ANCWL STATEMENT ON THE 17TH COMMISSION FOR EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – 2017

10 May 2017

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has noted with deep disappointment but not surprised by the 17th Commission for Employment Equity annual report 2016-2017.  The reports vindicates the ANCWL from its long held view that patriarchy is entrenched in various sectors in South Africa.

After 23yrs of democracy only 22% of women are occupying top management positions and only 33, 3% are in senior management positions. In almost all the  key economic sectors of our country, the top management positions are occupied by men. The continuation of patriarchy in the labour market is a reflection of what I'd happening in a society as a whole.

Women are sidelined from holding any strategic leadership position including in politics. For women who are holding position in politics their personal lives are more scrutinized than their male counterparts and they are constantly being labelled by fanatics of patriarchy -  that they are serving in those position or nominated in those position at the behest of men. It is time for South Africans to  join hands and defeat patriarchy in society. 

The ANCWL calls all members of society to support the call that women should be treated as equal citizens and have a right to occupy any strategic decision making position in all sector which including in politics. The call for women to be afforded equal opportunities is not a sexiest call but a call to redress the imbalances of the past and build an equal society. Women have capacity to lead and members of the society must support the struggle of defeating the demons of patriarchy that marginalises women. 

Women are equal citizens and patriarchy denies them their citizenry rights. The Commission for employment equity must work with other like-minded institutions to champion laws that will criminalize non-compliance to gender equality.

Statement issued by Meokgo Matuba, ANCWL Secretary General, 10 May 2017