Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa has been criticised for his statement that was issued on Tuesday, following the recent deaths of several women over the last few days.
In his statement the President said: “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.
“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,” he said.
Comments were streaming in from social media with users slamming the president for not only taking long but not coming with any tangible action.
@BraveDave99 tweeted: “It genuinely doesn't get more pathetic than this. This is what the majority of South Africans think leadership is. FFS…”
@HoneyCinnamon__ tweeted: “I can’t with this country and it’s ‘leadership’ anymore.”
@thisguykrause tweeted: “If this isn't the very definition of "the least you could do" I don't know what is…”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DearMrPresident?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DearMrPresident #DearChiefJustice
How many more womxn and childern should be raped and murdered for the death penalty?
How many more families should suffer for your government to consider bringing back the death penalty?
How many more bodies do you need??
— Onella (@_Nerlla)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DearMrPresident?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DearMrPresidentIt is extremely sad that South Africans will be talking about something else next week while our women continue being raped and killed. #ShutDownSA
— Katlego Kevin Kalaeamotho (@Katlego_Kala)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DearMrPresident?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DearMrPresidentis time to do, stop tweeting, stop talking, stop smiling and do plz Mr President
— Tumelo chidi (@Twinkle_Lethula)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DearMrPresident?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DearMrPresidentI fear for my life, my unborn children, my mom, my sisters, my niece, my fellow sisters in the country ... yazi awuthumeki 😭😭😭😭😭 #shutdownsouthafrica #ShutDownSA #EnoughIsEnough #SouthAfrica #SAShutdown pic.twitter.com/yV4TPhB8yI
— MissLoverLover (@MissQabs)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DearMrPresident?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DearMrPresidentplease do something like you promised. https://t.co/mIXcgFRPqG
— LORD INTERVENE 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 (@ceekayceecee)
The SA Government's Twitter account also receives backlash from users after they tweeted out a lengthy statement on Monday. In their tweet they said: “Govt joins SA in the anger against the abuse of #UyineneMrwetyana. Violence against women and girls is a grave violation of human rights, and we are calling on law enforcement agencies to ensure the wheels of justice are turned in this case.”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBV
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBV
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA)
The reactions have chastised the government's tweet for language that they used.
I am not even reading any solution 🤬, what are you going to do as the government?And are you going to even stick to it?Which courts have handed harsh sentences to pertrators?If you as our government cannot give us solutions and implement them,then let society deal with these men
— Miss Zoe (@nellypulumo) September 2, 2019
How bout, set a curfew for men every other night so women and go out and enjoy themselves knowing they will be safe? Idea????
— Feline101🐾💕🐾💕🐾 (@Feline101) September 2, 2019
@MarvinCharles17