Mr Speaker, the DA conveys its condolences to the family of the toddlers killed in Diepsloot, as well as the community of Diepsloot at large. The combating of crimes against children is not only a parental responsibility, but includes the community at large, government and us as legislators. Our responsibility is to ensure that we pass laws that will protect our children and that government actually implements these laws.
One mechanism we have passed in this House to protect our children is that of the Child Protection Register. Unfortunately, despite being passed by this House some six years ago, the government has failed dismally in its implementation, so much so that I wrote to the SA Human Rights Commission and requested an investigation into why our government is failing to protect our children.
The commission found that by failing to adequately maintain and populate the Child Protection Register, the Department of Social Development is violating the rights of South Africa's children in terms of section 28 of the Bill of Rights. I will repeat that. The commission found that the Department of Social Development is violating the rights of South Africa's children in terms of section 28 of the Bill of Rights. The report also found that two other line departments are currently failing our children, namely the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities.
Among the commission's investigations and many revelations and indictments, it has found that: the state is not fulfilling its objective to protect children from abuse and neglect; the current Child Protection Register is not a true reflection of the crimes committed against children; failure to adequately implement the register has rendered it ineffective; the collation of submissions, and the receipt and recording of data for the Child Protection Register is inadequate; the training of officials to fulfil obligations related to the register is inadequate; and the Department of Social Development has had plenty of time to engage with the relevant departments and entities to ensure the register's success, but has simply failed to do so. In other words, the Department of Social Development could not be bothered.
The commission has recommended the following steps: the Department of Social Development must put in place urgent measures to ensure that the Child Protection Register is accurately and fully populated; an updated Child Protection Register must be submitted to the commission within the next four months; an audit of challenges and needs across relevant business units must be undertaken within the next three months and a report must be provided to the commission; the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities must increase its frequency of monitoring the implementation of that register; the Department of Justice and Constitutional Department is required to develop a comprehensive programme for the training and sustained awareness of all relevant court officials, and that includes judges, magistrates and clerks of the court; and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development must consider a review of the Child Protection Register.
I am also writing to the chairpersons of the respective portfolio committees to request that each committee discusses the commission's report in full. It is essential that this report result in decisive action to ensure that the rights of our children are protected. If the protection of children is a priority of this government, it is inexcusable that the very register created to protect our children from harm is at best dysfunctional and at worst nonexistent.
Mr Speaker, earlier this year I submitted a private member's Bill, which aimed to include the crime of attempted rape as grounds to find someone unsuitable to work with children, and it would have corrected a serious omission in the current legislation regarding the Child Protection Register. This small, yet vital, amendment would have ensured that these monsters found guilty of attempted rape would have been prevented from working with children. I still cannot understand why the ANC members in the Portfolio Committee on Social Development voted against this important amendment.
Mr Speaker, while the commission's report is a victory for our children, it will amount to nought if the government continues to fail to ensure that the recommendations are put into action. We as Members of Parliament cannot allow any government department to continue to violate the rights of children and undermine our Bill of Rights, nor can we as legislators continue to take orders from Luthuli House and vote against crucial safety- ensuring legislation simply because the opposition introduced them. South Africa's children deserve more maturity from legislators and deserve our dedication. I thank you very much. [Applause.]