Open letter on Malema, Tokyo comments
28 Jan 2009
28 Jan 2009
Dear Ms Motshega
I am writing to you as a fellow woman, mother, sister and above all, a daughter born of a woman. My letter to you raises issues that speak to the dignity and pride of all women.
My deep sense of pain has compelled me, on behalf of all women in the Congress of the People and many other South Africans who have expressed shock and dismay at the comments attributed to your fellow NEC colleagues, Mr Tokyo Sexwale and Mr Julius Malema, to open my heart to you.
I am sure you are aware that COPE registered a formal complaint with the Commission for Gender Equity regarding the remarks attributed to these leaders. In case you have missed these utterances in the media, as your silence may suggest, Mr Sexwale is reported to have said the following at your party's provincial campaign rally in Port Elizabeth on Saturday January 24, 2009.
"Our mothers are taken, house to house, they are also paraded on TV, and these people are performing witchcraft with our mothers... They are liars. You can't have respect for people who use older people in that fashion," according to the Independent Newspapers.
I am sure, like me, you are aware of scores of innocent old women who have been isolated, banished, mutilated, whose lifetime collections and property would have been destroyed and many murdered with their families including children - because they are accused of "witchcraft."
These women would be accused of witchcraft and condemned to death because of their perceived social standing, their aged looks, poor economic status, and health condition among others. In fact, in the province where your comrade spoke there's been recently a resurgence of these killings. Unfortunately, according to the African legend, "witchcraft" is a women phenomenon - a point that is accentuated by your colleague.
Let me hasten to mention as well that as former member of that once glorious movement of our people, the ANC - my political education had introduced me to a more progressive, enlightened and scientific view of the world. The word "witchcraft" did not even exist in the vocabulary of the rich history of that movement and its leadership.
I find it outrageous and beyond the boundaries of co-incidence that the word witchcraft (ukuthakatha) would be used in the same sentence as elderly women. The woman in you must surely be wondering why Mr Sexwale chose to link witchcraft with elderly women coming into the ranks of Cope when in fact the party has unveiled more men. This is sexist and chauvinistic beyond belief.
Furthermore, as a first language Xhosa speaker - I know of no other, and there is no other meaning to this word. His explanation on the radio yesterday made no sense whatsoever - and I am sure you had nothing to do with it. It was an insult to all women.
Our submission to the Gender Commission highlights two fundamental issues; the constitutional value that everybody has a right to freedom of association and the right to dignity for all women. We believe that these principles are undermined by the comments from your colleagues.
The elderly women who have come into the ranks of our party have a constitutional right to belong to a party of their choice. Most of them, as you should know, spent decades of their lives making sure that all South Africans have the constitutional values that we are all proud of.
Few days earlier, Mr Malema is reported to have said the following with regards to the rape accuser in your party's president, Mr Jacob Zuma, rape trial.
"When a woman didn't enjoy it, she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes out, request breakfast and ask for taxi money.
"In the morning, that lady requested breakfast and taxi money. You can't ask for money from somebody who raped you," Malema reportedly said.
Mr Malema's remarks regarding intimate relations between men and women are greatly offensive and an attack to women's right to dignity.
Your silence, as a custodian of the rights of women in the ANC, has been too loud.
Our rights as women should know no political affiliation. We must never close ranks with our male colleagues when they degrade and insult women. I should not preach to you and will never as I know that you were elected to that position because you must be passionate about issues affecting women.
Although I have yet to hear you raise pertinent women issues since your election - I still have faith in the ability of all women leaders to rise above narrow party political interests and stand up for women's dignity. A lot was achieved in the past 14 years in the advancement of women's struggle - those gains must never be sacrificed.
You are the pioneer of the rights of women in your party. You are the descendent of Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Dorothy Nyembe, Sophie de Bruin, Helen Joseph, Ruth First, Dora Tamana, Ray Alexander and Rahima Moosa, among many others. You will agree with me that these women would have been first to speak out against your colleagues backward views on women. You cannot let them down!
For the sake of the struggle for the emancipation of women - we urge you to speak out!
We invite you to join us in condemning the remarks by Mr Malema and Mr Sexwale and ask you to support our complaint to the Commission for Gender Equity.
You strike a woman you strike a rock!
