Johannesburg - Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane, has called on members of the provincial legislature to support the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign.
"We call on all of you, to show your support by wearing your white ribbons and fighting the abuse of women and children, both at work and at home," Mokonyane urged lawmakers on Friday.
Today marks the official start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign which includes other significant dates such as 3 December - the International Day for People with Disability; World Aids Day on 1 December and the International Human Rights Day on the10 December.
"We observe the campaign this year against the backdrop of encouraging crime statistics, suggesting that our police are making inroads in the battle against crime.
"Despite that, we are aware that some of our communities remain dangerous places for women and children to live, especially during weekends," said Mokonyane, according to the Gauteng Provincial Government.
She noted that some research showed that alcohol was a common denominator in many crimes committed against women and children in the province.
"All lovers of this great province of ours will agree with our stance that the envisaged new Liquor Bill will go a long way in ensuring that alcohol sales and consumption are regulated even better," she said.
In an effort to deal with all the various challenges related to liquor regulation the Gauteng Department of Economic Development has developed a Liquor Policy wherein public inputs were solicited through a public participation process.
Stakeholder engagement on the policy was also conducted. The Liquor Policy has now been finalised and the department is developing a draft Liquor Bill.
Mokonyane said her government stance on liquor was not out of malice or myopia; rather on the fact that alcohol abuse was taking place in many communities.
In addition, she said planning for the establishment of ten safety homes - known as Green Doors - was underway. These are scheduled to be launched during the 16 Days of Activism campaign.
Furthermore, the implementation of the strategy for the prevention and effective management of sexual assault and domestic violence cases has ensured that 119 Victim Empowerment Centres (VEC's) are functional.
