Agb Voorsitter, geweld in skole is 'n refleksie van gemeenskappe waar sosiale strukture meer en meer onderdruk geplaas word deur armoede en ongelykheid. Dit bring 'n wanbalans waar oorlewing die enigste oogmerk word.
English:
Children are left to fend for themselves without the necessary support structures that will enable them to grow up as healthy well- adjusted individuals.
Afrikaans:
Ons skole is 'n mikrokosmos van die realiteite waaronder mense in Suid- Afrika moet lewe. Daar is 'n persepsie dat misdaad ongestraf bly.
English:
Laws are not applied or not enforced. Young people are forced to endure abuse, whether sexual or physical with no timeous intervention to prevent escalation into serious crimes, such as murder and rape. We must pay serious attention to create interventions that involve school authorities, parents and government. Here I am saying, all of us.
One cannot describe the pain parents endure at losing a child through violence. It is all the more painful when you that learn your child endured victimised or bullying for months at school. The issues we face are societal. It is therefore necessary that dialogues and interventions happen that involves government, parents
and school authorities in the communities where it happen the most - a dialogue in those communities most affected by violence that addresses the causes of violence, sexual abuse and drugs followed by programmes that are targeted.
Our children become easy targets because we are slow in implementing measures that can prevent or lower the risks such as available psychosocial support by social workers or counsellors at schools in the poorest communities that needs it the most.
Afrikaans:
Met wie moet ons kinders praat wanneer hulle emosionele spanning ervaar?
English:
Who must they turn to? Our schools must become drug free zones. Liquor should not be sold on school premises. Taverns and shebeens should also not be operated in close proximity to schools. Programmes that support parents, especially single parents should be made available through social development and be linked to the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, grants.
We have many interfaith-based organisations working in communities with limited resources. Should we not encourage more partnerships between government and businesses to support such programmes?
A vulnerable child is an easy target for predators, drug bosses and bullies. We need leaders in this House to step up as mentors for children at risk and businesses and people in civil society will follow. We need the message "You never walk alone" to be demonstrated through bold and inconvenient actions because it is inconvenient to take your time to mentor a child and support a single mother but the responsibility lies with all of us. I thank you. [Applause.]