Yours in the struggle for liberation of Women
Kiki Rwexana
COPE Women's Forum
I am writing to you as a fellow woman, mother, sister and above all, a daughter born of a woman. My letter to you raises issues that speak to the dignity and pride of all women.
My deep sense of pain has compelled me, on behalf of all women in the Congress of the People and many other South Africans who have expressed shock and dismay at the comments attributed to your fellow NEC colleagues, Mr Tokyo Sexwale and Mr Julius Malema, to open my heart to you.
I am sure you are aware that COPE registered a formal complaint with the Commission for Gender Equity regarding the remarks attributed to these leaders. In case you have missed these utterances in the media, as your silence may suggest, Mr Sexwale is reported to have said the following at your party's provincial campaign rally in Port Elizabeth on Saturday January 24, 2009.
"Our mothers are taken, house to house, they are also paraded on TV, and these people are performing witchcraft with our mothers... They are liars. You can't have respect for people who use older people in that fashion," according to the Independent Newspapers.
I am sure, like me, you are aware of scores of innocent old women who have been isolated, banished, mutilated, whose lifetime collections and property would have been destroyed and many murdered with their families including children - because they are accused of "witchcraft."
These women would be accused of witchcraft and condemned to death because of their perceived social standing, their aged looks, poor economic status, and health condition among others. In fact, in the province where your comrade spoke there's been recently a resurgence of these killings. Unfortunately, according to the African legend, "witchcraft" is a women phenomenon - a point that is accentuated by your colleague.
Let me hasten to mention as well that as former member of that once glorious movement of our people, the ANC - my political education had introduced me to a more progressive, enlightened and scientific view of the world. The word "witchcraft" did not even exist in the vocabulary of the rich history of that movement and its leadership.
I find it outrageous and beyond the boundaries of co-incidence that the word witchcraft (ukuthakatha) would be used in the same sentence as elderly women. The woman in you must surely be wondering why Mr Sexwale chose to link witchcraft with elderly women coming into the ranks of Cope when in fact the party has unveiled more men. This is sexist and chauvinistic beyond belief.
Furthermore, as a first language Xhosa speaker - I know of no other, and there is no other meaning to this word. His explanation on the radio yesterday made no sense whatsoever - and I am sure you had nothing to do with it. It was an insult to all women.
Our submission to the Gender Commission highlights two fundamental issues; the constitutional value that everybody has a right to freedom of association and the right to dignity for all women. We believe that these principles are undermined by the comments from your colleagues.
The elderly women who have come into the ranks of our party have a constitutional right to belong to a party of their choice. Most of them, as you should know, spent decades of their lives making sure that all South Africans have the constitutional values that we are all proud of.
Few days earlier, Mr Malema is reported to have said the following with regards to the rape accuser in your party's president, Mr Jacob Zuma, rape trial.
"When a woman didn't enjoy it, she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes out, request breakfast and ask for taxi money.
"In the morning, that lady requested breakfast and taxi money. You can't ask for money from somebody who raped you," Malema reportedly said.
Mr Malema's remarks regarding intimate relations between men and women are greatly offensive and an attack to women's right to dignity.
Your silence, as a custodian of the rights of women in the ANC, has been too loud.
Our rights as women should know no political affiliation. We must never close ranks with our male colleagues when they degrade and insult women. I should not preach to you and will never as I know that you were elected to that position because you must be passionate about issues affecting women.
Although I have yet to hear you raise pertinent women issues since your election - I still have faith in the ability of all women leaders to rise above narrow party political interests and stand up for women's dignity. A lot was achieved in the past 14 years in the advancement of women's struggle - those gains must never be sacrificed.
You are the pioneer of the rights of women in your party. You are the descendent of Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Dorothy Nyembe, Sophie de Bruin, Helen Joseph, Ruth First, Dora Tamana, Ray Alexander and Rahima Moosa, among many others. You will agree with me that these women would have been first to speak out against your colleagues backward views on women. You cannot let them down!
For the sake of the struggle for the emancipation of women - we urge you to speak out!
We invite you to join us in condemning the remarks by Mr Malema and Mr Sexwale and ask you to support our complaint to the Commission for Gender Equity.
You strike a woman you strike a rock!
Yours in the struggle for liberation of Women
Kiki Rwexana
COPE Women's Forum
Source: http://www.iol.co.za/
