Madam Deputy Speaker, South Africa has one of the highest rape statistics in the world. It is common knowledge that only one in ten rapes is reported to the police but some nongovernmental organisations believe the figure to be as high as one in 15. On the basis of these estimates, it is calculated that one rape occurs every 20 seconds.
So, even if one stands on a street corner for 20 minutes - as a former Minister of Safety and Security infamously said - and no rape occurs, at least 60 rapes have occurred around the corner or on the next street somewhere in South Africa during that time. It is totally unacceptable that women and girls, and in some cases even men, cannot walk the streets safely without the fear of being raped. We must all work together to claim back the streets for ourselves.
Since 1991, the 16-days campaign has helped to raise awareness about gender violence and has highlighted its effects on women globally. Each year, thousands of activists from all around the world utilise the campaign to further their work to end violence against women.
It has challenged policies and practices that allow women to be targeted for acts of violence. It has called for the protection of people who defend women's human rights and it has demanded accountability from states, including a commitment to recognise and act upon all forms of violence against women as human rights abuses.
The 2007 16-days campaign seeks to dismantle obstacles and overcome challenges posed by social attitudes and policies that continue to condone and perpetuate gender-based violence. These include: demanding and securing adequate funding; calling for greater accountability and political commitment from states to prevent and punish all forms of violence against women in practice, and not just in words; increasing awareness of the impact of violence against women; including engaging in measures to end it by men and boys; evaluating the impact and effectiveness of work to prevent violence against women; and securing the space for advocacy and defending the defenders of women's human rights in their work to end gender-based violence.
Against this background it is quite extraordinary that South Africa refused to support a UN General Assembly resolution condemning rape used as a weapon of war. What makes it even more peculiar is that South African women, including our present Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma and Public Service Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, were instrumental in getting rape declared as a war crime at the Beijing Conference in 1995.
It is important that we understand the impact this violent crime has on its victims. When a woman is abused, the damage extends far beyond her. The psychological effects of rape result in a pattern of reaction called Rape Trauma Syndrome, which is suffered by many rape survivors. Rape is not just about unwanted sex; it is a highly traumatic experience and, like other serious traumas, it has negative effects on those who survive it.
Rape is usually experienced as life-threatening, and an extreme violation of a person. It does not only have an effect on the victim but it is also very traumatic for the family, friends and colleagues. The effects of rape are long-term, maybe even lifelong, and although rape survivors never forget being raped, they may eventually learn how to deal with the memory. The negative effects of rape are not yet widely known or recognised in South Africa. In fact, many of our courts are still operating under the false impression that rape is merely unwanted sex, and therefore it does not damage rape survivors in the long term. Rape Trauma Syndrome is only now being introduced as evidence in South African courts.
Freda Adler says, and I quote, "Rape is the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused". Unfortunately, this is so true. With all the emotional problems arising from the rape that women have to endure, during the police investigation and the medical investigations a second round of victimisation usually occurs in the process.
Our justice system does not have mercy for hundreds of rape victims. We have a woman Minister of Justice. She must ensure that rape victims are treated with dignity and respect, and that justice is swiftly and effectively done.
Rape is about power and not sex. A rapist uses actual force or violence, or the threat of it, to take control of another human being. Rape is a crime, whether the person committing it is a stranger, a date, an acquaintance or even - and shamefully - a family member. There is a well-known saying, "if you strike a woman, you strike a rock".
"Wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokodo". [... you strike a woman, you strike a rock.]
We, the men and women of South Africa, must remember that these women of rock, this backbone of our society, should never have to endure the suffering and humiliation of rape.
This violent and hateful act will shatter any rock into a million pieces. Can South Africa afford a million little pieces of rock? [Applause.]
Chair, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, our guests in the gallery, I'd like to thank the chairperson of the women's caucus, Kiki Rwexana, for giving me the opportunity to take part in the debate on the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. This campaign plays a significant role in the lives of women and children in South Africa.
As parliamentarians, we want to make sure that we highlight and sensitise society on the notion of restoring moral regeneration, which we need to embrace together with the value of human dignity.
There is a primary element that we need to apply when combating violence against women and children. It is that time of the year again, when we need to pause and reflect on our moral values and examine the manner in which the most vulnerable of our people, that is women and children, are treated in society.
We are not referring to rural women only, but also to women who are well- educated and holding senior positions at work. The latter are also victims of abuse either at work or behind closed doors at home.
South Africa has joined the international community in making the statement that violence against women and children is a crime and will not be tolerated. You will agree with me that currently - and contrary to expectations - the rate of abuse against women and children is going up.
As society, we need to make the point that we are sick and tired of reading in newspapers and watching on television stories about horrible incidents of abuse of women and children. Recently, there has been a number of reported cases of murder of women, with their bodies dumped at Shayamoya sugar plantation in KwaZulu-Natal. The question is: Why women and girl- children? We are by no means saying that boy-children are not victims, because they are. However, in this instance women are clearly targets.
The South African government runs a parallel campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children. This campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence against women and children. The Department of Provincial and Local Government is working closely with the Office on the Status of Women in the Presidency, the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons, the Office of the Status of Children, as well as other government departments. These offices report directly to the Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, who spearheads the campaign.
We need to pay special attention to municipalities. We are not alone in this battle; we also have our chapter 9 institutions, such as the Commission on Gender Equity and the SA Human Rights Commission. These institutions have primarily been mandated to protect and promote our constitutional democracy and uphold the value of human dignity within society at large.
