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The DA Women’s Network this week celebrates victory over actions of the ANC designed to infringe the rights of women.

The ANC in Parliament had resolved to remove from the Maintenance Act, the clause allowing maintenance defaulters to be blacklisted. DAWN spearheaded a campaign to force the ANC to backtrack on this decision, and on Tuesday the ANC buckled under our pressure.

DAWN held a mass rally outside Parliament, and launched a petition to reinstate this essential clause - over 20,000 South Africans signed our petition in just three weeks.

After DAWN pressure, the Maintenance Amendment Act now again includes Clause 11 – parents who fail to pay their maintenance will once again face blacklisting with credit bureaux.

In Mpumalanga, the DA Women’s Network has pressured the Speaker of the Legislature to verbally apologise and withdraw comments that a female member was dressed inappropriately, supporting accusations that she was dressed like a sex worker.

DAWN brought out over 400 incensed South Africans who marched on the Speaker’s Office and demanded her apology.

These triumphs demonstrate the commitment of the DA Women’s Network to take up matters of the rights of women, and to achieve protection of those rights.

All women in South Africa deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and DAWN will champion this at all times.

Issued by DA