ANCWL welcomes the Constitutional Court ruling on Oscar Pistorius

9 April 2018

The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) welcomes the decision by the Constitutional Court to dismiss of leave to appeal by Oscar Pistorius. 

The ANCWL reiterates its position that Oscar must serve his sentence of 13yrs for murdering Reeva Steenkamp. He has never shown any remorse for killing Reeva and even today he has never explained why he fired the four shots which killed her. The dismissal of leave to appeal by the ConCourt should serve as a lesson to other perpetrators of femicide and women abuse in general who thinks they can just kill/abuse and use their financial muscles to avoid serving jail term. 

South Africa's femicide rate is 5 times more than the global rate. ANCWL calls all South Africans to unite against this sexist violence against women which is perpetuated by patriarchal beliefs that inferiorises women. Perpetrators of this barbaric cruel act see women as objects, instead of equal citizens with equal rights and freedom. The killing of Reeva by Oscar was not just the murder of woman, but the murder of woman because she is a woman. 

The fight against gender based violence and abuse of children in South Africa must be a societal issue. All people irrespective of their race, gender, sex, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief,  culture and language must unite to ensure that women, children, gays and lesbians in South Africa enjoys their rights as equal citizens. 

ANCWL leadership collective under President Bathabile Dlamini call all its members and supporters to intensify ANCWL programs of uniting all people in the country to fight against all forms of gender based violence and child abuse. 

South Africa will never be free until women, children, gays and lesbians are free!! 

Issued by Meokgo Matuba, ANCWL Secretary General, 9 April 2018