The Joint Monitoring Committee on the Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women in Parliament, led by hon Morotua, is working hand in hand with the Office on the Status of Women and the Commission on Gender Equity in trying to implement the national gender machinery at provincial, local and municipal levels. The purpose is to bring about awareness, to review policies and to monitor proper implementation of the machinery.
We further need to provide adequate training to people appointed at gender focal points, be it at local or municipal levels. The implementation of this machinery does not end with government; it extends to the private sector and NGOs. Our excellent Constitution is praised worldwide and globally is the only one that protects the provisions of the equality clause.
As a result of this clause, we have the Equality Court and relevant institutions in place. Once again, we have wonderful pieces of legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act, which protects women against any kind of abuse. We also have the sexual offences legislation that introduces a number of new crimes that are regarded as sex-related crimes and makes it an offence, for example, to compel one person to rape or sexually assault a third person.
Ndinovuyo ngokuthetha ngomsebenzi owenziwe yiPalamente ukukhusela amalungelo amakhosikazi. Ndikwavuyiswa nakukuqaphela umsebenzi owenziwa ngoomasipala ukuncedisa ekulweni uxhaphazo lwamakhosikazi nabantwana.
Ndikwavuyiswa nakukuqaphela umsebenzi owenziwa ngusihlalo weKomiti yeMicimbi yeSebe, uMaggie Sotyu, owenze ukuba amapolisa abe namhlanje ayaqeqeshwa ukuze akwazi ukujongana nezimo zodlwengulo lwamakhosikazi. Amapolisa asekwaqeqeshwa nasekubeni akwazi ukusebenzisana namaxhoba odlwengulo kwanokuba azamkele kwaye angazenzi intlekisa iingxelo eziza namakhosikazi kuwo.
Ndisekwavuyiswa nakukuba iinkundla ziyabagweba ngokuqatha abo badlwengulayo. Udlwengulo yinto ekufanele siyithathe njengento exhomisa amehlo, singayenzi into yokudlala. Xa udlwengule ungumntu ongutata, akukhathaliseki nokuba ungubani na okanye ukweliphi na inqanaba lobomi, okusalayo kukuba udlwengule. Ngaphezulu, asizi kuyihlekela into yokudlwengulwa ngabantu esilindele ukuba basikhusele, simana sikrwecana singamakhosikazi xa sibona loo mntu sisithi: Kanene wayedlwengule!
Siyacela ukuba igqugula lamakhosikazi liyiqaphele into yokuba ngekhe silwamkele udlwengulo noxhaphazo lwabantwana.
Ndifuna ukubonisa indlela urhulumente awukhathalele ngayo uMzantsi Afrika nabantu bawo. Phezolo bendibukele inkqubo kamabonakude kwijelo i-SABC 3, ndanqwena ukuba abe kanti uMphathiswa uMdladlana abe naye ebebukele. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[I am pleased to talk about Parliament's efforts to protect women's rights and to note the work that is being done by the municipalities to help to curb the abuse of women and children.
I acknowledge the work that is done by the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, hon Maggie Sotyu, who has made it possible for the police to be trained so that they are sensitive when dealing with cases of women who have been raped. They are also being trained to be sensitive when dealing with victims of rape and not to take lightly the complaints that are brought to them by women. I am also pleased that the courts are handing out heavy sentences to rapists.
Rape is a crime that should be regarded as something alarming and not as something trivial. When you have raped, as a man, regardless of who you are or what your status in life is, you are still a rapist. Furthermore, we are not going to condone being raped by people from whom we expect protection and whisper among ourselves as women and say, By the way, he is a rapist!
We would like to plead with the women's caucus to note that we are not going to condone the rape and abuse of children.
I would like to demonstrate how the government cares for South Africa and its citizens. Yesterday I was watching a programme on SABC 3 and how I wished that the hon Minister Mdladlana was also watching.]
Sometimes I don't go to sleep early; I watch TV until midnight. Don't ask me Why. [Interjections.] The programme was about sex workers, and it made me feel very sad. As parliamentarians, we do not know what is happening in South Africa.
The sex industry is in existence, even right here in Cape Town. Young children of about thirteen or fourteen years of age were saying: "We are unemployed; we want this industry to be legalised."
We still have a big problem, and that problem faces us directly, as parliamentarians. [Interjections.] We've just passed the Civil Union Act. Today people are moaning about the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act.
Lo ngumba ocinezela amakhosikazi. Kwaye ukuba zange ube yinkosikazi emnyama ezaziyo iingxaki zamakhosikazi, ... [This is an issue that affects women. If you have never been a black woman, who understands the problems facing the women, ...]
... you would ask: "Why this piece of legislation?", as the opposition parties are doing. We know that the government ...
... osikhathaleleyo eMzantsi Afrika nokhusela amakhosikazi, uyayazi into yokuba kukho ingxaki yokhutsho lwezisu oluqhutywa kwiimeko ezingakhuselekanga ngokungekho mthethweni mihla le. [... which cares about us in South Africa and which protects the women. You know that there is the issue of abortions that are conducted under unsafe conditions on a daily basis.]
Government is saying: "Let us avoid that". People must come forward and say: "I have a problem", so that they can get counselling. Choice of termination of pregnancy does not happen on its own, it goes with counselling.
Sifuna ukuqinisekisa, makhosikazi, ukuba uxhaphazo nodlwengulo siyajijisana nazo. Enkosi. [We would like to make sure as women that we confront abuse and rape. Thank you.] [Time expired.]
