Parliament meeting on violence against women will go ahead after DA request
24 May 2017
The DA welcomes the confirmation from Police Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Francois Beukman, that the DA’s request for a joint meeting between the Police, Justice and Women Portfolio Committees to discuss the government’s lack of effective response to gender-based violence and specifically violence against women, will be urgently scheduled at the earliest chance on a platform that will comprehensively cover crime and policing cross-portfolio issues.
The DA welcomes this opportunity for Parliament to probe the absolute neglect of women’s safety by the SAPS, Justice and Women’s departments.
However, before these hearings in Parliament proceed, it is imperative that the Minister of Women, Susan Shabangu, immediately retracts and apologises for her despicable statement on ENCA’s Checkpoint this week about murdered Karabo Mokeona that “Whilst Karabo came across as very strong, she was weak and hence became a victim of abuse.”
These callous comments, made by a Minister who is mandated to advance women’s socio-economic empowerment and promote gender equality, are reprehensible and must be condemned in the strongest terms. No victim of gender violence or domestic violence should be called “weak” by the Minister whose entire portfolio revolves around empowering and protecting vulnerable women.