof Parliament,Ialsosaidthatwe needtogive greaterprotectiontothose whoare
more vulnerable toexploitationandabuse,particularlythoselivingwithdisabilities.
The newCriminal Law(Sexual OffencesandRelatedMatters) AmendmentActoutlaws sexual
exploitationandgroomingof personswithmental disabilities,andprovidesthatsexual offences
againstpersonswhoare mentallydisabledmustbe recordedinthe National Registerof Sex
Offenders(NRSO).
We have respondedtocallstotightenup the managementof the National Registerof Sex Offenders.
Those whohave beenconvictedof sex crimesagainstchildrenormentallydisabledpersons,have
previousconvictionsinthisrespect,andhave beensentencedtotermslongerthan18 monthscan
only applyto have theirnamesremovedfromthe registerafter20 years.
The Act furtherregulatesthe reportingdutyof peoplewhoare aware that sexual offenceshave
beencommittedagainstvulnerable persons.
The newDomesticViolence AmendmentActtakesaccountof some of the complexitiesinviolent
domesticrelationships.
We have tightenedupthe processof obtainingprotectionorders,andbroadenedthe circumstances
underwhichtheycan be appliedfor.We have addressedthe issue of womenandchildren being
victimiseddespite having,orbeinginprocessof applyingfor,aprotectionorder.
If a court believesacomplainantisinimminentdangeritcanissue aprotectionorderimmediately
withoutneedingtogive arespondentnotice of the proceedings. Significantly,if the courtreleases
someone chargedwithdomesticviolence onbail whodoesnothave aprotectionordergranted
againstthem,the court mustissue one afterholdinganenquiry.Whenthe courtissuesaprotection
orderit mustat the same time authorise the issuingof anarrest warrant,suspended,thatmustbe
providedtothe SouthAfricanPolice Service (SAPS).

3. If a SAPSmembersuspectsacomplainantisindangerdue tobreach of the order,theymustarrest
the respondentimmediately.
The Act now expresslyprotectsthe elderlyfromall formsof domesticviolence,andalsopermits
complainantstoapplyforprotectionordersonline,savingthemtimeandtravel costs.Toprotect
complainantsagainstfurtherabuse,the courtmayan issue a SafetyMonitoringNotice thatwill
require amemberof SAPSto be in constantcontact withthe complainantwithoutthe knowledge of
the abuser.
I have repeatedlysaidthatwe shouldnotallow survivorsof gender-basedviolence tobe further
traumatisedby the legal system.
Survivorsof gender-basedviolence oftencomplainof ill-treatmentordisregardfortheirconcerns
whentheylaycomplaintsatpolice stations.SAPSmemberswhofail tocomplywiththeirobligations
underthe newlawwill be guiltyof misconduct.
All adultpersonswhohave knowledge orsuspicionthatdomesticviolence isbeingperpetrated
againsta child,a personwitha mental disabilityoranelderlypersonare obligedtoreportsuchacts
to a social workeror to the police.Failure todosois a criminal offence.
Thisputs intolawthe principle thatviolence againstwomenandchildreniseveryone’s
responsibility.Whenawomanorchildis beaten,hurt,raped,assaultedorkilled,itisashame onus
all.It isevenworse if we knew itwastakingplace and couldhave preventedit.
We musteducate those sufferinginsilence abouttheirrightsandhow toexercise them.Letususe
these lawlawstoempowerandprotectwomenandchildrenandensure thatthose responsible are
heldaccountable.
Three yearsago, inMarch 2019, I officiallyopenedthe new Sexual OffencesCourtinBooysens,
Johannesburg.
I remembersittinginthe courtbenchesIwasopening,thinkingjusthow intimidatingandtraumatic
it mustbe for a survivorof rape,sexual assaultordomesticviolence tonavigate the courtsystem.I
thoughtabouthow muchworse thismustbe if the complainantisa child,hasa disabilityorhas
enduredabuse overaprolongedperiod,andif the perpetratorissomeone close tothem.

4. Leavinganabusive relationshipisnevereasy.Butasthe government,we have promisedtoprovide
the legal protectionandsupportanabusedpersonneedsforthemselves,theirchildrenandthose
close to them.
The passage of these newlawsisa stepinthisdirection.Butitisnot the solution.We mustprevent
violence andabuse fromhappeninginthe firstplace.
Workingtogetherasa society,we mustuse ourvoice,ouragencyand our reservesof courage to
foreverendthe violence perpetratedbymenagainstwomenandchildren.
Withbestregards,
Cyril Ramaphosa