Lesufi summons urgent GBV crisis meeting after Ekurhuleni killings

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has called an urgent meeting with mayors, municipal managers and law enforcement agencies to bolster the province’s response to gender‑based violence and femicide (GBVF). The meeting follows a national address by President Cyril Ramaphosa and recent killings in Ekurhuleni.

When and who will attend

The Gauteng Provincial Government said affected national Ministers have been invited. Premier Lesufi will brief the media on Friday, 2 October 2026 at 11am after the meeting.

Purpose of the emergency meeting

According to the provincial government, the assembly will:

• assess existing response measures;
• identify gaps and determine additional interventions to strengthen prevention;
• work to enhance the safety and security of residents, particularly women and children;
• improve law enforcement coordination; and
• support GBV survivors.

Context: national response and local violence

The meeting follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s national address on Wednesday amid a spate of killings in Ekurhuleni that left at least eleven women murdered. In his address, Ramaphosa announced immediate measures intended to improve the GBVF and serious violent crime response, including:

• a national case recovery operation to audit unresolved murders and sexual offences within 60 days;
• a funded plan within 60 days to reduce forensic backlogs and set turnaround standards;
• municipal women’s safety audits to identify hazards like broken streetlights and unsafe transport routes within 60 days; and
• a coordinated legislative package within 60 days to address alcohol-related violence.

Reactions to the national plan

Some experts described Ramaphosa’s strategy as comprehensive and timely. Others were more critical:

“We’ve heard it all before.”

Feminist organisation Wise 4 Afrika director Brenda Madumise-Pajibo said the announcement was “nothing new”, pointing to previous government interventions she said had failed to produce tangible results.

Following the provincial meeting, Premier Lesufi is expected to set out the province’s GBVF response plan when he addresses the media.