Vice chancellors of 26 universities across the country have called for a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss gender based violence.
Chancellors from the University of the Western Cape, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch have written a joint statement saying violence against women has reached an incomprehensible level.
Universities South Africa spokesperson, Mateboho Green.
“This is much bigger than universities. It has become a national crisis. They feel that they need to take this up with the highest level of the country in the form of the presidency so that some kind of an urgent national plan can be arrived at and can respond to this crisis.”
This follows Ramaphosa’s address of student protesters outside parliament on Thursday morning.
Ramaphosa says harsher laws must be put in place to address the scourge.
“We are going to be addressing the issue of the harsh penalty, so that the men who violate women, who rape women, and who kill women must stay in jail for life.”
The President says he will visit the family of Uyinene Mrwetyana on Friday.
