Speaker, the ANC welcomes the official opening by the Deputy Minister of Police of the Vuwani Victim Empowerment Centre at Vuwani township outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo. The centre was built because there were many cases of gender-based violence in the area and its surrounding villages. The centre will oversee about 80 villages around the Vuwani policing area, which covers about 750 000 people. The programme ran without a centre since its start in 2003 with the aim of tackling sexual assault, human trafficking, and drug and alcohol abuse, among others.
The Vuwani Victim Empowerment Centre aims to address the negative effects of victimisation by providing counselling and support services at local level. It aims to empower victims of crime and violence by making the criminal justice system more accessible.
The ANC, especially during the month celebrating women empowerment, supports this initiative and encourages other communities to emulate it, as it will go a long way to help restore dignity and ensure that the rights of victims are protected. We also extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the Good Samaritan, the donor, who opened his heart to the most vulnerable. [Applause.]