Chairperson, every couple of seconds a woman is raped and her rights are violated in South Africa. Every few seconds a child is raped or molested in South Africa.
The Law Reform Commission estimated that there are as many as 1,7 million rapes in our country every year, but only a small fraction of that number is reported to the police. It is sickening to think that serial killers can call on the best legal defence and that rapists often appear to have more rights than the victims.
Where is this situation taking us as South Africans? We have to question whether this is the democracy we fought for. Surely we did not fight apartheid only to be brutally murdered and attacked by people who have no respect for life in our democracy. Everyday innocent souls are being bought and sold or tricked into slavery. Women and children are shipped off far from the safety of their homes and end up exploited as slaves or worse.
My party's message is simple: Men of South Africa, change your attitudes and behaviour towards women and children now. Treat women and children with respect and dignity. Value their lives and the contribution they make to society!
Imagine if, for 16 days, there was no rape, no child abuse, no sexual harassment, no emotional abuse and no human trafficking. South Africa would be at peace and have harmony. However, even 16 days of such peace and harmony is not enough. Now, we say let us have a campaign of 365 days of activism against women and child abuse. Let us commit to a year-round rolling campaign without end, to get rid of this scourge forever.
The IFP strongly believes that respect and concern for human rights, including the rights of the child and equality between men and women, must be at the foundation of a communal response to violence against women and children. Hence this year's 16 days of activism campaign must promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in relation to violence against women and children so that they can fully enjoy life and the rights guaranteed by our Constitution.
As members of the IFP, we pledge solemnly to do everything we can to end violence against women and children; and to work especially on the attitudes of our men. Men must join us when we invite them to our meetings; they must not run away. Thank you.
Chair, hon members, the UDM supports the idea of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. What we need to do now is to change the focus from the past preoccupation with how many women are represented where; the key now must be to move beyond numbers.
In the UDM pledge to mark the 16-days campaign, we said, amongst other things, that we recognise that violence against women and children is not only widespread, but also under-reported, poorly policed and that only a small percentage of it is ever successfully prosecuted. We recognise that violence against women and children reflects the deep seated misogyny that still pervades many areas of our society.
As individuals and as an organisation, we pledge to pursue the education and awareness of gender equality amongst adults and the next generation. We recognise that the biggest obstacle is the culture of silence that surrounds the abuse of women and children. We, therefore, pledge, as individuals and as an organisation, to speak out whenever and wherever we encounter the scourge.
Lastly, I hope and wish that one of the ANC caucuses received from the UDM caucus a manifesto of our preparedness to fight ruthlessly against violence against women and children. I thank you.
Chairperson, the ACDP is not convinced that the methodology employed by the government for purposes of this 16 days of activism is effective. The question as to whether or not the 16 days of activism is the best government can do in response to the growing prevalence of abuse amongst women and children is controversial.
As the ACDP has stated in the past, it is time for government to move beyond trying to create awareness as it needs to begin solving the problem. Government must stop making excuses, such as that it is very difficult to police the crime of abuse against women and children as the majority of these incidents occur in the home, especially at the hands of the people that they love, admire, respect and trust.
This stance by government reminds me of the statement that goes: "A man who hits his wife, is a man who has run out of ideas." If government is truly interested in combating this phenomenon of violence against women and children, then we recommend that it applies the following: Impose heavier sentences for convicted abusers; provide more courts and personnel to deal specifically and swiftly with these issues; provide better training for police, better forensic services, paedophile registers and care centres; and amend destructive laws.
Additionally, government must also learn to adhere to a moral philosophy that is based upon the word of God. The ACDP guarantees that if they do, problems of this nature will decrease rather than increase.
Government must realise that anything that is a threat to the family, is a threat to society. Therefore, the ACDP advocates that steps, and not just the creation of awareness, be taken to maintain the family unit as the strongest building block of society. Furthermore, it makes no sense for government to squander taxpayers' money on rallying the public. It makes more sense for government to put resources into finding solutions, and not into celebrations, under the guise of activism. The public is fully aware of what is happening around them.
To conclude, to the nation out there, let me quote a message from the Bible, in Second Book of the Chronicles, Chapter 7, verse 14:
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
That is a promise from God. I thank you.
Chairperson, the FF Plus pledges its firm commitment to, and support for, activism against violence and abuse against women and children. The scourge of violence being perpetrated against the most vulnerable sections of our society is eating away at the moral fibre of South Africa and is destroying our society.
We therefore acknowledge that our efforts to protect and promote the status of women and children have to be stepped up. We undertake to constructively participate in the national campaign to combat violence against women and children and, as public representatives of the FF Plus, we pledge to show our solidarity with the victims of violence against women and children through leading by example.
Voorsitter, 'n man wat aan 'n vrou slaan of wat kinders mishandel, is nie 'n man nie, maar 'n lafaard. 'n Man wat dit doen, hoort in die tronk. Dit is wat hy is en waar hy behoort te wees.
Die feit van die saak is, dit hoef ook nie net altyd fisiese geweld te wees nie. Ek wil vandag s dat mans wat nie hulle onderhoudsplig nakom teenoor hul eie kinders nie, is presies besig met dieselfde geweld en intimidering van hul eie kinders en daar behoort ook teen hulle opgetree te word.
