Cyril unveils gender-based violence plan

● R1.1bn set aside to fight attacks on women, children

President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled an emergency action plan and released more than R1bn to tackle violence against women and children.

In a special address before a joint sitting of parliament on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the government was collaborating with multiple sectors of society on the action plan to ensure it is fully implemented within the next six months.

He said it was time for the country to close ranks on the raping and killing of young girls and women by men.

In terms of the emergency plan, five new intervention areas would be introduced by all law-enforcement authorities, including parliament, the SA Police Service, judges and magistrates.

It would include new measures to prevent violence against women, beef up the entire criminal justice system, enhance the legal and policy framework targeted at sexual offences and gender-based violence, and improve the economic power of women.

Ramaphosa told MPs from the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces he wanted them to prioritise amendments to various laws to ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators of violence against women and children.

He reiterated his call for those convicted of killing and raping women to no longer be considered for parole.

“This emergency action plan will be driven by an interim steering committee located in the presidency and cochaired by government and civil society organisations,” Ramaphosa said.

The committee’s job would be to co-ordinate a rapid response at national level.

“In this way, problems at places like police stations and courts, and challenges such as the availability of rape kits and delays in DNA testing, can be channelled to the relevant authorities very quickly.”

Describing gender-based violence as “not a problem of women but a problem of men”, Ramaphosa said the government would also be launching a mass media campaign targeting young men to change how they related to females.

The campaign would also be extended to law-enforcement officers such as the police and judicial officers.

The police are often criticised for not investigating rape cases properly, while some magistrates and judges have been criticised for not enforcing minimum or harsher sentences.

“The focus will be on men’s groups and formations, the youth at risk and offenders inside prisons as well.

“This will be merged with prevention and education in schools,” he said.

“Women’s rights and gender power relations will be part of life orientation in the school curriculum.

“As part of this campaign, we’re going to provide gender sensitivity training to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, magistrates and policy makers, and ensure that those found to have breached their responsibilities in this regard are held to account.”

A total of R1.1bn would be set aside immediately from the budget for the implementation of the emergency action plan.

He would also be lobbying the private sector to set up its own fund to finance measures against gender-based violence.

Turning to the recent violent attacks against foreign nationals, Ramaphosa said the country needed to embrace African integration.

He said he had appointed former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete and his Mozambican counterpart, Joachim Chissano, to conduct a factfinding mission in SA on the recent spate of violence against foreign nationals.

Ramaphosa said people were correct to be concerned about the role of foreigners in the economy.

“We share their frustration that some South African employers are employing foreign nationals over locals to undercut wages, turning workers against workers, and this is where the real problem is and where the confluence of violence takes place.”

He said all business people operating in SA were expected to obey the laws of the country.

The government also wanted to regulate how people from other nations can own businesses.