convener of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children,
Ms Nomatyala Hangana, Deputy Minister for Provincial and Local Government
24 November 2006
We are gathered here today as government representatives of South Africa,
representatives from around the continent, non-government organisations (NGOs),
government departments, to say the simplest but most important thing and that
is 'enough is enough.' We are here today to find ways and solutions to ending
violence against women and children.
We are here to encourage women to reclaim their rights they fought so hard
for, to be treated with respect and dignity. Ladies and gentlemen, the
atrocities conducted against our women and children on a daily basis are far
from echoing the sentiments of peace in our societies and treating them with
respect and dignity they deserve as pillars of our communities. We are here to
encourage women to speak out against any form of abuse. We are here to let
women know that ending all forms of oppression which the apartheid government
imposed upon all black people started with those who were oppressed when they
said 'enough is enough.' If all those who were oppressed with the help of our
neighbouring States did not form a collective in fighting apartheid, we would
today still be living in perfect Verwoedian South Africa.
Women must therefore understand that rape, murdering and assaults of any
kind on them constitute yet another worse form of apartheid and that if it
doesn't start with them in saying enough is enough, I can guarantee you nothing
will ever change. We are here to let those women in informal settlements and
rural areas the most vulnerable in my view, to understand that yes, they may be
poor and depending on these men for their livelihoods. But they still remain
their own persons and no amount of poverty should turn them into men's sex toys
and punching bags.
We are here to encourage real men, men who do not rape to speak to their
counterparts that yes you might be physically stronger then women and children,
but beating, raping and murdering them is not the way to express such
strength.
Ladies and gentlemen, it would be interesting if farm owners were here
because the campaign is challenging them too to act against abuse. On 15
October we launched the Farm Workers' Awareness Campaign in KwaZulu-Natal, in
Ladysmith, and the farmers' associations committed themselves to acting against
women abuse. We hope that all farming communities will adopt this aspect of the
campaign that aims at educating rural women specifically those in farms about
their rights.
We are here to look at effective ways in which our Constitutions as
organisations and States can really work for the protection of women and
children and thereby indeed giving them hope in this "age of hope," that their
lives and rights are protected.
The concept paper for this campaign acknowledges the importance of spreading
its wings beyond the boarders of South Africa. And the fact that today, ladies
and gentlemen, we have delegates form our neighbouring States marks the
effective implementation of this vision. It is when Africans come together and
take head-on the problems that haunt their societies, like we did with
apartheid that we will find real solutions to this scourge.
As we officially launch the campaign in this province tomorrow, we are not
only saying violence against women and children must end but also raising funds
for the shelters that work with abused women and children. In this regard we
have officially launched this past Monday both the SMS and postcard campaigns.
For every 'act against abuse,' an sms you send to 31616 you will have
contributed R5 for abused women and children. For every signed and returned
postcard you will have contributed R2 for abused women and children. I
therefore appeal to all of you to help us raise money for these shelters and
encourage others to do the same.
We hope that the torch of peace that we lit on 16 November at the Union
Buildings will not only be symbolic of peace, but will also bring about real
peace in our societies. With that torch of peace we are saying form
partnerships with government in fighting this sick behaviour. We challenge you
not to look away when seeing/knowing someone who is abused. We challenge you to
act against abuse.
We further call upon all of you to join us in officially closing the
campaign in Upington in the Northern Cape on 10 December 2006. I thank you!
Issued by: Ministry of Provincial and Local Government
24 November 2006