Die VF Plus voel baie sterk daaroor dat ons hierdie saak sal moet verder voer, nie net vir 16 dae nie, maar dit behoort die norm te wees in Suid- Afrika dat vrouens en kinders en hierdie gedeelte van ons gemeenskap beskerm behoort en op die voorgrond gestel te word. 'n Man wat dit nie doen nie, is 'n lafaard en hoort in die tronk. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, a man who hits a woman or abuses a child, is not a man, but a coward. A man who does that, belongs in jail. That is where he is and should be.
The fact of the matter is that it does not always need to be physical violence. I want to say today that men who do not carry out their maintenance responsibilities toward their own children, are busy with the same violence and intimidation of their own children and action should be taken against them.
The FF Plus feels very strongly that we will take this matter further, not only for 16 days, but it should be the norm in South Africa that women and children and this part of our community should be protected and put in the foreground. A man who does not do that, is a coward and belongs in jail. I thank you.]
Chairperson, the 16 days of activism campaign has been used to create a global movement, to raise awareness, to address policy and legal issues, to campaign for the protection of survivors of violence and to call for the elimination of all forms of gender violence. It has been successful in creating nationwide awareness of women and child abuse. However, the campaign should be more than just a series of marches, banners and speeches.
Izwe noma selizwile, uhulumeni kanye nathi sonke kuyadingeka ukuthi sakhe izinhlelo zokusiza labo abathintekile kanye nalezo zokusiza nalabo abanesifo sokuhlupha nokuhlukumeza abantu. [Even when the nation has been alerted, the government and all of us need to create programmes for helping those who are affected as well as those who suffer from the malaise of harassing and abusing people.]
Adequate funding and monitoring of this programme is required. Many departments may have gender policies and gender unions, but the importance and power assigned to these is minimal. The gender focal points often experience budgetary constraints.
Statistics by Childline state that one in three girls and one in five boys have been sexually molested. Tragically, most cases of abuse go unreported. The full extent remains unrecorded. The Constitution recognises gender equality as a cornerstone of South Africa's democracy, and government needs to use the 16 days of activism in conjunction with creating awareness about gender equality.
We, as Nadeco, also believe that amongst the programmes the government needs to create, emphasis has to be placed on issues of gender mainstreaming. Each department needs to place importance on its gender policies and programmes. This, as a result, will have a bearing in assisting in changing the behaviour and thinking of some of the males who have a problem, as well as those who have been brought up in families where subordination of women was the norm. Ngiyabonga. [Thank you.]
Chairperson and hon members, since 1998, South Africa has joined the world community by actively engaging in the campaign of 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women.
For South Africa, it became very important to also include children in this campaign because we are a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Indeed, we have ongoing debates around this issue. To mention a few examples -
Sithini uma ngabe indoda ihlupha inkosikazi yayo iminyaka yabo yonke besemshadweni, kodwa kuthi mhla ishona ibeke izimbali ebhokisini layo?
Sithini ngengqungquthela eyayiseNyakatho Koloni eyayimayelana nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane, lapho kwavela khona ukuthi iphoyisa lashisa inkosikazi yalo ngamanzi ngesikhathi kuqala lo mbhidlango?
Sithini ngentombazane engezwa eyadlwengulwa abantu abathathu okwathi uma ifika enkantolo icela umuntu ozoyitolikela kwathiwa akekho, ngaleyo ndlela yangaluthola usizo?
Sithini ngentombazane ekhubazekile enqondweni eyadlwengulwa umuntu emaziyo kwathi uma sekufikwa enkantolo, kwabuzakala ukuthi ubani oyidlwengulile, yakhomba umfana wakwaSimelane okwakuvele kukunguyena umfana wakwaSimelane? (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[What do we say when a man abuses his wife throughout their marital life, and yet when he dies she places flowers on his coffin?
What do we say about the conference that was held in the Northern Cape in which we heard about a policeman who had poured boiling water over his wife during the early days of this campaign?
What do we say about the deaf girl who was raped by three men and when she went to the police station to report the case, and she further asked for a sign language interpreter she was told that there was no interpreter and could therefore not receive any assistance?
What do we say about the mentally retarded girl who was raped by a man who was known to her and, in court, when she was asked to identify the person who had raped her, she pointed out the son of Simelane who turned out not to be the son of Simelane?]
What do we say about the woman who was stripped naked by the hostel dwellers, because she was wearing pants? This time it was not a short dress, to which people always say, "You were raped because you were wearing a short dress".
Sithini ngendaba yase-Free State ngesikhathi ikhomishane ebhekelele ubulili ebizwa nge-Gender Commission, lapho kwakunengqungquthela eyayimayelana nodlame olubhekiswe kwabesifazane kwavela ukuthi ... [What do we say about the Free State case, during the conference on violence against women, organised by the Gender Commission, in which we heard that ...] A 64-year-old man raped an eight-year-old girl. On failing to penetrate, he had to cut this little girl's vagina to be able to penetrate her.
Sithini ngendaba yaseMpumalanga, KwaBhokweni, lapho inkosikazi yashonelwa umkhwenyana wayo owayeyihlupha futhi engayinakile? Kwathi omama ababekhona lapho bathi ukuze ikwazi ukukhalela umkhwenyana wayo, bazoyincinza ngempintshisi lapha ezinhlangothini. Bayincinza-ke ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[What are we saying about an incident in Mpumalanga, KwaBhokweni, where a woman who had lost her abusive and uncaring husband was hurt? The women who were there at the funeral said that if she did not mourn the death of her husband, they would pinch her with pliers on her sides so that she could be seen to be mourning the death of husband. They pinched her ...]
