South African leader urges men to speak up on gender-based violence after series of killings

South Africa has been gripped with grief and fury after the discovery of 11 women’s bodies dumped across Ekurhuleni, a city adjoining Johannesburg, since 15 July. Photograph: Esa Alexander/Reuters

South Africa’s president has called on men to take more responsibility for violence against women as he announced measures to tackle the problem, amid anger at authorities over a recent wave of murders.

Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that not enough had been done to protect women. He said police would be reviewing unsolved murders, attempted murders and serious sexual offences against women and children, as well as producing a funded plan to reduce the forensic backlog for such cases, both within 60 days.