Hon Chairperson, Ministers, members and staff members from the department, this department shouldn't have been established in the first place. There are numerous reasons why I, on behalf of Cope, recommend that this department be disbanded. This is based on the following considerations. [Interjections.]
Regarding legislation, the department has failed to implement legislation as required and per its mandate. According to the department, its mandate is derived from elements of a range of - if I may add this word - -selected| legislation. I say -selected| because there is no mention of the Domestic Violence Act, Act 116 of 1998.
The department is mandated to promote and monitor the realisation of the rights of vulnerable people in our country. However, the Minister refers questions regarding the Domestic Violence Act to the Justice and Security cluster. What does this tell us? It tells us that the Minister does not care whether law enforcement agencies implement National Instruction 7/1999, Version 2, which was gazetted on 3 March 2006. The Domestic Violence Act is one of the legal developments provided to women in this country in an attempt to protect them and prevent domestic violence and sexual offences against women. South Africa is a -leader| in violence against women. Statistics on rape against women have gone up instead of down over the past five years. The police are the weakest link in the fight against gender- based violence. Yet the Minister does not monitor the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, as required. Many reported cases fall through the cracks of the justice system. The sexual offences Act is not being implemented by policewomen and policemen.
Regarding the Thuthuzela Care Centres, the Minister does not even play an oversight role in these centres. Her only role is to launch a new centre and then she forgets about it in the next hour. [Interjections.]
Regarding personnel, how does the department justify the payment of an average of R1 million to a third of its employees? We are paying 48 skilled and qualified individuals on a salary level of 13 to 16.
What are we getting in return? During the oversight visit in Pretoria, their offices were empty, with no officials in sight. Filing was not done and the office was a complete mess. [Interjections.]