
=====================================================================
National Women's day celebrations
=====================================================================

Speeches and Media Releases
 Safety Liaison and Transport

[         w

 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL  GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY THE MEC FOR PROVINCIAL SAFETY, LIAISON AND TRANSPORT, Mr. D. NEER

AT THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATIONS

GREAT CENTENARY HALL, PORT ELIZABERTH

9 AUGUST  1999



Master of Ceremonies;
 Honourable Mayor and Mayoress;
 Members of Parliament;
 Councillors;
 Representatives of the various institutions and NGOs;
 Community Representatives;
 Sisters, Brothers and Friends;
 Ladies and Gentlemen



Introduction:

We are assembled here on this day to mark the 43rd anniversary of the march by about 20 000 South African women on Union Buildings to 
protest against the pass laws. This day, has traditionally been a celebration of the tremendous strides made by the women folk since that 
auspicious day in 1956. No other government in South Africa has ever recognised this day except, for the present democratic government, 
whose Constitution speaks about non - sexism and against discrimination, against which the brave South African women on that day were 
marching.

The South African Context:

This reminder from our Constitution places the issue about which we are gathered here today exactly in that context. There is much we have 
to be proud of in South Africa today on the gains of our women, whilst at the same time, there is also much to mourn and sob about on the 
suffering and victimisation of women that continue to cast a dark cloud on this day.

Most of the blatant discrimination against women that existed in the past has been removed not only from our statute books, but from work 
places and all other institutions as well.

Today, thirty per cent of our new members in parliament; 24 per cent of our cabinet; and over half of our deputy ministers, are women 
compared to virtually none or very few in the apartheid years. Almost all these women come from the ANC. This is not mere tokenism and 
window dressing, but, it is a commitment from our democratic government to the progress and total emancipation of women, for which many of 
you fought and died.

Today, we can pride ourselves as South Africans for having free medical attention for pregnant women; promulgation of Domestic Violence Act 
that aims to protect women against battering and abuse at home and the new Maintenance Act that enables women to use the legal system to 
obtain maintenance for themselves and their children.

Yet, the celebration of all these achievements takes place in the dark shadow of the relentless scourge of violence against women and 
children, particularly young girls. Violent rape has become a relentless metaphorical death threat that stalks every South African girl and 
woman. This has become even more real with the ever increasing threat of AIDS that accompanies each rape and in deed the fastest growing 
rate of the disease, which now infects one of every five South Africans, is among women.

Research has also proven that victims of crime, a majority of which are women, range between the ages of 19 and 30 whilst perpetrators of 
these crimes also fall within that category. This shows, undoubtedly that our youth sector has to be targeted in our campaigns against 
abuse of women and children and against crime in general. Hence it is imperative therefore that this year’s Women’s Day should thus not 
only be dedicated to celebration but to mourning as well.

There is an emergence of violence against women throughout our society, in schools female teachers and scholars have become victims.

There is also the culture of violence at home - domestic violence - to which young children are exposed. We need, today and not tomorrow, 
to devise strategies that will assist children traumatised at an early as a result of this form of violence. They are also our target 
sector.

Our democracy, is not yet complete until all women are liberated from gender oppression that manifest itself in various ways, mostly in 
very gruesome and horrible acts committed by men. Time has come that all men, not only those who are thugs, show full respect to the women 
folk.

There is not a slightest doubt that despite the continuing victimisation of our women folk by criminals, the ANC led government has a clear 
plan and strategy to uplift and emancipate women and children from this scourge and misery.

President Thabo Mbeki signalled and acknowledged during his victory speech at the Gallagher Estates, during the June 2 elections period 
this year, that "the women of our country have mandated the ANC to continue

with the struggle for their upliftment and emancipation". He further went on to say that the ANC has been directed to improve the safety 
and security of women, among other "vulnerable" groups in South Africa. In deed, we have taken a stand as this government to deliver a 
strong message to society that violence against women and children, is a criminal act that is severely punishable.

The role of the Eastern Cape Government in combating violence against women and children:

The Department for Safety and Security in the province has committed itself to combating violence against women and children through a 
multi faceted approach that involves departments such as health and welfare, NGOs and other institutions that conduct work on the 
prevention of violence against women and children and also those that offer assistance to survivors of this violence.

This is in line with our National Crime Prevention Strategy that draws in various sectors of our communities and stakeholders, to 
strategically tackle crime as a collective.

Transformation:

Our struggle for Freedom and Democracy has been a struggle for the liberation of women from their oppression as a class, a race and as a 
gender group. This sector of our society in South Africa has endured the most long brutal and humiliating oppression than any other sector 
in our society throughout the world. Hence, women, because of past imbalances, have to occupy a centre stage in our transformation agenda.

