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On Wednesday, something unprecedented happened.
A special sitting – both Houses of Parliament working together in the best interests of the people.
It was something to behold.
South Africa’s political leaders put their best suggestions on the table to try to find ways to stop the war on women and their bodies.
Money is imperative. President Cyril Ramaphosa said that R1.1 billion would be redirected to a comprehensive response to gender-based violence in this financial year.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane suggested a gender-based violence bill that would include all forms of abuse, and would be written in a way that all South Africans could understand it.
The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Liezl van der Merwe suggested teaching gender equality in school.
Perhaps the most powerful suggestion came from the EFF’s Victoria Mente, who challenged all the men in the House to swear they’d never laid a hand on a woman in anger.
It has been a long hard road to get to this point.
It’s taken death, anger, courage and perseverance from all those who spoke up, who kept the issue in the public sphere, and who took part in protests and ensured that the state couldn’t ignore the issue any longer.
But, after the talking, we need something tangible.
Police stations must get staff who understand how to handle these cases and have the necessary tools to secure a conviction.
We need to see a forensic laboratory being opened in the Eastern Cape. We need to see a drastic drop in the statistics.
Ramaphosa said the funds would be raised from within the current budget allocation. But where exactly will they come from? And when will they come?
It was Van der Merwe who spelt it out: “Beyond the rhetoric, we need urgent action now. Beyond the outrage, we need urgent change now. We need a government that will deliver on its promises.”
