6 May 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities met this morning to discuss and consider, amongst other things, a request from the Deputy Minister of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Steve Letsike. This comes after Letsike has referred comments made by podcaster, Macgyver “MacG” Mukwevho about media personality, Minnie Dlamini, to the committee for investigation.
In her opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Committee, Liezl van der Merwe, said she took a dim view of the committee being dragged into this matter on social media by commentators and members of the public, when the committee has not as yet considered the matter. Der Merwe said several erroneous reports indicated that the committee had resolved to call MacG to account to the committee, which is not factual.
“Following deliberations, the committee emphasised the committee’s mandate and in conclusion, on behalf of the committee, to add my voice to that of the Ministry in condemning the comments made by MacG and rejecting them with the contempt they deserve.
“We are recommitted to do more in the fight against Gender-Based Violence. The committee resolutions are that they will support the Deputy Minister in approaching the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa,” she said.
Van der Merwe said the committee will support the Deputy Minister in referring the matter to the Commission for Gender Equality for further investigation. She added that the committee encourages Dlamini to open a case of cyber-bullying, Gender-Based Violence or harassment with the relevant law enforcement authorities.
“The committee will keep a keen eye on developments at the PC on Communications and Digital Technology, which seeks to regulate online content. The committee will further engage on matters of GBV in its next meeting with the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
“The committee will also receive a legal opinion on the committee’s mandate vis-à-vis hearing complaints such as those of the Deputy Minister,” van der Merwe.
She said despite countless erroneous media reports, the committee has resolved not to call MacG to appear before the committee at this stage.
23 April 2025 –The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities held a meeting to oversee the implementation of the Sanitary Dignity Programme (SDP), the defunding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations (NPOs) and the ongoing fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The committee said the reason it has convened the meeting today is that it is a continuation of the important work it is doing in overseeing the implementation of the sanitary dignity programme.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Liezl van der Merwe said they know, for example, that monies are allocated to provinces for this project, but often the funds are not spent and when they are spent, the delivery of these products is erratic. Van Der Merwe said they have also established that in most instances, they are not reaching all of the intended beneficiaries of this programme.
“Additionally, the Cwecwe case has put the spotlight firmly on our nation’s crisis as it pertains to GBV. One of the lead departments in the fight against GBV, as per the national strategic plan, is the Department of Social Development. Tied to the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), is also the issue around the defunding of NGOs and NPOs, which provide vital services on behalf of the state.
“So this morning, we will aim to probe all of these issues – the implementation of the sanitary dignity programme, the fight against gender-based violence and the defunding of NGOs and NPOs. The meeting commenced with a presentation from the Department of Social Development (DSD) that provided an overview of the SDP’s implementation and discussed the implications of defunding NGOs and NPOs,” she said.
Van Der Merwe further said the department also outlined the strategies and initiatives currently in place to combat GBV, highlighting the department’s commitment to addressing these pressing issues. She added that, following the presentation, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, each provided insights into their implementation of the SDP and the status of funding for NGOs and NPOs.
“In addition to the presentations, various stakeholders made inputs, including the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), Lisa Vetten and the National Shelter Movement. Responding to the presentations, one of the primary concerns centred around the implementation of the sanitary dignity programme across the provinces.
“The committee found that the programme is not reaching all intended beneficiaries, with inconsistencies in the way it is being implemented and distributed. Provinces shared challenges with procurement processes, supplier selection and the timely delivery of sanitary products, emphasising the need for more localised, women-owned and specialised suppliers to be involved in the programme,” said van der Merwe.
She said the Eastern Cape highlighted the issue of identifying the appropriate beneficiaries, noting that it relies on the Department of Education to provide the list of learners from quintile one, two and three schools, as well as from farm schools and special schools. Van der Merwe said the province also raised concerns about the shortage of social workers, with over 1 100 unemployed social workers in the province, and the impact this has on their ability to provide essential services.
The Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta said the issue of the large number of unemployed social workers is a “sleepless night problem” for the province. Fanta said the province is unable to absorb all the trained social workers due to budget constraints, despite the high demand for social work services.
Mpumalanga shared that it has challenges with the procurement process, having to re-advertise tenders when the initial bids did not meet the requirements. The province also stressed the importance of ensuring that women, youth and persons with disabilities are involved in supply chain and procurement processes.
The Western Cape provided details about its comprehensive approach, including the establishment of a Sanitary Dignity Project Steering Committee that involves various government departments and civil society organisations. The province also shared its efforts to reach rural and remote schools, as well as its focus on providing education and awareness alongside the distribution of sanitary products.
Picture: The alleged shoes for rape victim, Cwecwe/Facebook
By REGINALD KANYANE
1 April 2015- The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has joined the nation in outrage following the horrific sexual assault of a girl (7), in Matatiele, Eastern Cape. The Chairperson of the Committee, Liezl van der Merwe stated that the committee calls for swift justice in this case, echoing the voices of all South Africans demanding accountability. Van der Merwe said during a committee meeting today, members expressed deep concern over the high rates of child rape and abuse in South Africa, particularly in areas like Umlazi, which has recorded the highest number of child rape cases in the country.
