Delmaine Christians – Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Alliance

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Delmaine Christians who represents the Democratic Alliance party in parliament and is a member of the select committee on education and technology, sports, arts and culture (NCOP Committee) and the select committee on Health Social and Services (NCOP Committee)

We discuss her journey into politics from the education sector, which laid a strong foundation for her role in parliament. Playing an oversight role in local, provincial and national processes to identify faults in the current system and finding solutions to resolve challenges. For instance, the knock-on effect electricity cuts (loadshedding) have on water access for the Dikgatlong community in the Northern Cape province.

We discuss the economic cost of gender-based violence (#GBV) in South Africa as well as the social and psychological damage it causes to victims. Although government has allocated funding to address GBV not enough is being done to curb it, including resources in the police, health and social services. Unfortunately, many women get lost in the system and do not receive appropriate care which impacts their recovery.

Ms Christians considers education, grit, perseverance and developing a thick skin as some of the factors that contributed to her success. Tune in for more.