... until she was black and blue.
Siyazi-ke ukuthi ... [We all know that -.] ...the provincial and local governments are spearheading this programme.
In any case, the government is doing all it can through the laws and other ways to fight this scourge. The Sexual Offences Bill broadens the definition of sexual violence and helps ensure heavy sentences for convicted offenders. The legislatures, the judiciary and the public have got to ensure that this legislation has an impact.
South Africa has taken concrete steps in dealing with abuse through courts, Parliament, Chapter 9 institutions and specialised training that is given to the police in dealing sensitively with survivors of violence. The women of South Africa, during the last decade, followed their sisters on other continents, leaving behind the title of housewife and entering the labour market.
However, these days, women in South Africa find themselves unemployed and because of this there is an increased need for cash incomes to produce economic empowerment, particularly in the rural areas. Young women, with some education, are aware of the gap between urban and rural life, and reject the drudgery of enforced domestic work as daughters in the family and increasingly have access to information about the lack of opportunities and how others live their lives.
The way these dimensions impact on one another is contextual, but they ultimately contribute to the major migration of young women and girls, not just men, as it used to be. Many of them are at high risk of being trafficked and others killed, as was the case on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast's Shayamoya, where women were promised employment, only to be killed and some of their body parts removed. These killings have raised serious concerns throughout the country. According to the report of the International Organisation for Migration, trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation is a significant problem in Southern Africa. Trafficking of women is the fastest-growing source of profit for organised crime worldwide, second only to guns and drugs.
Unlike drugs, the advantage of human cargo is that it is recycled and reused. It is clear that women and children are trafficked specifically to work in forced prostitution; others are recruited to work in agricultural and manufacturing sectors for next to nothing in appalling conditions.
In conclusion, it is the responsibility of all South Africans to strive for nonviolence, particularly against women and children, and to conscienctise their children on nonviolent behaviour. Further, men have a role in ending violence and making a difference.
Let men be counted in the fight against violence and abuse. We are, however, encouraged that some men are becoming advocates of no violence against women and they are becoming part of the solution. We further caution women who expose other women to violence, such as...
... kuyabekezelwa emendweni futhi libanjwa lishisa ... [... marriage is not a walk in the park and that one must persevere ...] ... because that is oppressing and that is violence against women. Thank you. [Applause.]
Modulasetilo, tota go a gakgamatsa e bile go a swabisa, gore morago ga dingwaga di le some le boraro tsa temokerasi re be re sa ntse re bua ka ntwa kgatlhanong le tshotlako ya bomme le bana. Go bonala tota gore go na le batho, bogolo borre, ba ba gaisiwang ke diphologolo. Ga go na phologolo epe e tonanyana e e ka lwantshang e e namagadi kampo ngwana wa yona. Ke rona borre fela re dirang jalo.
Ka na tota molao o sa le o tswa kwa Modimong ka osi fa o re: ``banna ratang basadi ba lona, basadi tlotlang banna ba lona, bagolo ratang bana ba lona. Kana go ne go sa tlhokege gore batho ba direlwe melao ya go tlhokomela bomme le bana. Botho ke jona bo tshwanetseng go ba ruta. Fa botho bo leng teng, re ne re tshwanelwa ke go bua ka malatsi a ngwaga otlhe, ke gore a le 365, gonne letsatsi le letsatsi mosadi le ngwana ba sotlwa ka mekgwa e e farologaneng.
A le rona re le Ntlo e e tlotlegang e, re nne dikai, re seka ra tswa batlhanka ba mafoko a rona ka go sotlaka malapa a rona. Tota batho kampo banna ba ba ganang go utlwa ka ditsebe fa ba bolelelwa ba tshwanetse go utlwa ka letlalo; ke gore ba bidiwe. A e re mo malatsing a a khunologo go tswa mo ditirong tse di farologaneng, borre botlhe ba nne tshegofatso mo go bomme le bana ba bona. Ke a leboga. (Translation of Sesotho speech follows.) [Mr B E PULE: Chairperson, really it is surprising and disappointing that after thirteen years of democracy we are still talking about the fight against woman and child abuse. It is clear that there are people, especially men who are worse than animals. There is no male animal which abuses a female animal or its young. Only us; men are doing that!
Indeed, the law came from God: "husbands love your wives, wives respect your husbands". There was no need to enact laws for the people in order to protect women and children. Humility should teach them. If there was humility, we were supposed to talk each and every day of the year - 365 days, because women and children are abused daily in different forms.
As members of this House, let us be good examples. Let us not do the opposite of what we preach by abusing our women and children. People or men who do not listen, should feel the pinch by being given a hiding. During our holidays free from our different work commitments, let all men be a blessing to their wives and children. I thank you.]
Chairperson, the 16 days of activism is a productive way of addressing gender-based violence and liberating women, globally, from all forms of abuse. We have been working in our constituencies to educate and unite in the fight against violence against women and children, but it is evident that abuses are still high. The news bulletins have, on a daily basis, reports of violence and abuse against women and children. These abuses stem from rape, violence and even economic abuses to human trafficking.
There, however, appears to be a greater awareness on the dilemma, and more victims have found the strength to speak out. We need victims to speak out so that we may stamp out the crimes being committed.
The MF unites in the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. All spheres of government need to actively take part in reducing crime and violence in South Africa. Local government needs to realise the importance it has in this regard. Our SAPS remains incapacitated to assist in this situation and it is high time that the promised funding be utilised to train personnel and equip police stations with the means to assist victims of violence.
