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Launch of activism on No Violence Against Women
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Education

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE MEC OF EDUCATION  MR S. SIZANI

AT THE LAUNCH OF THE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM ON NO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HELD

AT THE STATE HOUSE, BISHO

ON THE 25 NOVEMBER 1999

CHAIRPERSON
 HONOURABLE MEMBERS
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
 COMRADES AND,
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

This is one of the most important days in the calender of this country when we gather to launch a programme and a period that brings to the 
fore the critical issue of violence against women.

When I received this invitation I accepted it because I happen to know, during my time in the Premiers Office, how seriously gender issues 
are taken by the Premier, Executive Council and the legislature. Therefore any opportunity that we have of practically and openly showing 
both our support and commitment we grab immediately. I hope some of you are aware of the fact that there are budget hearings this week. As 
a member of the budget committee I have to be there all the time. After some discussions with the other members I was released to be with 
you. I should, therefore, aplogise in advance that I shall not be able to be with you up to the end of this launch.

I want to start by conveying messages of support from the Premier, Executive Council and the legislature to all the deliberations and 
programmes that you are embarking on.

As I address you today, I am mindful of the fact that many of you have a lot of experience and expertise on the field of gender and 
violence against women. You are also aware of most of the declarations and conventions to which South Africa is a signatory. I, therefore, 
shall not take up much of your time on those. Mine is to deliver a message of support that would urge you onto more action and further 
commitment and dedication to the eradication of all forms of violence against women.

What fascinates me about South Africa is the zeal and eagerness with which we address issues that seek to threaten our existence as a 
people. Every citizen of this country is concerned about issues of poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, crime, homelessness etc. With all of 
the above the effort is collective and knows no race, gender, religion etc. The issue of violence against women has also brought together 
people from all walks of life because it is a threat to our existence.

In my address to you I shall deal with what we perceive as causes of violence against women, its impact on society and what the government 
proposes as ways of eradicating all forms of violence against women.

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Somebody could be asking why we highlight violence against women. When one looks at statistics it is clear that most victims of violence 
are women and the girl-child. To sight an example from statistics supplied by NICRO in 1998 just on Western Cape, in approximately 31000 
interdicts issued in terms of the Prevention of Family Violence Act for the period December 1994 to November 1997, roughly 98% were to 
women and 2% to men. This indicates that the majority of these people were women. When you look at perpetrators you find that mostly they 
are men.

I would like to sight the following causes :

1.  Gender roles and stereotyping

The cultural notion of women as the weaker sex, of women as property result in a patriarchal attitude that women are owned by men. This 
manifests in practises like the bride being given away to the husband by the father, prices being attached to girls and the recently 
abolished marital power in marriages. In our homes there are jobs for girls and some for boys. There is also a silent understanding that 
men are not supposed to show their emotions "tigers dont cry."

* Female dependence and economic disempowerment.

Many women are dependent on their spouses for livelihood as it is mostly men in our communities who are bread-winners. This has rendered 
them part of the unpaid workforce and has resulted in a class of unemployed women who are financially dependent on their partners. The 
marrying of daughters to domesticity without any financial career on prospect of independence creates female dependence and helplessness 
which in turn obstructs a womans exit from a battering relationship. Teenage pregnancies, which may be the result of rape, result in many 
women being unable to complete their education and effectively minimise their tertiary education opportunities and therefore their job 
opportunities.

* The media and a complacent society.

A society that turns a blind eye to the media and pornography industry, in which rape and abuse of women is sexualised is endorsing that 
this violence is normal.

* An unresponsive legal system

The failure of the legal system to prosecute rapist and batters and to secure convictions with hefty sentences, sends a powerful message to 
men that their violence is acceptable, and to women, that their lives and safety are not worthy of protection.

* Religion, tradition and culture

Most institutional religions are structured along patriarchal lines, replicating the gender role stereotypes of women as passive 
homemakers, and men as breadwinners. Some religions even endorse chastisement of a wife who does not know her place. In South Africa, 
cultural myths combined with lack of education have resulted in the myth that raping a virgin cures HIV.

* Alcohol and drugs

Whilst alcohol and drugs do not in and of themselves cause violence, they do play a disinhibiting role with abusive men.

