By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng has vowed that it will work tirelessly with all sectors of society to dismantle all forms of patriarchy and male privileges.
“The ANC joins the masses of our province in celebrating women’s contributions to the socio-political upliftment of the lives of the people of our country and the province of Gauteng,” said ANC Gauteng secretary Thembinkosi ‘TK’ Nciza.
“We celebrate women’s courage, resilience, tenacity, ideas and their activism that continues to change the province of Gauteng and our country for the better. In the same light, we note that the proponents and beneficiaries of patriarchy, male chauvinism, and gender inequality are consolidating and eroding the women’s rights.”
Nciza said perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa “will be removed, and in our lifetime, women in the province of Gauteng will be free to walk anywhere at any given time”.
Notwithstanding the achievements made on women’s socio-economic emancipation under the ANC government, more has to be done.
Meanwhile GOOD leader Patricia de Lille on Tuesday called on victims of abuse and those who know of someone being abused not to “shut up, but speak up”.
“If you know a family member who is abusive, don’t shut up, speak up. Even if you see your friend’s mother or sister being abused, don’t shut up, speak up,” De Lille said.
She made the statement in a prepared speech for the party’s launch of its “breaking the silence” campaign against gender-based violence and femicide as part of the commemoration of Woman’s Day in Langa.
De Lille said people should no longer keep quiet “to protect” the family name or because it was uncomfortable to speak out.
Elsewhere EFF leader Julius Malema has encouraged victims of rape and gender-based violence (GBV) to report their plight to EFF branches if they do not get help from police stations.
Malema was addressing a crowd of women who attended the party’s Women’s Day rally at Matatiele in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.
The Women’s Day celebrations have been marred by a spate of gender-based violence incidents in recent years, especially in the province.
The red berets leader called on all victims of violence inflicted by men to be reported to their branches so that they could take the perpetrators to task.