BBC
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government is working on measures that will see convicted rapists handed life sentences and given the "harshest of labour in prison".
This is in response to a spate of gruesome rapes and murders of women in the country in recent months. The latest incident involved 21-year-old Precious Ramabulana who was found dead last week after being stabbed 52 times.
On Sunday, President Ramaphosa visited her family in Makhado, in the north-eastern Limpopo region, where he spoke of the new measures. This will include having a register of sex offenders.
"We are going to improve the criminal justice system to ensure that those who perpetrate these acts must know that once they are arrested and found guilty, they should never see the light of day any more," he said.
"We are going to improve the criminal justice system to ensure that those who perpetrate these acts must know that once they are arrested and found guilty, they should never see the light of day any more," he added.
"I'm going to be moving that all these people, once arrested and jailed, they should be subjected to hard labour, the harshest of labour in prison because what they are doing to society is beyond words." I'm going to be moving that all these people, once arrested and jailed, they should be subjected to hard labour, the harshest of labour in prison because what they are doing to society is beyond words."
The suspect in Ms Ramabulana's murder, Aubrey Manaka, appeared in court on Monday and was charged with rape, murder and robbery under aggravating circumstances. He has not yet entered a plea.