60 years ago, 20 000 brave women from all races, ages, languages and religious groups marched united to the Union Buildings in protest against the dehumanising call for women to have to carry the “dompas”, which would restrict their freedom of movement and would make them subject to harsh laws if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

These and many other women subsequently stood up against the inhumane system of apartheid and laid the foundation for the restoration of their birthright for freedom and the dignity of all South African’s women, irrespective of race.

They were catalysts in bringing about change to society at that time.

Let’s fast forward to the night when the final election results were announced at the IEC Head Quarters and when President Zuma took to the podium.

Four brave young women led a silent protest holding up placards with the words:

“One in three”,  “Kanga”, “Remember Kwezi”, “10 years ago”.

The ANCWL supported accused Number 1, President Jacob Zuma, when he was on trial for rape and didn’t stand up for a fair hearing  for the victim, Kwezi, when she had the courage to speak out and lay a charges against a man, umalume, who had broken her trust.

Instead, they chanted “Burn the Bitch” and hounded her out of the country into exile, burning her mother’s house down in the process.

The ANCWL is clearly not an advocate for justice for women and has instead reduced itself to placing women’s issues on the altar of patriarchal sacrifice.

Why was it that this silent reminder was hysterically denounced by the Minister of Social Development and the President of the ANCWL, Bathabile Dlamini along with two other Ministers from the Women’s League?

Nothing was said about the way the silent activists were manhandled by the security staff and taken away.

Surely we, as women, should unite to take our country forward out of this depraved culture of rape and abuse; out of the era of male entitlement where women are regarded simply as sex objects?

Surely it is time for all women to unite and say:

Genoeg is genoeg; Kwanele Kwanele!

DOWN with Patriarchal and sexist attitudes,

DOWN with Gender discrimination,

DOWN with the flawed legal system that causes too many abused and traumatised women and children to be left broken and humiliated, left without shelter, support, or hope for the future.

Post-apartheid women continue to be let down by the inadequate response to gender-based violence.

I agree with Dean Peacock of Sonke Gender Justice, who said that “it is encouraging that there is an increasing vitality amongst young South Africans who are no longer prepared to stay silent about gender inequality but are becoming more militant and unapologetic about their activism”.

Now what can be done to remedy this debilitating culture of sexual violence, gender discrimination and abuse?

A few simple measures can make a difference:

• Strong leadership from government, politicians and other leaders of society;
• Putting programmes in place in Social Development departments, for families, men and women, boys and girls, in schools, and religious institutions;
• Increasing the number of Sexual Offences Courts and getting them up and running, being properly funded with sufficient, well trained staff;
• Better training of police officers and sufficient funding of SAPS and the FCS units in particular;
• Appoint more social workers – Minister, (Oh sorry, she is not here again, could someone please give her the message) do you still remember all the social workers that were trained by the Department but could not be employed because your Department of Social Development had not budgeted for the jobs that had been promised to them?;
• Fund shelters for people who need to leave their abusive homes;
• Provide more Thutuzela Centres;
• Address the failings of the Justice system so we have proper prosecution of these offences.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Violence has identified a number of gaps and challenges:

• Most importantly that there is no official data on femicides and other forms of violence against women and that there is a massive under-reporting of violence against women;
• Crime statistics on sexual offences are not disaggregated so one cannot evaluate if there has been any reduction in crime;
• Domestic violence is not recorded by police as a specific crime category so no statistics are available.

No wonder we do not have a National Strategic Plan for violence against women – a major shortcoming in dealing in finding solutions.

As Former President Mandela said during SONA 1994: “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated first.”

What does emancipation mean?

Freedom from oppression, both gender and psychological oppression; freedom from patriarchal and cultural oppression.

Freedom from the oppression of corruption, poverty, prejudice and stigma.

Let us as women unite to support one another and break down the barriers that divide us so that we can stand up for the Constitutional rights of all, as well as the family values that can help to eradicate the scourge of gender violence.