Parents and guardians, remember you are not obligate to trust anyone, but you are obligated to protect your children. Murderers and rapists do not have one face but many faces, colour, or sex. Rather protect than to regret. I thank you.
Modulasetulo le Matona a hlomphehileng a teng kwano, bomme le bontate. [Chairperson, hon Ministers present here today, ladies and gentlemen.] The APC aligns itself with the campaign of 16 days of activism as initiated by the UN and adopted by many countries in the world. We embrace the International Day of No Violence Against Women and Children and the International Human Rights Day.
Re le mokgatlo rere: Hoa hlokahala hore banna ba kgone ho itlhompha jwalo ka banna, mme ba se ke ba ba le tlhekefetso baneng le ho bomme. Re le mokgatlo re re bontate ba tlameha hore ba baballe bophelo ba bana le ba bomme. [As an organisation we are saying that it is important for men to respect themselves, they must stop children and women abuse and they are supposed to look after women and children.]
Xa oomama nabantwana bengaxhatshazwa, eli lizwe lethu liya kukwazi ukuba libe nekamva elihle kakhulu. Kaloku sithi abantwana bethu ngabo abaza kuba ziinkokeli kwixesha elizayo. Side sitsho kwanokuba oomama ngabo abantu abakwaziyo ukuba baqinise isizwe. [When women and children are not abused, this country would have a very bright future. Indeed, we say that children are the leaders of tomorrow. We also say that women are the pillars of the nation.]
Hon members, let us bow our heads and remember the many women and children who became victims of violence this year and in the past years.
APC e tshehetsa letsholo la ho thibela tlhekefetso ya bomme le bana lefatsheng ka bophara. Re etsa boipiletso ho batho bohle, haholo bontate, ho emisa ka tlhekefetso ya bomme le bana, mme re etsa boipiletso ho dikereke le baruti hore le bona ba ke ba tiise haholo ka hore hobe le tlhokomelo eno. (Translation of Sesotho paragraph follows.)
[The APC Women's Network Support Programme supports the Stop Women and Children Abuse Campaign worldwide. We are urging everyone, especially men, to stop woman and child abuse and we also urge churches and its Ministers to make sure that this surely does happen.]
Chairperson, the FD believes that 16 days of activism is not enough to rid our nation of the scourge of violence against women and children. We must support the UN campaign for 16 days of activism, but this obviously is not enough because it does not impact the rape statistics in South Africa. If the fundamental reasons for violence against women and children are not addressed we will not rid our society of the scourge.
Though we have managed to instil in our people the values of a nonracial society, we still lag behind in instilling in them the value of respect for women and children. The next leg of the challenge of human freedom in our country is to work towards respect and appreciation for women and children. The FD concurs with all the comments made by the speakers against the crime of rape and sexual abuse. We need to reiterate the role of religious and cultural entities in restoring the dignity and humanity of women and children as well as to challenge traditions and conventions to review those values which may diminish the status of women.
The FD will continue to strive for the wellbeing of family life where women, men and children feel safe and secure at home and is supported by political laws and institutions that guarantee the stability of a social environment in which families can find the space for growth and development. I thank you.
Chairperson, there is no doubt that the national democratic society that the ANC seems to bring about will be characterised by freedom from fear and want. The fear and want we are fighting to change is partly a bad heritage of the past. We must attack these two evils at their roots with all the energies at our disposal.
Women and children are principal sufferers of this scourge. The campaign of no violence against women and children helps us all in these Houses of Parliament and elsewhere in the country, and the world, to focus on the work that must be done to rid society, once and for all, of such violence. It affects directly the poor and the rich, but clearly poverty exacerbates vulnerability. Whilst it is true that this matter has become a societal matter, profound changes in the nature of society will bring about better results and we can, at an individual level, bring about serious changes for the better without waiting any longer. It is for this reason that this year's call to mobilise men is appropriate without slackening one bit of effort to resocialise women and children to be their own liberators.
It is this pillar of the national democratic struggle to entrench a human rights culture, and a belief by people that they are their own liberators, that makes this campaign such a crucial one. Campaign work requires lots of patience, painstaking persuasion, mobilisation and organisation of communities, to have any significant impact. In fact, the resources government is putting into this, is very appropriate. It requires constant research work and gathering of knowledge, to understand better the root causes of these scourges. By managing the stakeholders from all walks of society behind this campaign, government has demonstrated the power of working together across boundaries.
This war to reclaim our neighbourhoods, homes, schools and places of work, must be reinvigorated, so that as we said, women, children and all of us, must be free to walk about or run around without fear. Our liberation will remain an unfinished business if we do not achieve this objective.
Setho se re: "Motho ke motho ka batho". Haholoholo banna le bashemane ke bona ba ka tlisang phaphang e kgolo ha ba ka kena letsholong la ho fedisa tshebediso ya dikgoka le tlatlapo ho batho ba bomme, banana le ho bana. Ba bileng teng pele ho rona ke ka hona ba neng ba re: "Pharela ha e hlole banna". E ka ba ntho e ntle ha re ka itshupa ka dipuo, ka diketso le ka metsamao hore re utlwisisa ka botlalo tlhompho e tshwanetseng bomme, banana le bana jwalo ka theho ya setjhaba se motlotlo.
