Pretoria – As South Africa celebrates the annual Women’s Day, the 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 African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng 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.
“The ANC government in Gauteng must increase its procurement spend on women-owned and controlled businesses. Gender inequality is essentially a question of power, which includes economic power in a male-dominated world and a male-dominated culture,” said Nciza.
“The African National Congress in Gauteng will intensify efforts towards the overall emancipation of women, particularly economic emancipation as key to address the skewed power relations.”
He applauded the ANC Women’s League in Gauteng “for reconnecting its members with the spirit of the fearless women who marched to the apartheid patriarchal and oppressive government in 1956,” demanding an end to the repressive pass laws.
Last week, the ANC joined the protest outside the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court as more than 80 illegal miners who were arrested following a gang rape of eight young women in West Village, Krugersdorp, were appearing in court.
ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said the governing party could not fold its arms and wanted to send a clear message to criminals.
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