Keynote address by the MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison Mme. Happy Joyce Mashamba during the family reorganisation prayer service, Bungeni Community Hall
Programme Director,
Pastors and Priests,
Head of Department of Safety, Security and Liaison,
SAPS Provincial Commissioner,
Congregants,
Brothers and sisters,
Comrades and friends.
Good morning.
It is an honour to find myself in your midst as we gather in prayer for family re-organisation and moral regeneration, crime and police killings, and for peace and stability.
Our prayer service comes in the background of the escalation of rape and other forms of violation of women and girl children. Rape in the country has reached epidemic proportions with a woman or a girl child being violated almost every second. Rape and other crimes against women and other vulnerable members of society have reached alarming proportions.
So serious is the situation that no less higher authorities such as President Jacob Zuma, and Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana where called to shine the torch on this darkest moment in our young democracy.
Responding to the spate of rapes through-out the country, Minister Xingwana has called for harsher punishment to be meted out to perpetrators of these atrocities. To drive this message home, the Minister further said:
“We should send a clear message that our society will not tolerate people who commit such atrocities.”
As a mark of seriousness and commitment in the fight against gender-based violence, the democratic government has established the National Council on Gender Based Violence.
The National Council on Gender Based Violence comprises government, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, academia, research institutions, men’s groupings, and representation from women, children and persons with disabilities.
The democratic government has also added other mechanisms to protect women, such as the Protection from Harassment Bill. While the Domestic Violence Act also provides protection, it only applies to persons who are in a domestic relationship.
The Protection from Harassment Bill also deals with harassment by persons who stalk their victims by means of electronic communications.
In addition, the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act has been accented to by the President and has become applicable. Once implemented, the law will assist women and children, who are often victims of this heinous crime.
Sexual Offences Courts have been introduced. These courts boast specially trained officials and are fully equipped to reduce the chances of secondary trauma for victims.
I am of the conviction that the Sexual Offences Courts will help address the growing challenge of sexual offences in the country, particularly against vulnerable groups.
I have gone to great lengths on this category of crimes because their escalation is indicative of the degree of moral decay in the broad South African society. This sad state of affairs is an indictment to all of us who wear the mantle of leadership across society – it says we have failed to spare society from falling apart.
As the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison we are with you here today because we believe in the ruling party’s inspirational motto of: “Working together we move South Africa forward.”
As we develop these interventions, programmes and campaigns we need to go on a moral regeneration campaign to build stronger and cohesive communities. We need to look at how we can promote values that define human beings, such as respect for life, respect to the next person and their property, basic Ubuntu and other values that cement the social fabric of society.
Today’s Family Reorganisation Prayer Service grants us an opportunity to self-introspect and seek divine intervention as we seem to flounder in the social wilderness without a moral compass to point us home.
Many of the social ills wreaking havoc in the broader South African society and threatening our young democracy are as a result of moral decay. This is where we find ourselves – facing imminent doom and gloom!
The degree of moral degeneration threatens our very existence, this is no exaggeration. Doom and gloom are staring us in the face, waiting for us to just blink so that they take us over and destroy everything we have built with our blood, sweat and tears.
All is however not lost. There is still hope. Hope lies in the Almighty. It is in troubled times like these that we turn our eyes to the Almighty for His intervention.
The Church is our last line of defence.
We call on South Africans of all faiths and denominations not to falter or tire to pray for our redemption and the restoration of the original family values. Our prayers here today should inspire us to go out in the broader society to ensure that good triumphs over the evils we have to contend with on a daily basis.
The Department of Safety, Security and Liaison conceives the Family Reorganisation Prayer Services as being the key to the provision of comprehensive social stability, cohesion, peace and security. This initiative will educate congregations and communities in general, about their role in safety and security programmes and also help the Department attract more participants in safety and security structures within localities.
The Church must assume its historical role of being the glue that holds society together, and steer society in the direction where the paramountcy of God and Moral Values are restored.
The resolution of South African problems cannot be left to government alone – every sector of our society has to play a part in this regard. The Church as an important stakeholder should be at the fore-front in the search for the Holy Grail to resolve all of society’s problems.
Complacency and folding arms to watch things fall apart with disinterest is no option for the Church, and any institution, organisation, agency or citizen in the country.
Let us put the shoulder to the wheel and get South Africa working as we deliver a better life to all its citizens.
President Jacob Zuma has proclaimed 07 May 2014 as the election date. Voter registration ends on Tuesday, 25 February 2014. I appeal to all those who have not registered to visit their municipal offices before voter registration closes on Tuesday. It is our civic duty to be active citizens and deepen our democracy.
The fight against crime – it begins with me, Working together we can move South Africa forward.
Thank you!
