The DA welcomes the launch of the Anti-Rape Campaign by President Jacob Zuma today, together with the Department of Basic Education, to be initiated in schools across the country. This is a welcomed step towards addressing the scourge of rape and sexual violence in South Africa.

The DA is committed to any efforts aimed at raising awareness and educating South Africans about this crisis.

It is for this reason that I will be approaching Parliament to look into hosting and facilitating special public hearings across the country so that we can begin a national dialogue on the epidemic of sexual violence against women and children in our country.

I will be writing to all political parties represented in the National Assembly to request their support for the establishment of an ad hoc committee to enable this dialogue. This committee will have the power to summon experts, and should be empowered to undertake a tour of public hearings around the country to speak to as many South Africans as possible.

The fight against gender violence in South Africa will require the participation of every South African citizen. Our public representatives must take the lead. We need to have the difficult conversations which will enable us to seek and implement solutions to this crisis.

Parliament must be at the centre of such an initiative.

Lindiwe Mazibuko, Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance