RE: ANCWL CONGRATULATES CITY PRESS ON LISTENING TO THE NATION

The ANCWL welcomes the removal of "The Spear" from the City Press website. We would like to congratulate Ferial Haffajee, and the City Press newspaper for taking down the painful and undignified picture of "The Spear" from their website. We understand that the editor has strong feelings on the freedom of expression however we respect her for listening to the cries of the country and removing it.

She seems to understand the old wounds of past that were ripped open by people seeing their President portrayed in the manner he was. We respect Ferial Haffajee as the only female editor of a major commercial newspaper in the country and when an issue was of major the public interest and threatened the social cohesion of our society, she was able to rise above her own personal feelings and do what was in the best interest of the country.

As women leaders wherever they are and in whatever sector they find themselves in, it is their responsibility to support and encourage the country's programme of social reconciliation and national peace as this is in the be interest of our country and our people.

The ANCWL remains resolute in our stance that we will defend the dignity of our President and the African National Congress which is a noble and outstanding organisation, and we will be marching to the Goodman gallery on Tuesday.

Statement issued by Troy Martens, ANC Women's League national spokeswoman, May 28 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter