Statement of the African National Congress Women's League on the outcomes of the National Elections Workshop held at St. George's Hotel, 5 - 6 October 2013

The African National Congress Women's League convened a National Elections Workshop at St. George's Hotel, Tshwane from the 5th to the 6thOctober 2013. The National Elections Workshop brought together progressive women from all sectors of society, with the more than 70 delegates present drawn from and representing civil society, business, organised labour and youth formations.

As the custodian of the women's liberation movement in South Africa, the African National Congress Women's League exists to champion the aspirations of women who over decades, havebeen oppressed and exploited as a class, as a raceand as women. As a League of the African National Congress, our task remains the mobilisation of women in particular and society in general behind the ANC vision to create a united, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist society. It within this context therefore that the National Elections Workshop was convened to assess progress made in delivering a better life for all and to develop a robust programme of action for a decisive and overwhelming majority for the African National Congress in the 2014 General Elections.

The African National Congress has a good story to tell. It is a story of delivery, a story of the transformation of the socio-economic dynamics of South African society and the removal of the apartheid glass ceiling which sought to forever subject blacks in general and Africans in particularto inferiority and exclusion in the land of their birth.

The workshop was unanimous that the delivery track record of the ANC government since the democratic breakthrough of 1994 was unprecedented. No other government anywhere in the world has been able to move from an almostzero base in so many areas of socio-economic endeavour to boast the successes that the African National Congress government has been able to achieve to date.

It is this story that the National Elections Workshop conclusively agreed must be told as we advance to the 2014 General Elections; that South Africa is a better place for women today than it was in 1994.And while we applaud the significant strides made, tomorrow must be even better than today.

Amongst the key successes highlighted was the consolidation of a fragmented and racist publiceducation system to one that ensures parity amongst all learners. The workshop commended the steady increase in the final year pass rates, particularly the steep increase in the last 5 yearsfollowing several years of decline.

The workshop dismissed the sensationalisation and distortion of the pass rate as being 30%, and while committing itself to make inputs to the process initiated by the Ministry of Education on the review of the pass rate, the ANCWL unequivocally stated that this was atendency intended to position the 30% pass rate as a failure of the ANC government and an exercise in opportunism and mischievousness. This must be corrected.

The requirements for University and University of Technology entrance are clear and they are not 30%. A mark of 30% indicates elementary achievement far below the adequate achievement required for entry into a University of Technology or the outstanding achievement our governmentaspires to.

This is not a new phenomenon of the democratic government and simply speaks to the distinction between the different levels of achievement within the education system; with the range from 30% being the lowest and above 80% the highest and a performance below 30% being regarded as no achievement at all.

The number in the increases of Bachelor passes in Matric is a testament to the fact that, under the ANC government, many more young people in South Africa are passing a minimum of 4 subjects in their final year with a mark of 50% and above. The ANCWL therefore calls for all South Africans to make submissions on the review of pass rates from a position of knowledge and understanding.

On the economy, the workshop noted that in 1994 the ANC had inherited a broken economy that served the needs of a few. We are proud that today the black middle class has more than doubled under ANC government. As a result of ANC policies, many more people are able to realize their aspirations and have access to opportunities ourselves and the majority of black people in South Africa would have never thought possible.

While there is still much more to be done, the racial composition of affluence in South Africa has changed. In 2012, South Africa had 4 million jobs than there were in 1994. The pace of creating more jobs must be accelerated, particularly for women and the youth.

The ANCWL also noted and welcomed the proposed credit amnesty approved by Cabinet. Our people continue to be excluded from participation in the economy due to blacklisting by credit bureaus. The removal of adverse information listings is expected to liberate our people and allow them to access finance for economic participation. We applaud the ANC government for taking decisive steps to remove the barriers created to exclude the majority of South Africans from playing an active role in the quest for socio-economic freedom and emancipation.

The rural landscape in South Africa has changed. There is greater access to quality basic infrastructure and services in many rural areas. Many rural women, who continue to bear the harshest brunt of poverty, have been employed in the agricultural sector, which has seen impressive growth particularly in the last two years.

