CAPE TOWN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday called for a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament to discuss measures to combat rising gender-based violence in the country.
"We all have a responsibility to ensure that these events become a turning point in our fight to end gender-based violence," Ramaphosa said in a letter to the National Assembly, the lower house, and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the upper house.
Ramaphosa in the letter repeated his call for enhancing protection of women and girls against abuse and violence.
The National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise and the NCOP Chairperson Amos Masondo said they have received the letter about the sitting, which is scheduled for Sept. 18.
Violence perpetrated against women in recent weeks, during which dozens of femicides were reported, has prompted widespread protests against gender-based violence around the country.
Since August when South Africans celebrated Women's Month dedicated to the protection of women, South Africa has been deeply traumatized by acts of extreme violence against women and children.
These included the murders of 19-year-old Uyinene Mrwetyana, a Cape Town University student, Leighandre Jegels, South African boxing champion, and 14-year-old Janika Mallo, whose body was found in her grandmother's back yard in Cape Town after being raped and murdered.
Official statistics show that last year alone, almost 40,000 cases of rape were reported in South Africa, with most of the victims being women.
