Chairperson,
Today we address femicide, which is both an epidemic and crisis that has plagued our nation for far too long. South Africa has one of the highest femicide rates in the world, with 11 women murdered every day, equating to one woman killed every two hours. This is not just a statistic; it is a national emergency and crisis that demands immediate and decisive action.
Despite numerous policies and public condemnations, femicide continues to be treated with mere lip service by authorities. Women live in constant fear, forced to take extreme precautions simply to survive. The tragic case of Olorato Mongale, a 30-year-old Wits student, who was murdered after accepting a lunch invitation, is a stark reminder of the dangers women face daily. Her story is not an isolated incident—it is a reflection of the systemic failure to protect women in South Africa.
While our government has made commitments to combat gender-based violence, the reality is that enforcement remains weak. The South African Police Service (SAPS) mobilised all its resources, including the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit, yet that’s only after the fact; femicide rates remain alarmingly high. The lack of urgency in addressing this epidemic has sparked outrage among citizens, who demand more than just promises.
We must look to international examples of success in overcoming GBV. Spain, for instance, has implemented specialised courts for gender-based violence, ensuring swift justice for victims. Argentina has introduced Femicide Units within law enforcement, dedicated to investigating and preventing gender-related killings. Georgia has established a Femicide Watch, a mechanism to monitor and prevent femicide through data collection and analysis. These measures have proven effective in reducing femicide rates, and South Africa must follow suit.
The ACDP calls on government to take decisive action in establishing specialised femicide courts to expedite cases and ensure justice.
We urge the implementation of a national femicide watch to track cases and identify patterns from data, and while working with the SAPS we need to strengthen police accountability by enforcing harsher penalties for negligence in handling femicide cases. There is also a need for an increase in funding for shelters and support services for women and children suffering from gender-based violence.
We cannot afford to delay, Chairperson. The women of South Africa deserve more than empty promises—they deserve safety, justice, and dignity. Let us act now to end femicide and build a nation where women can live without fear.
I thank you.
