Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has lent its voice to the recent outrage expressed by all sectors of South Africa’s society, following the discovery of eight women’s bodies, in murder cases being tracked by police across Ekurhuleni.

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa issued assurances to the public that the recent spate of murders of women in the East Rand area, in Gauteng, will be prioritised.

Preliminary evidence gathered by the South African Police Service (SAPS) revealed “deeply concerning similarities” across all the crime scenes, with the bodies of the women discovered half-naked with visible bruising.

While SAPS has stopped short of officially declaring the presence of a serial killer, authorities admit the striking similarities are sufficiently alarming to warrant immediate public mobilisation and an intensified criminal investigation.

Busa, on Wednesday, said the murders are a national crisis that is an assault on constitutional rights and human dignity, as it relayed its condolences to the families of the victims.

“No woman should live in fear or be denied the freedom to move, work and participate fully in society. Violence against women is not a private or marginal issue; it is a national crisis that harms communities, weakens our economy and diminishes us all,” Busa stated.

It urged police to work quickly and thoroughly to resolve missing persons and gender-based violence cases, and welcomed Ramaphosa’s call for the cases to be prioritsed.

The business organisation said it will collaborate with government, labour, civil society and communities to assist with prevention, survivor support, safer workplaces and stronger accountability.

Busa also called on members of the public with information relevant to the cases to approach the police.

“This crisis demands an all-in response. Silence, delay and fragmented action are no longer acceptable. Every sector and every community must act – together, now and with sustained commitment – until women are safe in their homes, workplaces and public spaces,” the organisation said.