Date: 05/08/2003
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mokonyane: Launch of victim empowerment room at Kwa-Thema police station, Gauteng
ADDRESS BY GAUTENG SAFETY AND LIAISON MEC NOMVULA MOKONYANE AT THE LAUNCH OF A VICTIM EMPOWERMENT ROOM AT KWA-THEMA POLICE STATION, 5 August 2003
Programme Director
Area Commissioner
SA Breweries management
Volunteers from the Area
Community Leaders
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government and the South African Police Services we are grateful of the attendance of various stakeholders in this important event for Kwa-Thema. The attendance here today shows that we have actually moved a lot in terms of implementing partnerships between the police service and communities. It is really encouraging to see that people from this area - given its history - are now able to come to a police station and provide necessary support to police.
Programme Director, we start the month of August - a month that has been declared as Women's Month by the South African Government. During this month a number of initiatives have been planned in order to highlight achievements and successes achieved so far. This government prides itself for being in the forefront of developing as well as implementing programmes that will empower women on all fronts.
In order to ensure that the Gauteng government has a clear and integrated focus on women empowerment, we have developed a gender policy framework in order to support the provincial departments to meet their constitutional commitments, and to promote gender equality and equity.
As Gauteng we are very proud and excited about developments achieved so far, but there are still too many challenges facing us. The Executive Council has ensured that all the service delivery departments within our government must implement programmes and strategies aimed at empowering women both economically and social.
These strategies will ensure that there's:
* equitable attention to women, men, girls and boys in terms of their social and economic position;
* non-discrimination access to quality services and;
* equal rights and opportunities for all citizens within the province
In implementing our policies, we have programmes like: Women in Construction, Women and Economic Empowerment, Women and the Environment, Women's Health, Social Service for Women and Programmes aimed at Eradicating Violence Against Women.
Ladies and Gentlemen, whilst we have gone a long way in implementing programmes that empower women, we are faced with major challenges of providing safety for vulnerable groups such as women and children.
The unbearable crimes committed against them are very serious and undermines the spirit of Ubuntu. Our mothers, children and sisters get raped, abused, killed by their partners, and many are trapped in abusive relationships. This is one of the biggest scourges of our social fibre that requires the involvement and participation of each and member of society.
We have set ourselves a target of making sure that each police station in this province has its own Victim Empowerment Room by 2004 and to help the victims report their cases in a pleasant and user-friendly environment. Currently we have established 86 fully functional Victim Empowerment Rooms in Gauteng.
We must make sure that the launch of the Victim Empowerment Room for Kwa-Thema police station adds value to the process of ensuring that our mothers and sisters who happened to be victims of crime and violence receive proper assistance from all the relevant sectors of government and society at large.
The partnership between various private sector companies is getting momentum and in this regard the South African Breweries has committed itself to work with government in establishing more user-friendly centres in targeted areas within the province.
The lack of such centres in the past has led to inadequate services, which increased the already high level of trauma experienced by women, children and other vulnerable groups.
The purpose of the centre, which we are launching here today, is to create a friendly environment for statements to be taken from victims of any form of abuse. The centre will also focus in ensuring that victims have a full understanding of and information about their rights.
Through the support of local volunteers and various community-based organisations counselling and other support services to women and children who have been affected by crime will be provided.
In the process of curbing violence against women, police have been fortunate that there are noble people who have come forward and decided to volunteer their services. Their services will not only empower victims of abuse, but will also give them confidence in reporting their cases that will then help in influencing the positive finalization of their cases by the Criminal Justice System.
The role played by people who volunteer their services to provide counselling and other support to victims is highly appreciated and I wish to encourage them to continue doing this good work at all times. Your unconditional support to this station and the community at large will not go unnoticed. Carry on with the good work you have our support.
Whilst we have introduced a number of policies and legislation that seeks to promote and protect rights of victims, the implementation process has led to us identifying some problems that have led to beneficiaries not getting best service. However, we are now working in ensuring that the identified gaps and weaknesses are dealt with by all stakeholders involved.
Programme Director, the responsibility of the police service is to protect members of the community and provide good and quality services and it is encouraging to note that five hard core criminals were given five (5) life sentences each for raping, hijacking and killing two women and their husbands. We hope that this will send a strong message to people out there that crime our Criminal Justice System will not hesitate to hand down tough sentences.
Although KwaThema is having a problem with the growing trend of substance abuse especially drugs in schools, I am optimistic that the problem is under control because crimes such as car hijacking, housebreakings and robberies in businesses have been reduced.
I therefore wish to urge business people and other stakeholders to get involved in crime prevention and combating crime by providing necessary resources to needy stations. Thanks to our partners for your continued involvement in developing sustainable communities through crime prevention projects.
The challenge now is to the community and police of Kwa-Thema to make use of this facility and ensuring that victims become survivors through services and support provided in the Victim Empowerment Room.
