MANZINI Regional MP Thandeka Mavuso says they do not support mandatory DNA testing as they do not want it, suggesting that it should be done by those who can afford it.
This was shared by the MP, who stated that “Asikusekeli, asikufuni, akwentiwe nguloku affordako.”
Mavuso stated that there were many things that men do not consider, including whether they were infringing on the rights of women or not.
“You cannot force a woman to have a DNA test since she has told you that the child is yours.
She slept with you and why are you forcing her to conduct a DNA test? Let us not abuse women to impress men. Let us address issues of statelessness and not this,” she said.
She said they should not all be implicated in this. Mavuso said as it is, there were children who were not at school because they did not have birth certificates.
She said there were also women who have been raped and they should not be traumatised because of this. She said government was dealing with a lot and should not be burdened by this.
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She said the country cannot afford DNA testing since there were priorities that must be met. She said people should voluntarily do the tests instead of burdening government with blanket issues.
‘Social ills caused by issue of DNA’
THE mover of the motion, Mahlangatsha MP Mgucisi Dlamini, maintained his stand, suggesting that some of the social ills in the country are caused by children being given surnames that are not theirs.
This was shared by the MP, who appreciated the MPs who supported the motion. He said he had noted that the MPs wanted them to go back to the chiefdoms to consult.
He also appreciated those who did not support the motion, stating that it was painful that some MPs were speaking about human rights but were forgetting about the rights of the child.
“The child is the important person in this. Many people have been given surnames that are not theirs. I once asked a woman about this issue and who the child belongs to if they are dating five men. The woman responded and stated that the child will belong to the one with money,” he said.
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Dlamini stated that the country was still going to face challenges, noting that the social ills in the country might have been caused by people being addressed by the wrong surnames.
Dlamini stated that there were many ‘facata’ scammers in the country and people who were corrupt, reiterating that this might have been caused by them staying with people who were not family.
“Some people are garnished here and they have been raising children that are not theirs,” he said.
‘Compulsory DNA testing an infringement on rights’
SOMNTONGO MP Sandile Nxumalo says the country will be infringing on people’s rights if it approves compulsory DNA testing for every child.
Nxumalo stated that mandatory testing was making all citizens suspects. He said the Constitution spoke about issues of privacy.
“It will be wrong to make it mandatory because government cannot force anyone because that will be infringing on human rights,” he said.
Nxumalo added that Parliament had previously rejected proposals for compulsory HIV testing and branding because they violated human rights.
“People were dying then and the person who suggested this felt like this would assist the country. On the case of the DNA, there is nothing that is hard since a person can do the test on their own. The constituencies cannot be discussing about this because it’s against the Constitution,” he said.
He said on the issue of HIV, people were dying and some thought that it was a form of mitigation.
He said people were not animals and cannot be forced to do things since they have a will and choice.
He said HIV testing remains voluntary today and many people have willingly come forward to test and disclose their status.
“This is affecting the mind but we still need to abide by the laws we have enacted and the UN declarations. We need to make sure that the country progresses,” he said.
Mhlume MP Sifiso Magagula stated that people should voluntarily test for paternity.
He said the State should make DNA testing affordable instead of making it compulsory.
He said they should not force people to undergo paternity testing because nothing had been lost.
“We agree that there are many cases of murder but not all of them are caused by this. Let us not deny the child from getting their birth certificates and I cannot be part of this,” he said.
