President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned a "surge in murders of women and children", after the body of a young woman was found dumped under a tree in Dobsonville, Soweto, on Friday.

Since the country entered alert Level 3 of the Covid-19 lockdown on 1 June, there has been a surge in gender-based violence and femicide, the president said in a statement on Saturday.

During these visits they will be engaging with communities on this upsurge in gender-based violence, Ramaphosa said.

Citing the case of 36-year-old Sibongiseni Gabada from Khayelitsha who was found murdered last month, the president said survivors of gender-based violence believe the criminal justice is failing them.

The president has urged communities to work with the police and report any information they may have to Crime Stop on 08600 10111, send an anonymous SMS to Crime Line at 32211 or call the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre at 0800 428 428.