RE: ANCWL POST POLICY WORKSHOP MEDIA BRIEFING*

NEC MEETING OUTCOMES

The ANCWL has had an extremely busy weekend, starting on Friday with a very productive NEC meeting at the Airport Grand Hotel in Boksburg. Among other things the undignified portrayal of the ANC President was highlighted. The ANCWL took a decision to defend the human dignity of the President and defend the ANC but more importantly defend the principal for human dignity.

The NEC expressed a sentiment of deep pain and betrayal at the undignified portrayal of the President in a painting by Brett Murray, displayed at the Goodman gallery, on their website as well as on many other websites, including City Press.

The meeting raised the issue of how this painting has opened old wounds in society where the dignity of black people has been callously undermined. The ANC and the Women's League remember too clearly the fight for freedom in this country, and we were integral in the struggle for freedom of expression.

But foremost in overcoming the scourge of Apartheid was restoring the dignity of "the black man" who was oppressed and made to feel sub-human under Apartheid. This painting displays a distinct lack of respect for South Africa's constitution where human dignity is a right enshrined in our constitution. Human dignity is not something that can be debated, in a country where our past was fraught with indignity, human dignity becomes a non-negotiable right for all South Africans enshrined in our constitution and a nation building tool in our democracy.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that freedom of expression is a right as well, but this right is not absolute it comes with a responsibility. You cannot express a right to freedom of expression at the expense of the dignity of any South African and this includes the President of the country.

Any person who does not understand why we have to protect the human dignity of our people does not fully understand what is was like to live in a society where dignity was not a right for all South Africans, we need to remind those who have perhaps forgotten why the black consciousness movement of Cde Steve Biko was necessary in a time where black people would be forced to expose their genitals to determine gender because they were not afforded the rights of human beings in this country. This painting has caused a lot of pain for many who do remember, and those who don't need to be reminded of where we come from as South Africans and instead of going backwards to a situation where the dignity of people are disregarded for the benefit of freedom of expression cannot be allowed. Rather we need to move on as a nation and continue to work towards healing the wounds of the past instead of rubbing salt in them.

The ANCWL noted the bold stand taken by ordinary South Africans who have no direct ties to the ANC, but who felt so hurt and angered by this painting that they felt a need to destroy it. This is an indication of the strong feelings of animosity from the general population of all races towards the undignified portrayal of their president in this painting.

The ANCWL NEC took a decision to defend the dignity of our President and all humanity.  We call on all our members as well as ordinary South Africans of all races, who feel strongly about not only this painting but the bigger issue it represents to join the ANC and its Alliance partners in a march to the Goodman gallery on Tuesday. We will be demanding the painting be removed from every platform it is being displayed. This painting is an icon of destruction towards our unified country and let's calls for its removal as a unified body of proud South African citizens from all walks of life.

The NEC also discussed the Co-option of new members to capacitate the NEC who has lost members since the last conference due to death and resignation. Seven names were presented for co-option and adopted by the NEC. The NEC took into account generational mix, demographics of the country, alliance partners as well as skills. The following names have been co-opted into the NEC:

Dr Aquina Thulare
Cathy Dlamini
Joan Fubbs
Kensani Kubayi
Lulama Nare
Ntombikayise Sibidhla
Pemmy Majodina

The NEC congratulated KwaZulu-Natal on a successful provincial conference. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State and KZN have gone to conference the following are busy preparing to go to conference, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, North West and Northern Cape.

ANCWL POLICY WORSHOP

The ANCWL hosted a policy work shop to discuss key policy positions of the WL going into the ANC Policy Conference. The ANCWL noted that when they go into a policy conference with a clear and decisive agenda we are more likely to achieve what we set out to do, as we did when we won 50% gender representation at the Polokwane conference. The Alliance Gender component was also invited to attend the workshop and made valuable contributions to the discussions.

The workshop discussed the strategy and tactics, organisational renewal, education and health, economic transformation, international relations, social transformation and our own gender paper.

During discussions on Strategy and Tactics some major issues that effect women were identified as unemployment, inequality in access to opportunities and poverty. Women raised that gender should be prioritised in each and every policy document. The issue of rural development as a strategic point was raised as most of the people in rural areas are women.

The workshop had a vibrant discussion around the International Relations document. The gender agenda must be driven through Africa. The matter around Cde Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was raised sharply by the workshop. We need to move away from a colonial agenda and further our own African agenda. The fact that there is a campaign on Gender throughout Africa, as "the decade of women", but this campaign is not taken seriously on the continent and only two International relations ministers on the continent are women. WE must never get tired on struggling for the total emancipation of women across the continent.

The during the education and health discussion the issue was raised that perhaps the training of teachers should be separated from those who teach in institutions of higher learning and primary institutions. There is a need to confront problems head on and in the implementation of our own policies and be upfront about correcting them. We need to look at the issue of accountability of teachers and a women's summit needs to take place to tackle issues of morality such as teachers who engage in sexual relations with learners. The issue that access to higher is still a problem for many raised the idea that we need more Universities in the country. The need to strengthen families and family values was identified and communities need to ensure that children go to school. The issue of reproductive health education in schools was raised as a means to combat teenage pregnancy. Girls need to be pushed to focus on science and technology.

These are highlights of some of the discussions that took place but the ANC WL will be taking the following NON NEGOTIABLES into the policy conference. These are issues we will not accept compromise on and that we believe will go far to further the gender agenda.

·         Gender mainstreaming and the programme for empower women.

·         Changing the socio-political and economic environment to enable women to access and exercise their rights.

·         Mainstreaming women in the economy and addressing challenges of women poverty and underdevelopment.

·         Insisting/ ensuring that decisions and policies adopted are implemented, monitored and evaluated.

·         Working within and outside the ANC to make collective efforts to address gender equality, poverty, oppression, patriarchy and sexism in order to create a conducive environment, enabling women to take control of their lives*

The meeting further noted that the ANC, its Leagues and partners as well as society also have to take decisive steps to deal with some of the challenges facing it and its role in society:

·         Within the ANC these include the demons of Patronage within the organization

·         Corruption, dealing decisively with ANC members who are guilty of corrupt activities

·         Poor Cde development practices. The relationship between ANC and the people needs to be strengthened to ensure the ANC's capacity to remain a strategic centre of power.

·         Ensuring that every Cde of the ANC takes the responsibility for protecting the core values and integrity of the ANC.

·         The ANCWL has a special interest in the organisational design of the ANC as it affects both its structures but also women's ability to participate meaningfully in the work of the organisation.

Outside the ANC, the meeting reflected on some of the following;

Negative portrayal of the ANC in the media resulting in a negative image of a great, noble organisation that has contributed immensely to the political, social and well being of the country.

Performance of ANC in government and its ability to monitor and intervene timeously in government.

The ANCWL further raised concerns over the seemingly unabated violence against women and committed itself to working with the recently established Inter Ministerial Committee on Violence against Women and Children.

Women's role and position in the economy was also raised as a ticking time bomb, emphasising that women are a pillar of society and with them remaining disempowered meant that a key pillar remained dangerously weak and called the ANC policy conference to consider the matter of establishing a women's fund to address women's access to finance for economic development.*

As the final preparation process, Alliance partners will consolidate this week's input into resolutions to be prepared for the ANC policy conference.

A number of NGO''s, Academics, Business organisations and professionals had expressed an interest in interacting with the ANCWL policy preparations and the ANCWL will be hosting an open workshop with all interested parties on the 9th of June and the venue will be announced soon after confirming a venue.*

Statement issued by Troy Martens, ANC Women's League national spokeswoman, on behalf of the ANCWL, May 27 2012

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