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Opposition parties offer solutions to end gender-based violence

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Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has called on Parliament to establish an ad-hoc committee that will investigate incidents of gender based violence. Maimane was speaking during the debate in a joint sitting on the matter called by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The DA leader says current laws need to be amended to deal with the scourge.  “We must establish an ad-hoc committee to investigate the systemic causes of gender based violence and map out a long term plan to deal with gender-based violence. It is our job to shape up legislation and protect our women from gender-based violence. Right now let us be honest; our laws are not good enough. The law that deals with domestic violence is 20-years-old and out of touch.”

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament Ntombovuyo Mente has proposed that Parliament establish a call centre to enable women and children who are victims of gender based violence to report their cases.

“We therefore recommend a Parliamentary joint standing committee to sit everywhere to get the briefing of all the cases that have been reported in South Africa. We need a Parliamentary call centre where a woman can call and say I have a rapist in my house. We need a call centre here in Parliament that is going to deal with children that are being mistreated. We need a Parliament that is going to ensure there are shelters that police are going to refer women to go and report. Not shelters at home.”

Meanwhile, the African Christian Democratic Party has called for harsher sentences for perpetrators of gender based violence. African Christian Democratic Party  leader Kenneth Meshoe says this will send a strong message to those who abuse women and children.

“There must be harsher punishment for rape and rapists must be denied bail and parole. This will send a clear message that our justice system is serious about gender base violence. Our justice system must be given teeth to swiftly deal with cases of rape and gender base violence.”

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