* Violence in family of origin

There is a clear link between violence in the family and violence in the family of origin. Children who grow up in abusive families, will 
often repeat the patterns they learned by either inflicting or becoming victims of violence later on in life. This is why the cycle of 
violence must be broken.

What I have said would seem to point towards men as perpetrators and not victims. It should be noted that cases of man battering and rape 
have been reported. Most of them are not because there is a view that it is not man enough to report such incidents. The closest equivalent 
men have to ordinary female experience is when they are raped in situations of literal imprisonment.

In some cases when young boys are raped. Uncounselled victims of this type of violence are not able to deal with their pain and anger and 
may, as a result, develop self-destructive or abusive behaviour patterns.

IMPACT ON SOCIETY

The scale of societal devastation caused by this is frightening. Its impact is felt in both the loss of lives and the untold misery of 
women and children. It is also felt in the Police services and the Justice system. It, therefore, impacts negatively on economic growth and 
development of our country. It brings in question the kinds of values that we want our children to espouse. We can already see from the 
reported cases of 11 or 12 year-olds who rape 5 or 6 year-old girls that this is eating away and eroding the moral fibre of our 
communities.

Women are unable to achieve equality because they either live in fear or live in a continuum of violence: either anticipating violence, 
experiencing violence or recovering from violence. This limits the life chances of women. It has a silencing effect on women who are unable 
to participate as full citizens in society. Until violence against women is eradicated women are not able to participate as full citizens 
in society.

Addressing violence against women-Governments programme.

It is apparent to this government that our commitment to the total eradication of violence against women will measured not only by our 
speeches and promises but, by action.

For a start I would like to point out that this government has endorsed many conventions and declarations both nationally and 
internationally. These are but a few of them; the Beijing Platform for Action and Declaration, the SADC Declaration on the Prevention and 
Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

On a national level this government has a constitution that addresses unambiguously the issue of human rights. It begins to indicate that 
womens rights are human rights. The Domestic Violence Act (1998) assigns clear duties to a number of law-enforcement agencies for ensuring 
that women can access legal redress. The state is mandated to bear all costs associated with the protection orders.

The establishment of gender desks from the highest office in the country i.e. the Presidency and the Premiers Offices is further evidence 
of the seriousness with which this government views gender issues. Further, departments have been instructed to appoint people under 
special programmes. One of these will deal gender. I know that in this province cabinet took a decision that these people be appointed and 
given capacity and authority to carry out their functions.

One of the strategies that this government uses is to weed out all material that our people are exposed to that promote discrimination and 
stereotyping. The Complaints Board of the SABC is also receiving and addressing complaints that arise from message sent out by the public 
broadcast.

In Education all publishers and book sellers have been informed that as much as possible their books should not contain material that is 
gender insensitive. Their books should seek to promote the correct perspective of gender issues. We have a book evaluation unit that 
screens all books to make sure that they are suitable for our learners.

Human rights education is an integral part of our lifeskills programmes which in Curriculum 2005 is a compulsory learning programme at 
foundation phase.

This government has put into place legislation that compels magistrates and judges to impose stiff sentences on rapists and murderers. It 
has tightened the conditions for the granting of bail. I know the some of you apparent to could say that many of these people are out in 
the streets on bail. It is apparent to the government that there is going to be a need to empower the police more around issues of 
preparing documents and building of a case. Many magistrates have cited this as the reason for their inability to apply the law to the 
letter.

There are a number of other initiatives that this government has come up with to address this problem which unfortunately I might not have 
the time to get into. My view is that this launch will also serve as an opportunity for you to raise public awareness in these issues.

This government is committed to the total eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and violence against women. It will 
continue supporting all initiatives that are in line with its programme and goals.

CONCLUSION

I would like to request all present to take hands with us in pursuance of total liberation of our people from all oppression. You are 
gathered here today to launch an important programme of action. Many of the women out there are pinning their hopes on you, you are dare 
not fail them. Make use of all the mechanism that the government has put at your disposal to achieve your goals. The Office on the Status 
of Women in the Premiers Office is there for you. Government departments have no reason for not promoting gender issues as there are 
gender focal persons.

This 16 days of activism, I hope you are real activists, is very important for you and for everybody in this country. I, on behalf of the 
Premier and the Executive Council would like to wish you all of the best during these days. May we gather again to evaluate our performance 
in these 16 days.

Thank you



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