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he DA welcomes the confirmation from Police Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Francois Beukman, that the DA’s request for a joint meeting between the Police, Justice and Women Portfolio Committees to discuss the government’s lack of effective response to gender-based violence and specifically violence against women, will be urgently scheduled at the earliest chance on a platform that will comprehensively cover crime and policing cross-portfolio issues.

The DA welcomes this opportunity for Parliament to probe the absolute neglect of women’s safety by the SAPS, Justice and Women’s departments.

However, before these hearings in Parliament proceed, it is imperative that the Minister of Women, Susan Shabangu, immediately retracts and apologises for her despicable statement on ENCA’s Checkpoint this week about murdered Karabo Mokeona that “Whilst Karabo came across as very strong, she was weak and hence became a victim of abuse.”

These callous comments, made by a Minister who is mandated to advance women’s socio-economic empowerment and promote gender equality, are reprehensible and must be condemned in the strongest terms. No victim of gender violence or domestic violence should be called “weak” by the Minister whose entire portfolio revolves around empowering and protecting vulnerable women.

Shabangu has the opportunity today to retract her careless and shocking remarks and apologise to Karabo Mokoena’s family in her budget speech in Parliament later today. The DA demands that she does so.

If the Minister does not retract and apologise, she will be exposed as nothing more than an uncaring leader undeserving of the office of Minister.

Remarks like this only serve to perpetuate gender-based violence and show how the ANC government do not tackle these issues and have completely failed in their duty to make our country safer for women. Instead the ANC today blames women for the fate they often face in dire circumstances.

This is precisely why a joint platform of the three key portfolios who can address the scourge of violence against women plaguing our nation must go ahead as soon as possible.

The DA will call for the joint convening to hear from society at large and civil society organisations on how the failures of government directly impact the safety of women.

South Africa must rise in defence of women. Enough is enough.

Issued by DA