Mokonyane targets gender-based violence
2013-02-25 14:44
Johannesburg - Violence against women and children must be
eradicated, Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said in her state of the province
address in Johannesburg on Monday.
"The eradication of violence against women and children
is a central pillar of our social crime prevention efforts in the
province," she said.
Social problem
"The issue of sexual offences and gender-based
violence, which we are fighting against on a daily basis, has risen to the fore
in the media and public discourse."
She referred to the deaths of Anene Booysen and Reeva
Steenkamp, and to the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl by 15 men in Khutsong,
neat Carletonville, on Friday.
"We invite men and women to engage on this matter so
that we can find a sustainable societal intervention programme to make Gauteng
and our country a safer place for girl children and women."
Mokonyane said the solution did not lie in the successful
arrest, prosecution and incarceration of offenders, but in socially-embedded
solutions, as sexual offences were fundamentally a social problem.
The province would provide increased forensic support to the
family violence, child abuse and sexual offences units, added support for
victims and families, and would strengthen the management and use of the sexual
offences register.
Serious crimes had decreased in the province by 8.1%, with
murders down by 11% and attempted murders by 16.3%.
Economy
Mokonyane said the province's economy had shown durability
through the global economic slowdown.
"Despite the adverse global economic conditions,
unemployment in Gauteng has decreased from 28.2% in the first quarter of 2011
to 23.7% in the fourth quarter of 2012 financial year."
Gauteng had created 22 000 permanent jobs, 44 000 temporary
jobs and 151 000 people had been employed through the expanded public works
programme (EPWP).
She said 5 421 government vacancies had been filled by the
end of January.
"In 2013/14 we intend to create 196 000 EPWP work
opportunities at both provincial and municipal levels. In addition, 51 000
temporary and permanent jobs will be created."
Health
She acknowledged that, when she took office in 2009, the
public health sector was in an "unsatisfactory state", and blamed
outsourcing and poor resources management.
"We were also plagued by instances of
maladministration, corruption and a blatant disregard for authority and rules
that govern our public health institutions," she said.
The province had implemented a turnaround strategy, which
had paid particular attention to the Chris Hani Baragwanath, Charlotte Maxeke
Johannesburg Academic, Dr George Mukhari and Steve Biko hospitals.
"Infrastructure maintenance and provisioning of
electro-mechanical equipment, which is integral to the effective functioning of
our hospitals, has visibly improved," said Mokonyane.
Pharmacy hours had been extended and medicine distribution
improved. The province aimed to improve the availability of essential medicines
from 78 to 98%.
Of Gauteng's estimated 1.2 million HIV-positive residents,
nearly 900 000 now had access to antiretroviral treatment.
Emergency services would also be strengthened, with an
additional 100 ambulances.
Infrastructure development
Mokonyane said R13bn had been committed to infrastructure
development for the next three years, as it was essential to ensure the
province reached its potential.
Eskom would also spend R74bn in the next five years to
ensure the safety of Gauteng's electricity supply.
Addressing growing litigation against the province,
Mokonyane said a plan was in place to ensure effective case management, to
settle legitimate cases quickly, and to defend state interests against opportunistic
claims.
Of the 150 fraud and corruption cases Mokonyane referred to
in her state of the province address last year, 70 had been investigated and
resolved, while the rest were still being investigated.
- SAPA
