Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members and guests, on Saturday, 7 August 2010, 18-year-old Mapula Makabole, a grade 12 learner at Derrick Kobe High School in Lebowakgomo, left home to visit a friend in her neighbourhood. She did not return. The following day, her father was called to identify her body at the mortuary.
We later came to know that she had visited a male friend, who allegedly strangled her. The male friend then called another male friend who had a car. They bundled Mapula's body into the car and dumped her in the forest. After dropping Mapula's friend at his house, the driver of the car went straight to the police to report what happened. As we speak, the suspect is still at large.
During the same weekend in Lebowakgomo, there were reports of another three incidents where women were alleged to have been killed by people whom they knew and trusted - husbands or boyfriends. One is tempted to ask as to whether the alleged perpetrators deliberately planned those acts to coincide with the national Women's Day because one man was once heard telling his wife that the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children would pass and he would deal with her. Azapo's point is that our mothers and sisters are still vulnerable and feel unsafe in their own country. They are looking towards us and the Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities to come to their rescue. I met some of them on Monday, and they had many complaints. One of their complaints was that a year after the establishment of this Ministry, they are still waiting for a White Paper, or a strategy or policy document, that sets out the vision and activities the Ministry intends to embark upon. They are looking towards this House to pass laws that promote and protect them.
As we were talking, they were very clear that transformation is not an option; it has to take place. The question that we continued asking ourselves in that meeting was: What kind of society do we have that produces young men who have no respect for human life and women? We said that, as the police continued to raid and close down factories producing drugs in our country, the society should close down those that produce angry young men.
We cannot fail our women because, if we do, history will record that this fourth democratic Parliament presided over a system that continued to oppress and marginalise women. History will be unkind to us. Thank you very much. [Applause.]