The IOL Elections Panel Discussions got extremely heated as the topic of gender-based violence (GBV) was brought to the front.
The Cape Town event is the last of its kind after panel discussions were held with political parties in KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg last week.
The event is being moderated by IOL Editor-in-Chief, Lance Witten.
As questions were allowed from the audience, Cape Flats community activist, Lucinda Evans did not mince her words.
Evans is known for fighting against GBV across the country.
She posed her questions to Sammy Klaasen from the PMC and leader of the NCC, Fadiel Adams.
“We have an issue of GBV nationwide. What are your plans in terms of GBV in the Western Cape?” Evans asked the two parties.
She then told Western Cape Premier Alan Winde: “Hanover Park, Lavender Hill, Hillview is still part of the Western Cape. Over a weekend there are 48 murders. There were 98 murders this weekend, 87 attempted murders. What is your plan while you still here?”
She also nearly blew the roof off the Taj Hotel when she made the statement: “There is fokkol services from the police!”
Evans also told the panellists who were trying to speak down to the three women on the panel: “I say sies on you!”.
Adams responded by saying his party had eight councillors, of which six are women.
He also apologised on behalf of his gender.
“Me, as a South African male apologise to women everywhere. We live in traumatised areas. The only way to ever beat this thing is to pick those boys up from the floor. Show them the value of lives. Show then when striking a women you striking your mother,” Adams said.
He also directed his statements to Winde stating: “he kicks them out of schools”.
Adams also stated that “victims get raped by the system for a second time”.
Klaasen stated the PMC took GBV seriously.
“We are serious about addressing this issue. We need to change the law. If a man beats a woman, or a woman beats a man, they should not get bail,” he said.
The panellists include representatives from the, UIM, DA, ANC, MK, Bosa, IFP, GOOD, AM4C, EFF, Rise Mzansi, ActionSA and Al Jama-ah.
South Africans head to the polls on May 29.
IOL