NEHAWU DEMANDS THE REMOVAL OF SHAHEED ESAU AS SPEAKER OF WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE
NEHAWU is angered and disgusted by the racist statement that was made by the speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature, Shaheed Esau that black women are over-represented in the legislature and would have to be replaced by white Afrikaans speaking people.
We demand that this racist misogynist with his barbaric, patriarchal, racist and backward views be removed as the Speaker of the legislature because he is not fit to hold public office. The union vows to fight all attempts to make the Western Cape the last outpost of racial exclusion and we are not going to tolerate patriarchal bigots whose view of the world is blinkered by racial bias to victimize blacks and divide our society.
It would be an exaggeration to say we did not expect divisive and misogynistic tendencies from the Western Cape legislature but the statements by the speaker have spelt out the real big plan of the provincial government. We therefore challenge the Democratic Alliance to show South Africans that they are committed to racial harmony and the vision of a society that is defined by equality, integrity and justice for all by distancing themselves from these puerile statements and dismissing the speaker with immediate effect.
The speaker has introduced a culture of favouritism, nepotism and of micro-managing basic operational issues which are now centralised in his office without proper process being followed. This has created a sense of paralysis, fear, intimidation and despondency amongst the staff in the provincial legislature since his appointment.
We are also totally opposed to the new proposed restructuring process in the legislature because there was never any meaningful consultation and will result in managers being demoted to officers.
The Provincial Legislature should be a symbol of a new democratic and transformed state that so many people of this country fought and died for and this country's painful history demands that all of us fight to eliminate racism and sexism.
The constitution of our country was achieved through sacrifices by our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for the liberation of black people and we will not sit idle while some misogynist tries to tear it apart.
We demand that the National Government and the Ministry of Local Government investigate this matter and intervene. We call on the Muslim Judicial Council of which the speaker is a member to investigate his conduct and take appropriate measures.
Statement issued by NEHAWU Communications Department, November 5 2009
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