South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the issue of rape during a meeting dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the governing African National Congress on Saturday.
"We have made huge strides in improving the position of women in society… however, gender-based violence is a national crisis that we are determined to end, so that all South African women and girls may live in peace, safety and dignity", the South African president stated.
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Ramaphosa also called for harsher sentences for perpetrators of gender-based violence and for better-skilled police and prosecutorial authorities, noting "It is important that children learn from a young age to respect one another as equals".
The appeal comes as the campaign for the 2019 elections gets underway. The country is set to elect a new National Assembly and new provincial legislatures in each province.