She said the committee resolved to prioritise an oversight visit to the Eastern Cape to further investigate this crisis and engage with all relevant stakeholders.
“It is clear that as leaders and as a collective, we need to do more to ensure the safety of our children. The committee will be meeting with the Department of Social Development on 22 April 2025, to discuss the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, as well as the devastating impact of budget cuts on NPOs providing critical services to vulnerable women, youth and persons with disabilities.
“The committee remains committed to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable in our society. It calls on all stakeholders, from government to civil society, to join in the fight against gender-based violence and the abuse of children,” said van der Merwe.
25 March 2025– Starting its week-long oversight visit programme in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) yesterday, the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities visited the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) said it is set to assess progress and outcomes on programmes aimed at addressing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), gender equality and youth unemployment.
The Chairperson of Portfolio Committee, Liezl van der Merwe, said even though the two entities have viable programmes and policies in place, there is still room for improvement in order to increase their impact. Van der Merwe highlighted the need for the CGE to be more accessible and visible, especially in rural and peri-urban communities.
She further said the committee expressed its appreciation for the programmes and their milestones in its engagement with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). Van der Merwe added that, they also noted with concern the high youth unemployment figures and called on the NYDA to accelerate its youth development initiatives and strategies.
“Today, the committee will visit Inkosi Albert Luthuli School (a mainstream school for learners with disabilities) and hold an engagement with stakeholders from the disability sector, including with parents of children with disabilities.
“The committee will also conduct a site visit to NYDA projects – Phohlolizile Pty Ltd, Lilitha Othopro Solutions, Zonke Bonke Clothing and Accessories,” she added.
28 February 2025– The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said it has concluded its interviews of the 20 shortlisted candidates to fill vacancies at the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Board on Thursday. The committee conducted the interviews over three days and the interviews were live-streamed on Parliament TV and social media platforms.
However, on the last day of the interviews, one candidate withdrew from the process.
The Committee Chairperson, Liezl van der Merwe made the announcement and informed the other committee members that Bongani Bhengu has withdrawn his name and will no longer participate in the process, citing a recent promotion at work. Van der Merwe thanked all the candidates who made themselves available for the process.
“The interviewed applicants reflected a diverse demographic, in line with the NYDA’s mandate to represent South Africa’s demographics and geography. Last year, the committee received 1412 applications for the vacancies.
“The committee will deliberate on all the candidates and prepare a report with the committee’s recommendations, which will be sent to the National Assembly and ultimately the President to make the final selection of the seven NYDA board members,” she said.
30 October 2024– The Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities considered a petition from #TeamFreeSanitaryPads calling on the National Assembly (NA) to investigate the provision of free sanitary pads and menstrual health.
Civil society organisation #TeamFreeSanitaryPads briefed the committee on the various things contributing to the unsuccessful implementation of the Sanitary Dignity Programme (SDP).
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Liezl van der Merwe said challenges include insufficient funding, delays in procurement, quality concerns over sanitary products, and fragmented coordination between government departments. Van der Merwe said the committee told the Department of Women, Youth
and Persons with Disabilities that is unhappy about the department’s persistent failure to implement the SDP.
“We have expressed deep concern over the lack of progress. It is unacceptable that we still have young girls missing school and women unable to access their basic dignity due to period poverty. This is a violation of their human rights that we can no longer tolerate.
“The committee acknowledges the valuable work being done by civil society, but we cannot rely on their efforts alone. The government has a constitutional and moral obligation to ensure the dignity and rights of all young girls are upheld, and we will use our oversight role to hold the department accountable,” she said.
Van der Merwe further said some of the key issues raised and discussed during the engagement include the initial request for R400 million in funding for the programme, which was only allocated R157 million in the first year. She added that the committee noted with concern the underfunding of the mandate.
“The committee also heard of the delays and challenges with procurement processes in some provinces, with the Free State province not distributing a single sanitary pad since the 2021/22 financial year.
“The committee also expressed concern about the quality and safety of some sanitary products being distributed, while some committee members called for stronger regulation and oversight from bodies such as the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, for example,” said Van der Merwe.
She proposed an inquiry into the Sanitary Dignity Programme to better understand the implementation challenges and to develop concrete recommendations to strengthen the programme.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure this programme delivers on its promise,” said Van der Merwe.
Meanwhile, #TeamFreeSanitaryPads said that South Africa’s young girls and women need a menstrual health rights bill and law. Nokuzola Ndwandwe from #TeamFreeSanitaryPads emphasised that, rather than relying on the existing policy framework, legislation is critical to protect menstrual health.
The Guardian 