STATEMENT BY MMAMOLOKO KUBAYI, ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE ANC IN PARLIAMENT

17 June 2013

I have noted a furore driven by certain sections of the media regarding comments made last week during the budget votes on Parliament and the Presidency by two ANC Members of Parliament, John Jeffery and Buti Manamela. 

 Jeffrey's statement:

Jeffery has since voluntarily, without being forced by the presiding officers to do so, indicated that he will withdraw his pun regarding the Leader of the Opposition's, Lindiwe Mazibuko. He had said that "while the hon. Mazibuko may be a person of substantial weight, her stature is questionable".

Because this pun is ambiguous and is open to various interpretations, including possible reference to Mazibuko's body, Jeffery saw it appropriate that he should not only withdraw but personally apologise to Mazibuko. For many years, Jeffery fought for the attainment of a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa. It is because of this political consciousness and understanding, as espoused by his organisation, the African National Congress, that he took this decision on his own accord.

The same cannot be said by DA members of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, who either refuse to apologise or are forced to so. Western Cape Health MEC and DA MPL, Theuns Botha, was on Thursday forced to withdraw his racist remark against ANC MPL Zodwa Magwaza, which likened her to a baboon. During a debate in the Legislature, Botha had shouted at Magwaza in Afrikaans: "'n bobbejaan se hoe!" (a baboon says how!) (see Cape Times report).

In March, Western Cape premier Helen Zille referred to Magwaza as an "elephant" that should join her on her next cycling exercise. Previously, Botha had referred to ANC Leader in the Legislature, Lynne Brown, as a "hippopotamus". Botha might have been forced by the legislature speaker to withdraw his racist "bobbejaan" remarks, but he has not apologised to Magwaza.

Both Botha and Zille are also yet to either withdraw their demeaning and sexist "elephant" and "hippopotamus" slurs or apologise to both Magwaza and Brown. While some sections of the media, in their usual bias and dislike of anything ANC, were quick in the last few days to drive an attack on Jeffery, despite his apology and withdrawal of the remark, they have turned a blind eye on these racist and sexist remarks made in the Western Cape legislature by DA leaders.

We have not seen gender activists and political analysts being galvanised in scathing stories and editorials to drive a media outrage against Zille and Botha. We have not seen MPL Magwaza, who has been the subject of repeated racial and gender abuse in the hands of DA members, being awarded the status of a woman victim simlar to that awarded to Mazibuko.

Does the fact that Magwaza belongs to different political party instead of a party of Mazibuko, which enjoys unparalleled media favour and sympathy, makes her a lesser human being? Does the fact that Magwaza belongs to a political party regarded by some section of the media as a whipping child makes Magwaza and Brown ‘baboons' , ‘elephants' and ‘hippopotamuses'? Does the media's biased reporting on these matters an affirmation or endorsement of these racist and sexist slurs?

Manamela's remarks

During the debate on Presidency budget vote, ANC MP Buti Manamela, who was tasked with responding to various comments made in the speeches of various opposition MPs, uttered the following:  "If the rand is weak, blame Zuma. If there's cloud on Table Mountain, blame Zuma. If Honourable Lindiwe Mazibuko is arrested by fashion police, blame Zuma".

Indeed Mazibuko ridiculously blamed the weakening of the rand on President Zuma, after it coincidentally fell on the day the president gave statement on the economy and mining. Therefore Manamela was belabouring the inexplicable tendency by the opposition to blame everything that goes wrong in the country on the President.   

It should be stressed though that Manamela's statement was more of a supposition than actually how Mazibuko was dressed on the day the reference was made. The same applies to the table mountain, which might not have been covered by the cloud that day. There is absolutely nothing unparliamentary or sexist about this utterance. If indeed they were, we are certain a point of order would have been raised with a view to test their acceptability.  

The biased and sensationalist media's irrational irritation and indignation unwittingly trivialises the serious question of gender. As a woman, I am deeply offended by such opportunistic posturing - which also alleges that Manamela referred to the "short skirt" even though there is no such reference in his remarks. Those who hate the ANC must seek genuine issues with which to whip it and desist from playing dangerous games with the emotions of our nation's sisters and mothers. 

It is a pure coincidence that Manamela's hypothetical remarks were made on the day in which Mazibuko was dressed in casual fashion. As the Acting Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party in Parliament, who is also a woman, I would never condone casual attire by any ANC MP in this institution. Our discipline whip, for instance, turns away ANC MPs, men and women alike, almost daily for inappropriate attire. Parliaments all over the world have in place dress codes and therefore MPs may not dress anyway they please. Similarly, there are various dress codes for different institutions.

I have noted with utter dismay the opportunistic and biased reports from some sections of the media following our principled position on Parliament dress code. We remain unshaken and undeterred regarding the principle that all MPs, regardless of gender, to dress in a manner befitting their Honourable titles and the decorum of the Houses of Parliament.

This is the matter that all chief whips of political parties have discussed and agreed upon. When this matter was discussed and agreed upon in principle, the view was that this convention would apply equally to all men and women. We will be ensuring that Parliament develops a comprehensive dress code which all MPs should adhere to. The current provision in the rules is vague and inadequate.

As the Deputy Chief Whip and a woman, I would have preferred to raise the matter of Mazibuko's attire confidentially in the closed meeting of the Multiparty Chief Whips Forum rather than subject it to a public debate. However, we were unfortunately forced to make these reflections publicly by the DA's statement - which mischievously accused us of "sexism" and "chauvinism". 

Conclusion

It would seem that as the 2014 elections fast approaches, some section of the media are also fast dropping any pretence of fairness and objectivity.  We have learned particularly from the 2009 elections that fairness in the media is a myth.  The fact that the weekend papers, from Friday to Sunday, castigated us on these matters and yet omitted Thursday's "bobbejaan" racist remarks by DA's Theuns Botha makes a complete mockery of the so-called fairness and balance in the media.

The fact that the media has not generated similar outrage when Lynne Brown and Zodwa Magwaza were likened to elephants and hippos is telling of the state of our media.

If the media's critical role in society is to be taken seriously, then it should apply its watchdog role fairly without prejudice.

Statement issued by Ms Mmamoloko Nkhensani Kubayi, Acting Deputy Chief Whip of the ANC in Parliament, June 17 2013

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