Kgotso e keke ya rena ka hare ho metse ya rona ha feela ho ntse ho na le batho bao re iphaphanyang bona le ha ba tsebahala ka dikgoka le tlatlapo. Re tlameha ho bontsha ba ntseng ba hola hore di teng ditsela tsa ho amana le batho tse sa hlokeng bokgopo bo sebediswang ka dikgoka. Dikolong le mekgathlong e teng ka hare ho setjhaba re tshwanetse ho ruta ditsela tse nepahetseng tsa ho kenya maikutlo taolong, hobane ha maikutlo a lahleha, hona ho isa tshebedisong ya dikgoka. Ha re ka ntlafatsa thuto, kgudiso e ntlafatsang kutlwisiso le taolo ya maikutlo, re tla be re jala peo ya phediso ya tshebediso ya dikgoka le ditlatlapo.
Makgotla a Melao, tsamaiso ya ditjhankane, seponesa le ba ditshebeletso tsa ntshetsopele ba tshwanela ho ba le tshebedisanommoho e tiileng. Ka tsela ena ba leng molato ba tla tlalehwa hore molao o sebetsane le bona ka potlako, ka ditsela tse tla tiisang hore ha ba kgutlele mekgweng ya bona e mebe, hore ba tlalehileng le bona ba tshwarehe ka tsela e nang le tlhompho.
Phephetso e kgolo ke ya ho qeta bofuma, hobane le bona bo jala bora ho babang ka hara metse. Tshebediso ya tahi le dithethefatsi le yona e na le tshusumetso e kgolo tshebedisong ya dikgoka le tlatlapo. Batho ha ba se ba tahilwe ha ba sa na kelello, seo ba se bonang ke tshebediso ya dikgoka le tlatlapo feela.
Moruo-kgodumodumo le ona o jetse meharo e bakang hore batho ba sebedise ditsela dife kapa dife ho fihlela maemo a phahameng, mme hona le hona ke tshebediso ya dikgoka. Ka mantswe a mang re tshwanetse ho shebana le moruo- kgodumodumo ona re bone hore na re ka etsa jwang hore re kgutlise botho ka hara setjhaba sohle seo re phelang le sona le dinaheng tse ding.
Hara ditsela tsena tse teng tsa kutlwisiso le tshebedisano e ntle ka hara setjhaba ke tsona feela tse tla thibelang tshebediso ya dikgoka le tlatlapo ho batho ba bomme, banana le bana. Ka borona jwalo ka ha re dutse mona, mosebetsi oo re nang le ona moo re sebetsang teng ke ona o moholo wa ho thusa ho hlohleletsa bohle ba nang le boetapele le kutlwisiso ya mosebetsi ona ho tiisa mosebetsi oo ba tshwanetseng ho o etsa.
Ha se mmuso o ka kgonang ho fedisa Bohloko bona bo teng ka hara setjhaba, empa ke mmuso le babang ka hara setjhaba ba ipopileng jwalo ka mekgatlo ya dipolotiki, basebetsi, baahi metseng moo ba dulang teng. Ke ka bona re ka tiisang hore re tswela pele mme ebile re a atleha letsholong lena. Ha hona ka mokgwa oo re ka reng re se re qetile re se re fihlile, mme tokoloho e teng, empa ho ntse ho na le batho ba llang hobane malapeng a bona ho sebediswa dikgoka mme ba dula ba lla ba lliswa ke tlatlapo ya mofuta ona. Ntwa ya rona ya boitseko ba tokoloho e tla be e sa fella ha re soka re qeta mosebetsi o moholo ha kana. Ke a leboha Modulasetulo. (Translation of Sesotho paragraphs follows.)
[In our culture we say, "No man is an island", especially men and boys. They are the ones who can bring about a lot of difference if they can be part of the campaign to end the use of violence and abuse against women, girls and children. Those who came before us used to say, "There is no problem that cannot be solved". It would be good if we could show through our speech, actions and behavior that we fully understand the respect that women, girls and children deserve as the basis of a proud nation.
There can never be peace in our communities as long as we are pretending not to notice the people who are known for violence and abuse. We have to show those who are still growing up that there are ways of interacting with people that do not need cruelty in the form of violence. At schools and in community organisations, we have to teach the right ways of controlling emotions, because when control of emotions is lost, this leads to the use of violence. If we can improve education, child-rearing that improves understanding and emotional control, we will be planting a seed to curb the use of violence and abuse. The courts of law, correctional services, SAPS and social development have to co-operate fully. In this way the suspects will be reported so that the law can deal with them immediately in ways that will ensure that they do not go back to their wayward ways, so that the victims should be treated with dignity.
A major challenge is to eradicate poverty because it also causes extreme animosity in communities. Alcohol and drug abuse are perceived to make a major contribution to the use of violence and abuse. When people are drunk they become senseless, the only solution that they see is the use of violence and abuse.
The scourge of poverty has ploughed greed that causes people to resort to any means to attain a high social status, therefore, this is also a use of violence. In other words we have to deal with this scourge of poverty in order to see what we can do to bring back humanity to the rest of the communities that we live in as well as in other countries.
Among the available means, understanding and co-operation within the community are the only ways that can prevent the use of violence and abuse against women, girls and children. Even as we sit here, the duty that we have in our constituencies is a huge one of influencing everyone who is in a position of leadership and has an understanding of this duty to be committed to the work that they are supposed to do. It is not only the government that can eradicate this scourge that exists within the communities, but it is the government together with others in the community who have organised themselves into political organisations, workers, members of the community in the areas where they live. It is through them that we can ensure that we continue and succeed in this campaign.
