Investing in women is essential to fighting poverty in South Africa

Note to editors: The following is an extract from a speech delivered by DA Parliamentary Leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko MP, during a seminar for the 16 Days of Activism in Cape Town today.

Across South Africa today women from diverse backgrounds, often faced with insurmountable challenges in their daily lives, are rising above the circumstances of their birth and the prejudices which they face, to achieve, to succeed and to inspire.

These women are for many the very backbone of our society: they are the anchors in the family; or the knowledge in the classroom; or the leaders in our communities; and the entrepreneurs in business. They put food on the table and provide care for the sickly. They are more than just hands of care. For many, they are the very foundation upon which this country stands.

Women like Ms Ednah Zulu, who received this year's Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year Award. Ednah, in an impoverished community in rural KwaZulu Natal, transformed one classroom into a school which now has 10 classrooms, and in which the matric pass rate averages between 70% and 80%. Despite every obstacle she has faced, her determination is changing the lives of hundreds of children in Mahlabathini. She is a South African woman to be proud of.

It is stories such as these, which are repeated in families and communities around the world every day, which have led economists to argue that investing in women is essential in the fight against poverty. To put it frankly: if any country's women are not afforded opportunities to develop and grow, then neither will its economy.

To stimulate this growth, to create more success stories and to unleash the enormous potential which exists in so many women across our country, we must create an environment which is conducive to success, in which women can make choices of their own free will, pursue opportunities when they wish, to and earn incomes for their own benefit. We need to build a foundation upon which this success can flourish, where opportunities can be supported and where dreams and ambitions can become a reality.

Unfortunately, for too many women in South Africa today, this foundation is lacking. Instead, women are trapped in a cycle of poverty and institutionalised violence. This stifles their opportunities, their choices, their hopes, and their aspirations. And in doing so, it prevents the progress of the many South Africans who are dependent on them.

According to the South African Police Service's 2010/11 Crime Statistics, the combined number of rape and sexual offences committed primarily against women is estimated to be 56 272. That equates to approximately 154 offences a day. It is by far one of the highest rates in the world. Women in South Africa therefore not only experience disproportionately higher rates of unemployment than their male counterparts, but they are additionally subjected to an unrelenting assault on their daily lives. It is dangerous to be a woman in South Africa.

This violence shatters the foundations which are essential for growth and progress. It rips at the fabric of our society. It encourages fear and retreat instead of imagination and enthusiasm.

The role of the government should be to secure this foundation, to provide the framework within which women may exercise choice and access opportunity in South Africa. The government must secure that safe space in which women can be whoever they want to be, and in which they can aspire to achieve whatever it is that they choose.

It is for this reason that the passage of legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act was lauded. It sought to do just this. With 70-80% of murders, 60% of attempted murders, 75% of rapes and 90% of assaults involving victims and perpetrators who know one another, this law was enacted to address the reality that violence was occurring inside the household and not only outside of it. 

It was intended to provide a support mechanism for victims of violence - especially women.

It places obligations on the police members present at a domestic violence crime scene to take a number of steps, including rendering assistance to victims, assisting them in finding a shelter, and obtaining medical treatment if they require it. Among other things, the law also places an obligation on the police to keep records of all domestic violence incidents in a Domestic Violence Register. This record-keeping is essential to fighting domestic violence strategically.

It was therefore with great outrage that, in a reply to a parliamentary question posed by my colleague, Patricia Kopane, the Minister of Social Development indicated that the government does not keep reliable statistics on domestic violence. This lack of record-keeping means that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not consider domestic violence a stand-alone crime when it compiles statistics. As a result, the SAPS cannot track trends and develop effective policy strategies to combat domestic violence.

This follows on the back of a study by the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, which revealed the inadequate training of police officers on the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act; the widespread failure of the police to protect victims of domestic violence, as is required in the act; and the noticeable failure by the SAPS to report to Parliament on the Domestic Violence Act every six months, as is required.

The Domestic Violence Act could be one of the foundations of strength and security that millions of women across South Africa so desperately need. If properly implemented, it could reduce violence, repair confidence and instill hope. If properly implemented, it could be the hand up needed by many women in South Africa.

The failures of the Domestic Violence Act reveal a number of lessons for South Africa. As we strive to create an enabling environment for the success of women, we must realise the importance of creating firm foundations of support and security. When we build them, we must make sure they stand firm. That is my role as a Member of Parliament. It is the basis of the oath that I and my colleagues took when we swore to represent the people of this country, and we must be consistently held to account for that commitment - particularly with respect to the condition of South Africa's women, whose success is South Africa's success.

South Africa has indeed been fortunate to witness the success of many great women. They are the heroes of our past, who laid the foundations for our present. But in our rural villages, and townships and suburbs, there are millions of young women and girls, full of talent and enthusiasm, who will shape the South Africa of the future. During these 16 days of activism, every single one of us must be reminded of the awesome task which each one of these young individuals requires of us: to create for them the space and opportunity to do just this. 

To develop, to progress and to succeed. 

Thank you. 

Issued by the DA, December 6 2011

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