It is worth mentioning that as a department during 1997, we adopted a strong gender focus whose progress was however hampered by budgetary 
constraints during the course of 1998. Despite that, we have been able to kick-start a Women’s Empowerment Training course for our women in 
the SAPS and its intention was to identify women with leadership and management potential so that we enhance these qualities through 
empowerment training.

We are proud to pronounce that today, we have about 75 women trained under this programme, despite the budgetary constraints and we are 
still determined to increase this number so that many SAPS females could benefit.

The increasing rape statistics have also necessitated that we condition our police members to meet the demands of the victims / survivors 
of this evil, through training them on sensitive handling and treatment of rape victims / survivors. In order to meet this demand, we have 
established, with the involvement of the departments of health, welfare as well as NGOs such as Rape Crises, Masimanyane, to mention but a 
few, two fully functioning victim care centres for battered women, abused children and rape survivors in Mdantsane and Port Elizabeth, i.e. 
Cecilia Makiwane and Dora Nginza hospitals, respectively.

Our focus has also been on those previously disadvantaged areas located in the former homelands with scarce resources, hence, the recent 
establishment of the Umtata Crisis Centre and Ezibeleni Centre in Queenstown.

For the first time in the history of our country, our women and children, who have fallen prey to rapists and abusers, are able to find 
decent shelter that not only offers them accommodation, but decent medical and psychological treatment in the form of counselling and so 
forth.

The Office of the Status of Women situated in the Office of the Premier, was established by our government so that it also advances the 
interests of women in the province, so that they could claim their rightful place in society.

I am proud to announce that we are also as all stakeholders in this campaign against violence on women and children, in the process of 
establishing a sexual offences court in King William’s Town, Zwelitsha - Bisho area to deal with cases of sexual offences. We want to 
assure all women and children of our province that we are determined to eradicate these deliberate, evil crimes and offences that injure 
their dignity, their minds and their souls.

We need as a collective to remove ignorance from our society so that we may be able to deal better and effectively with abuse. Ignorance, 
especially among men, can vastly endanger women and children. There is this awful myth that sex with a virgin can cure AIDS and it is this 
stupidity and myth that has increased the rate of rape of women and children.

We need to continue the education campaigns and initiate discussions with our communities that will lead to greater enlightenment so that 
our people can break out of the Dark Ages of ignorance.

Conclusion:

I therefore call upon members of the SAPS and all other law enforcement agents in the province, to deal mercilessly with criminals who see 
our women as targets for rape and abuse, including those husbands, that continue to batter their wives, as if they were their slaves.

The battle lines have been drawn and we are committed and determined to ensure that what we say does not only remain as words in paper but 
that these words are transformed into swift action. The Minister for Safety and Security, Comrade Steve Tshwete has issued the "battle 
orders" to our police members, that they must deal with criminals like a bulldog dealing with a bone. Time for playing games with criminals 
is over.

Our Community Police Forums, in assisting the police, must ensure that they are involved in ending violence against women and children in 
their areas, as this crime is one of our policing priorities and objectives. Lastly, ladies and gentlemen, the abuse of women and children 
should not be seen simply as a women’s issue, but as a straightforward legal and social issue.

Our women as immediate victims of crime and violence, begin to severe any relations or ties with criminal elements and virtually isolate 
themselves from such elements, be they be their partners or relatives. Until they begin to do that, the fight against violence against and 
abuse of women and children, will fail to reach their expectations. We need the unequivocal support of every women in South Africa, 
regardless of whether one has been a victim / survivor of this crime or not.

All sectors of our society should take the lead, and men should begin to assume the position of being in the forefront of this campaign. As 
from today, this must be a challenge to our men, to "stop abusing women and children and instead start protecting them". We must come out 
of our cocoons, and declare war on these maniacs and lunatics that abuse our women and children. Our communities must began a new war 
against criminals never experienced in our country before, by uprooting these elements in their midst.

"Mabakhwetyulwe ukuze bacace nje ngamaqaqa eluntwini!" We are saying, there should be no breathing space for criminals. I as an MEC for 
Provincial Safety, Liaison and Transport, as duly appointed by the people of the province, am making that pledge to commit myself to the 
realisation of all programmes that aim to uplift and emancipate our women as well as eradicate the violence that continue to haunt their 
lives and those of our children.

I thank You

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Home | About the Eastern Cape | Economy
 Structures | International Relations | Documents
 Premier's Office | Speeches & Media Releases
 Top of Page

---------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Eastern Cape

Premier's Office

Structures

Documents

Speeches & Media Releases

International Relations

Economy




