The Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Steve Letsike, voiced his dissatisfaction with the slow progress on women’s issues in South Africa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Women’s Day commemorations at the Dennis Nel Stadium in Pofadder, Northern Cape, Letsike highlighted the enduring challenges faced by women across the country.
The event was organized to honour the twenty thousand women who courageously marched against the oppressive pass laws 68 years ago.
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Despite decades of advocacy and activism, Deputy Minister Letsike pointed out that women in South Africa continue to face significant challenges, including abuse, unemployment, and poverty.
He emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues, stating, “It is unacceptable that decades later since women marched against oppression, there are still women in the country who are facing abuse, unemployment and poverty.”
Deputy Minister Letsike underscored the importance of swift and decisive action to address the violation of women’s rights.
He stressed that prevention and education should be key components of any strategy, noting, “We need to act fast to ensure that prevention agenda is what we win. For those who get violated, we need to act fast to make sure that they get redress.”
Furthermore, he highlighted the alarming statistic that a woman is violated every 36 seconds in the country, which is entirely unacceptable.
Holding perpetrators accountable is a critical priority for the government, according to Letsike. He praised recent legislative efforts aimed at ensuring perpetrators face the full might of the law, stating, “We still know that every 36 seconds women get violated in our country, which we cannot accept.
“We need to fast-track the education aspect. We have to fast-track where people unlearn certain behaviours, but also hold perpetrators accountable and that is why the president passed those bills that ensure that perpetrators are held to account.”
