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The DA has written to President Ramaphosa bringing to his attention that Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga is committing a serious dereliction of her duty, as Minister of Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities, in that she refuses to constitute the critical National Council against Gender-Based Violence & Femicide as crimes against women and children remain at crisis levels.

The DA has requested that President Ramaphosa sanction the Minister, but more importantly that he instructs her to establish this National Council immediately.

The release of the latest crime statistics shows devastating crimes every day:

• 128 will be raped,
• 76 will be murdered.

In May last year, the President assented to the National Council on Gender-Based Violence & Femicide Act, which is tasked, in collaboration with various departments, with spearheading our nation’s fight against gender-based violence. Until the National Council is constituted there is no singular national coordination fighting GBV.

The DA has, since last year, made repeated calls for the Minister to act urgently on establishing the Council for its imperative work to begin – with no end. The Minister also cancelled her appearing in Parliament's National Council of Provinces, where she was to answer questions on establishing the National Council, evading accountability.

The DA will also move for Minister Chikunga to appear before the Police Portfolio committee in Parliament, because her failure is having a direct impact on the fight against GBV crimes. The DA has written to Chairperson Ian Cameron requesting that he sets down a hearing for the Minister to be questioned on this abject failure.

The DA will fight for the safety of the people of South Africa, where all means available should be used. No single ANC Minister should stand in the way of a giant step forward in the fight against GBV.

Issued by Lisa Schickerling MP - DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police