South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa says a project to reopen unsolved sexual offenses cases soon will be rolled out across the country, and he calls violence against women and children "a great shame on our nation".

More than 2,700 women were murdered in South Africa last year, and more than 1,000 children. More than 100 rapes are reported every day.

President Ramaphosa spoke Monday during the launch of 16 days of activism for an issue on which he says South Africans "have lost our way".

He says the government is on track in implementing a six-month emergency action plan that was announced after angry nationwide protests following the rape and murder of a university student in Cape Town.

The plan includes more specialized care centers, rape kits and police training.

The South African president's announcement comes about two months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex called for an end to gender-based violence in the country. The royals were visiting as part of a 10-day tour of Africa.