There is no way that we can say we have finished or we have arrived and that freedom is here, and yet there are still people who are suffering because there is violence in their homes and therefore they are always crying as a result of this kind of abuse. Our struggle for freedom shall have been incomplete if we have not done this enormous task. I thank you, Chairperson. ]
Chairperson, hon Ministers and members, I must say that this year's debate has been more productive than last year's, and I am very encouraged to see our Ministers in the House to share in this debate - I really am. It shows an interest in the topic and the fight against woman and child abuse. It is unfortunate though - I mean that sincerely - that the Deputy Minister in charge of the campaign is not here, maybe there is a good reason, I don't know; but it's a pity she is not here.
I would like to thank all the members that have participated in the debate, the hon Ngcobo mentioned human trafficking and the fact that in Southern Africa it's rife and that amongst the crime affecting women it's one of the fastest growing crimes in southern Africa.
I think the hon Tshwete was off the mark a bit with the abortion Bill. The thing is that the hon member was not there for all the proceedings but if some compromises had been reached, for example, on mandatory counselling and conscientious objections, you might have had a few more yes votes in the House today and maybe got it through - anyway be that as it may.
Everybody agrees that the campaign should be 365 days, but how do we sustain the campaign that has been developed for 16 into 365 days? I think we should each year take a particular topic to deal with child and woman abuse - and there are many - and focus on it and see what we can do as Parliamentarians and as a nation to address that. I would like to suggest that this year we look at human trafficking and I want to focus particularly on children because I have a soft spot for children, not that I don't have a soft spot for women, but I think the House knows my sentiments. I have done a lot of work in the campaigns against child abuse.
Trafficking in humans and children in particular has to be one of the most heinous crimes. There are no exact numbers of how many children are trafficked around the world. However, one estimate is that 50% of trafficking victims worldwide are actually children under the age of 18. There are many reasons for the imprecise data on child trafficking. Trafficking is obviously a criminal act, shrouded in secrecy, and victims are afraid to come forward. This makes it difficult to get accurate numbers.
Despite the absence of an exact count of the trafficking of children, the numbers are enormous and the trends are on the rise around the world.
Children are trafficked for a range of exploitative practices that include labour exploitation, where children may be used to work on plantations and in mines; domestic work - and if anyone saw the Law and Order programme the hon Tshwete likes watching on TV you would have seen a few weeks ago children being trafficked from Nigeria into America for domestic work and sexual exploitation.
Children, especially girls, are trafficked to work in brothels and massage parlours. The IOL global child labour figures of 2000 indicate that 1,8 million children are exploited in the commercial sexual industry; military conscription is another reason, some 30 ongoing or recent armed conflicts in almost every region of the world are sustained by child soldiers. When poverty is acute, a girl may be regarded as an economic burden on her family and marriage to an older man may be seen as a family survival strategy. Illicit adoption is also a reason, as is sport and I find this very strange. This pertains to young boys who have been trafficked as camel jockeys, which is big business I believe in certain parts of the world; begging and body organs and of course child pornography which has become a multimillion dollar industry in itself.
The factors that contribute to making children vulnerable are obviously poverty, which many members have alluded to today. It makes children highly vulnerable to traffickers and the inequality of women and girls in many societies means they are often seen as objects and commodities. Low school enrolment is also a cause, and I am glad to see the Minister of Education here as she knows that uneducated children have few opportunities and that the longer we keep them in school the better the chances are.
Children without care givers are also vulnerable. Parents provide a safety net for their offspring. Those without parental protection, or those placed in institutions, are targets for traffickers.
According to the government's own report on the costing of the Children's Act 1,7 million children in South Africa are estimated to be maternal orphans due to HIV and Aids. This makes them extremely vulnerable to trafficking. The Unicef report clearly states that combating HIV and Aids would have the additional effect of reducing child trafficking in the world. The failure to register births is also another factor as are traditions and cultural values.
So what can we do as Parliamentarians? Parliamentarians can be instrumental in reversing this tragedy by taking action, through legislation and allocating funds to combat this scourge.
It is critical that any legislation against trafficking not be restricted to transnational trafficking. Many children are trafficked within countries, particularly from rural to urban areas.
We currently have no legislation to combat trafficking in our country. However, hon members, last year we passed the Children's Act, section 75 of which contains a chapter on trafficking in children and it is a very good chapter. It still has to be enacted and it lays dormant, gathering dust.
It was a lost opportunity when the Minister of Social Development fast- tracked certain chapters of the Children's Act, but failed to fast-track this particular chapter and maybe it can be brought to his attention that he should fast-track this chapter. As parliamentarians we can put pressure on him to do so.
We have also passed the Sexual Offences Bill, which some members also mentioned. This Bill also includes a chapter on the trafficking of people in relation to sexual crimes.
While it would be preferable to have one Act pertaining to all types of trafficking of children, women and men, we cannot sit back and wait for this Act to materialise. We as parliamentarians from all parties need to place pressure on the two Ministers concerned to fast-track the implementation of the two chapters I have mentioned.
We all need to work together irrespective of which party we may belong to. Trafficking in children compels us to join hands and act as the first line of defence against it. People who traffic in children don't care from which community children come from, and we should not care from which party we come. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, before we make the farewell speeches, as we will be gone for a long time, I just want to announce that there are outstanding orders that have to be completed today and I have been advised that there is political consultation taking place. I, therefore, suspend the business of the House ...
I will go back to that announcement that I have just started making. In support of the debate, I now recognise the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.