South Africa is a better place for people with disabilities than it was in 1994. The ANC government has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A set number of RDP houses are tailored for people with disabilities. Sign language is being introduced in the school curriculum for Grades R to 12, giving concrete expression to the need integrate people with disabilities with the rest of society.

Having noted these and many other successes of delivery by the ANC government, the progressive women reaffirmed our faith and confidence in the African National Congress. We believe that it is only the African National Congress that can be entrusted with the future of women as already proven and that it is only the ANC government that can continue with the progressive agenda for Africa and principled contribution to world politics. The ANCWL joins the world in harshly condemning the terrorist attacks in Kenya and Nigeria. Innocent people cannot continue being killed and maimed in the name of religion and political intolerance.

The National Elections Workshop committed itself to making a contribution on what a South Africa that is an even better place for women tomorrow will look like. Because the African National Congress does not draw up its manifesto in boardrooms andours is people-centered and people-driven process,the ANCWL and women from all walks of life areactively participating in the Manifesto Forums that are currently underway throughout the country.Guided by the Women's Charter for Effective Equality, the ANCWL has been and shall continue to call for an ANC Manifesto that contains more women-oriented pillars to accelerate our vision of a country free from all forms of discrimination, particularly those based on gender.

Our fundamental demand is that South Africa must be safe for women everywhere and at all times. Cultural practises and traditions that promote the violation of women's rights must be abolished and these include amongst others ukuthwala,ukungenwa and virginity testing. Women's rights must be understood to be human rights. The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community must be supported and protected from theaggravated and extreme forms of cruelty being meted against them.

The ANCWL would like to see in the manifesto, a commitment to greater economic inclusion of women as well as the comprehensive allocation of resources from the public purse to support the fight against gender-based violence. The ANCWL adopted the theme "KWANELE. Working together towards a violence free society" to galvanise society to work together against these socially constructed ills and call for the disruption of patriarchal practices that condone the violation of women's rights.

The National Elections Workshop further called for a revised BBBEE policy and greater commitment to gender equality across all spheres of public and private life. Beneficiaries of the land redistribution processes must be incubated and supported by government and training provided for subsistence and commercial farming thus making a positive contribution in increasing food security.

Reproductive health and dealing decisively with the challenge of teenage pregnancy should feature prominently on our list of priorities. The dignity of disadvantaged women should be preserved through, amongst others, a large scale programmeproviding easily accessible and free sanitary towels. Day Care Centers and Old Age Homes must be increased and adequately funded by government.

While we acknowledge improvement in access to justice through the extension of the Sexual Offences Courts, the ANCWL would expect to see similar improvements in Maintenance Courts and a concerted effort to deal with inheritance challenges faced by many women.

Corruption and all other such ills that constitute theft from the poor negate the advances made by our democratic government and are antithetical to the ANC values of concern for the will and interests of the people and selfless dedication and service to our people. As such the National Elections Workshop was unambiguous on the need for a Manifesto that commits us all to clean governance anchored on transparency and accountability.

The ANC Women's League has full confidence in the African National Congress to deliver against these aspirations of the women of South Africa. The significant successes made in promoting gender equality and women empowerment are a clear testament to the commitment of the ANC to the struggle for a non-sexist and inclusive society. As the ANCWL, we continue to place at the disposal of the people's organisation our energies and commitment to rally women in particular and society in general behind this vision.

Moving forward, the ANCWL, working together with other progressive women and formations as well as structures of the ANC, will be rolling out its elections programme focused on listening to, engaging and mobilising women from all sectors of society to register now and vote ANC in 2014. The ANCWL calls upon all its structures to heed the call that every member is a volunteer. We will work tirelessly with our people for a new mandate to build on the good work that has been done to deliver a better life for all.

Statement issued by Khusela Sangoni-Khawe, ANC Women's League acting spokesperson, October 7 2013

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