I thank you
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mokonyane: Launch of victim empowerment room at Kwa-Thema police station, Gauteng
ADDRESS BY GAUTENG SAFETY AND LIAISON MEC NOMVULA MOKONYANE AT THE LAUNCH OF A VICTIM EMPOWERMENT ROOM AT KWA-THEMA POLICE STATION, 5 August 2003
Programme Director
Area Commissioner
SA Breweries management
Volunteers from the Area
Community Leaders
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government and the South African Police Services we are grateful of the attendance of various stakeholders in this important event for Kwa-Thema. The attendance here today shows that we have actually moved a lot in terms of implementing partnerships between the police service and communities. It is really encouraging to see that people from this area - given its history - are now able to come to a police station and provide necessary support to police.
Programme Director, we start the month of August - a month that has been declared as Women's Month by the South African Government. During this month a number of initiatives have been planned in order to highlight achievements and successes achieved so far. This government prides itself for being in the forefront of developing as well as implementing programmes that will empower women on all fronts.
In order to ensure that the Gauteng government has a clear and integrated focus on women empowerment, we have developed a gender policy framework in order to support the provincial departments to meet their constitutional commitments, and to promote gender equality and equity.
As Gauteng we are very proud and excited about developments achieved so far, but there are still too many challenges facing us. The Executive Council has ensured that all the service delivery departments within our government must implement programmes and strategies aimed at empowering women both economically and social.
These strategies will ensure that there's:
* equitable attention to women, men, girls and boys in terms of their social and economic position;
* non-discrimination access to quality services and;
* equal rights and opportunities for all citizens within the province
In implementing our policies, we have programmes like: Women in Construction, Women and Economic Empowerment, Women and the Environment, Women's Health, Social Service for Women and Programmes aimed at Eradicating Violence Against Women.
Ladies and Gentlemen, whilst we have gone a long way in implementing programmes that empower women, we are faced with major challenges of providing safety for vulnerable groups such as women and children.
The unbearable crimes committed against them are very serious and undermines the spirit of Ubuntu. Our mothers, children and sisters get raped, abused, killed by their partners, and many are trapped in abusive relationships. This is one of the biggest scourges of our social fibre that requires the involvement and participation of each and member of society.
We have set ourselves a target of making sure that each police station in this province has its own Victim Empowerment Room by 2004 and to help the victims report their cases in a pleasant and user-friendly environment. Currently we have established 86 fully functional Victim Empowerment Rooms in Gauteng.
We must make sure that the launch of the Victim Empowerment Room for Kwa-Thema police station adds value to the process of ensuring that our mothers and sisters who happened to be victims of crime and violence receive proper assistance from all the relevant sectors of government and society at large.
The partnership between various private sector companies is getting momentum and in this regard the South African Breweries has committed itself to work with government in establishing more user-friendly centres in targeted areas within the province.
The lack of such centres in the past has led to inadequate services, which increased the already high level of trauma experienced by women, children and other vulnerable groups.
The purpose of the centre, which we are launching here today, is to create a friendly environment for statements to be taken from victims of any form of abuse. The centre will also focus in ensuring that victims have a full understanding of and information about their rights.
Through the support of local volunteers and various community-based organisations counselling and other support services to women and children who have been affected by crime will be provided.
In the process of curbing violence against women, police have been fortunate that there are noble people who have come forward and decided to volunteer their services. Their services will not only empower victims of abuse, but will also give them confidence in reporting their cases that will then help in influencing the positive finalization of their cases by the Criminal Justice System.
The role played by people who volunteer their services to provide counselling and other support to victims is highly appreciated and I wish to encourage them to continue doing this good work at all times. Your unconditional support to this station and the community at large will not go unnoticed. Carry on with the good work you have our support.
Whilst we have introduced a number of policies and legislation that seeks to promote and protect rights of victims, the implementation process has led to us identifying some problems that have led to beneficiaries not getting best service. However, we are now working in ensuring that the identified gaps and weaknesses are dealt with by all stakeholders involved.
Programme Director, the responsibility of the police service is to protect members of the community and provide good and quality services and it is encouraging to note that five hard core criminals were given five (5) life sentences each for raping, hijacking and killing two women and their husbands. We hope that this will send a strong message to people out there that crime our Criminal Justice System will not hesitate to hand down tough sentences.
Although KwaThema is having a problem with the growing trend of substance abuse especially drugs in schools, I am optimistic that the problem is under control because crimes such as car hijacking, housebreakings and robberies in businesses have been reduced.
I therefore wish to urge business people and other stakeholders to get involved in crime prevention and combating crime by providing necessary resources to needy stations. Thanks to our partners for your continued involvement in developing sustainable communities through crime prevention projects.
The challenge now is to the community and police of Kwa-Thema to make use of this facility and ensuring that victims become survivors through services and support provided in the Victim Empowerment Room.
I thank you
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)
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