16 Days of Activism: The failing Department of Women should be scrapped
25 November 2015
Today marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. As the campaign kicks off, let us have no illusions: South Africa is far from being a non-violent society.
Our government is systematically failing women and children – letting them down daily at police stations, in our courts, at the Social Welfare Department and through our healthcare system.
According to the SA Survey of 2014/2015, the reported number of murders of children under 18 was 846; sexual offences against children totalled 22 781; serious assaults were 9 630 and common assaults amounted to 11 104.
There were also thousands of cases of neglect and ill-treatment of children. A total of 46 991 crimes against children were reported. In the period under review, there were 2 354 murders of women, 2 651 attempted murders, 29 261 sexual offences and 54 621 serious assaults against women, with common assaults numbering 80 672: A total of 166 908 crimes against adult females.
The Department of Women has failed dismally to implement their vision of interacting with other departments and provinces to integrate its well-intended policies. The Department’s annual report provides no information on whether it is monitoring the implementation of the National Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality, or whether government departments are complying with this.
The DA calls for the department to be scrapped as it has failed in taking decisive action to empower women and is extremely inefficient.
While women and children in South Africa continue to suffer from acts of violence on a daily basis; the Department’s 2014/2015 budget is exhausted with 64% of its targets not achieved and irregular expenditure due to non-compliance.
While the department flounders along, a key problem facing our society is the dire shortage of funding to provide shelters, safe havens and Thuthuzela centres.
Further to this, the DA learnt through replies to parliamentary questions that more than 2 500 graduate social workers have effectively been “dumped” by the Social Development Department, despite having been offered bursaries and promised jobs by the Department. While these desperate social work graduates sit at home waiting, our society’s needs are unmet. Every woman and child who has been subjected to any form of abuse should have access to social workers to assist with trauma, refuge, counselling and guidance.
As we look ahead to the 16 Days of Activism campaign we can be sure of one thing: our society is traumatised and riddled by violence and anger.
Superficial solutions are not enough. The ANC government needs to take a comprehensive look at the numerous sectors where interventions are required and put a substantive plan to address them in place. Collective action by all government departments is needed to change our damaged society.
South Africa cannot afford inefficiencies and government departments that consistently fail to serve the needs of our people. The DA will continue fight for women and children’s dignity across South Africa
Issued by Denise Robinson, DA Shadow Minister of Women in the Presidency, 25 Novemeber 2015
