Minister, referring to the killing of women and children, rape and abuse, you mentioned that onus will be placed on rural areas, focusing there to prevent these types of occurrences or these types of events to happen. We are in an agreement that no
person must live in fear, be exposed to or be a victim of brutal attacks, mutilization, torture, rape and murder. What plans does your department have in place to prevent such vulgar threats and attacks against women and children on farms that fall victim to these attacks? And also, what plans do you have in place to assist the victims of these attacks, of these inhumane crimes? According to me very little assistance is given to such victims. Thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, we have about 54 Thuthuzela Centres countrywide. They might be far from farming communities but one will have to assist and to create awareness about their existence because sometimes people don't approach them mainly because they don't know what to start.
The Command Centre which was started by social development and now has a support of the telecoms like Vodacom and many companies where there's a 24- hour service, where people can report. It can take cases from anywhere and you can actually ... when I went there I was shocked how efficient those Apps (Applications) are. It can take your location if you report, if you phone. Because my first question was: If I'm at Lusikisiki and I'm under attack, what do I do? How will I come across? They said: No, there's a toll free line and it's
mended by ... you know, you think you're in a bank or something. It's mended by warm bodies, they pick up a phone, they say send us a location; they transfer it to the police. But I don't whether we have created enough awareness. They are even including facilities for persons with disabilities so that they also can be able to access the service.
So, we will continue to monitor the location of Thuthuzela Centres because the idea is that the expansion, they shouldn't be close to each other but rather look where there are gaps and where there are needs. But I still wish hon members can visit the Command Centre in Centurion. We will send all the details here, just to get a feel of how efficient the service has become. Also when you get there you start saying how will MaDlamini communicate? They take care even of language disparities and it's so important, it's a tool for the country which we ought to look at very carefully and support and show that also we create awareness in our constituencies so that people know where to get a service. But we will send contact details through so that members who want to visit could go and ask whatever question because there also openness to improve as they expand. Thank you.