Issued by African National Congress - Parliament
17 February 2003
Madam Speaker
Honourable Members
Women abuse, child abuse and the abuse of elderly persons
The President in his January the 8th statement and in his state of the nation address made a particular reference to the suffering of women and children, and called upon all South Africans to focus on the safety of our communities. He stressed the need to pay attention to the close relationship between poverty and some crimes. The SAPS has committed itself to prevent and combat crime against children and women, and regard this kind of crime as one of the Police priorities. They focus on increasing the number of family violence, child protection and sexual offences units of the SAPS, victim support programmes, prevention programmes and public education programmes.
The ANC is committed to strengthening the implementation of all the good laws that are in place, to deal with the violence against women and children. The ANC's vision derives from the freedom charter, which proclaimed in 1955 that "there shall be peace and friendship" and went on further to say " peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all."
We commend those SAPS members who try their best to translate and implement (in particular) the domestic violence act under difficult circumstances e.g. withdrawal of cases by abused women (victims). Police need to understand the laws in order for them to discourage the victims not to drop the charges. Some of these victims are forced by the perpetrators to drop such cases against them.
A review of the operations of the Community Policing Forums is being done (thank you Minister Nqakula) this will include their funding as per ANC 51st National Conference resolutions. The major focus of this is to consider the feasibility of Community Safety Forums.
We are aware that most of this kind of crimes are not reported in some instances because they referred to as Social or family problems, in some cases it is when some SAPS members don't take this seriously. When victims report this cases they will be asked, "one o batlang bosiu wena." This is where our role as public representatives is needed most. We need to educate the communities of their rights and translate those laws, which are there to protect them (especially those rural communities).
The President in his State of the Nation address emphasised the need to utilise 'ama volunteer' and the need to establish community development workers within public service in order to assist the people in tackling the immediate problems they face.
We acknowledge those volunteers who rendered their service to the communities and in our police stations. Trained Volunteers and Social Workers counsel victims of rape at the relevant institutions. There are community based victims empowerment projects in the Provinces and Trauma facilities at some police stations that provide counselling services by trained volunteers. The Department of Justice is utilised for training of criminal prosecutions in order for the perpetrators to be convicted. NGOs like Network of Violence against women are also used when making referrals.
The ANC will not tolerate the abuse of children in any form. Brutal attacks on children by their own parents and guardians is a criminal offence.
I want to take this opportunity and commend those police stations like the one in Barberton in Mpumalanga who together with the community went on a campaign of schools adopting cops and held workshops on how to deal with crime at schools including the eradication of abuse of drugs and alcohol at schools. This has helped to build a better relationship between the communities and the police.
Madam Speaker;
Elderly persons are abused daily in different ways.
We acknowledge the step taken by the Department of Social Development by drafting a policy framework document to address issues affecting our elderly persons. The abuse and neglect of elderly is common in residential homes, hospitals, within families, in communities and in pension pay points. This drafted legislation will address among others the poorly managed, racially divided and under resourced communities. Before we can truly say that our elderly get the respect and dignity they deserve many challenges remain unresolved.
Sesotho: Ya oka metseng ntlo! Rena le bothata bo bontse bo ata moo mo maqheku arona a amohelanga teng. Batho hothwe ke bo' matshonisa' (money lenders). Di nokwana tsena di amoha maqheku arona chelete yabona ka tsela e kgopo ka nofitisisa.
We say to those unlicensed money lenders who steal the pensions of elderly by borrowing this poor senior citizens money unlawfully, we are watching you and you will be arrested very soon.
The ANC W.L. in the Free State, the community and the volunteers have embarked on a campaign to combat this kind of crime which is escalating. They visit most pay points on the days of the pension pay outs and with the help of some police they managed to stop this money mongers. The President in his State of the Nation Address indicated that our success depend on strengthening the Partnership of the Letsema campaign, with communities volunteering to assist the security agencies in their work.
Madam Speaker,
The Constituency that I am servicing is in a rural area called Naledi in the Free State Province on the borders of South Africa and Lesotho.
Cde President le ndawo ndithetha ngayo inomzana omkhulu apho obizwa ngokuthi yi Kanana (hayi iKanana exelwa yincwadi emlomo obomvu (bible). Apha kule iKanana ikati ilele eziko. Bathi bayabulela ngamanzi acocekileyo kuba kaloku bebedla ngokubasa ngamalongwe, kodwa namhlanje akusekho ukuhamba kwindawo ezoyikekayo beyokufuna amalongwe. Bathi sebenombane nditsho nasemikhukhwini.
Eyona nto ingamandla esilwisana nayo nje ngeenkokheli zoluntu, kukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana neentsapho, nokuswela imisebenzi kodwa ngenxa yokuba bayasivisisa xa sithetha ngo Vukuzenzele baya kuhlala. bemxhasa u lulumente okhokelwa yi African National Congress- bathi kungcono ukusenga inkomo ene thole-kuno kuba uziqhathe ngokuthemba emithiyo kuba kaloku akuqinisekanga ukuthi yozala ntoni na.
In conclusion , we say, "No woman, child or older person deserves to suffer, emotional, physical, sexual or financial" abuse from anyone.
I thank you.