The brutality and violence against women and children that has featured in the media in recent months must be seen as the violence of power and control over women’s bodies. It should be understood within the context of patriarchal social realities, the Minister for Women in the Presidency, Ms Susan Shabangu, told Members of the National Assembly (NA) during the Budget Vote debate for the ministry yesterday.
Ms Shabangu highlighted the death a few weeks ago of a young woman, Ms Karabo Mokena, who was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, and the many brutal deaths of many other women. Ms Shabangu called on all peace-loving South Africans to join hands in the fight against crime in South Africa, particularly against women and children, as they are more vulnerable than their men counterparts.
Ms Shabangu mentioned the social challenges of alcohol abuse, gender inequality and unemployment that face young women and which contribute to the problem of gender violence. She called on all South Africans to put their differences away and join hands to move all the people of South Africa forward.
“We should stop playing politics and join hands in eliminating challenges that face our people, especially young females,” said Ms Shabangu.
During Ms Shabangu’s presentation of the budget vote, she mentioned the need for the accelerated economic empowerment of women, as women are denied opportunities that are made available to men.
Ms Shabangu concurred with the NA MPs who felt that the budget allocation of R206.1 million for women in the 2017/18 financial year is not enough, even though it has increased compared to the last financial year. R127 million is allocated to compensation of employees and R78.2 million is a transfer payment to the Commission for Gender Equality.
Ms Shabangu told the NA MPs that the department will in the 2017/18 financial year focus on, among other things, government’s implementation of the nine Point Plan in unlocking obstacles to the financial inclusion and empowerment of women. “Elements of the nine Point Plan that the programme will be focusing on include monitoring ownership and management control, development finance and enterprise development, access to credit, land and property.” Ms Shabangu encouraged MPs to support her in trying to eliminate all the challenges.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Ms Thandi Memela, argued that there has been progress regarding women’s rights, although there is still much that needs to be done. Some MPs agreed, but recommended that more funding needs to be found to enable the department to protect the future of this country, particularly the sanitary-related problems that young girls are facing.
During the debate, it was mentioned that women make up 51 per cent of the population, thus empowering them empowers the majority of South Africans. All the NA MPs who spoke during the Budget condemned the persistent discrimination against women. “Freedom will be meaningless if women are not in a safe place to be,” emphasised Ms Shabangu.
Kagiso Makwana
25 May 2017
Arrange a tour