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Legislation dealing with gender-based violence must be strengthened: Malema

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Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema says legislation dealing with gender-based violence must be strengthened. Malema was speaking at the party’s Women’s Day rally held at the graveside of the late ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in Fourways, Johannesburg, on Sunday.
He questioned why the justice system is focused on getting bail for perpetrators as opposed to justice for the victim.
Malema says laws dealing with rape need to be reviewed, adding that people, other than victims, should also be able to report an alleged rape.
“Rape and abuse of women and children should be crimes against the state so much so that when the victim withdraws the case, the state must proceed with the case against the perpetrator because families intervene, money exchange hands and families say “we cannot embarrass our uncle like, that we cannot embarrass the breadwinner.””

 

‘Decriminalise sex work’

The EFF leader has also told the rally that he will be putting forward a proposal in parliament to decriminalise sex work. Malema argues that everyone has the right to pursue whatever profession they choose.

“You arrest sex workers because they are women. And you can easily undermine women, like those men who are the buyers because they are men you can’t play with them. DP it is a matter of legislature. It’s not a complicated matter. It is a matter where we need to make a private member bill in parliament (…) It can be done before the end of this month of Women’s Month, to say we are putting a private members bill to decriminalise sex work.”

 EFF leader Julius Malema addressing Women’s Day rally: 

PEEs tenders

The EFF leader also lamented that men have been monopolising tenders to provide personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Where is the department of women to intervene when tenders of PPEs are given to males only remember the PPEs are very essential services and people who know how to provide essential services are women but where money exchanges hands in essential services the good caring people who know how to provide essential services are excluded.”

Malema also called for intervention in the alleged human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, reiterating his call for Pretoria to send back the neighbouring country’s ambassador and recall South Africa’s representative in Harare.

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