They started chanting in 1955 that: "You strike a woman, you strike a rock" and the struggle continues. Their words are still ringing in my ears: "You strike a woman, you strike a rock".
The African National Congress has objectives in its constitution and one of the primary objectives is to unite all the people of South Africa, Africans in particular. This will ensure that all forms of discrimination and oppression are abolished and that the support drive for the emancipation of women continues.
Nowadays there are habits and tendencies that make this struggle defective and that needs to be rectified. We are witnessing the abuse and violence against women which makes them more vulnerable. Girls live in fear of rapists or being forced into marriage. These acts make them vulnerable to diseases, especially Aids and syphilis.
We used to be highly respected when we became fullyfledged men or playboys, but today we are burying the playboys on a regular basis. People must know that we need to slow down on other things if we want to live longer. To some, it seems as if we have to amend some aspects within our customs and cultures, especially those that are disgraceful, and pursue those that advance our struggle for the emancipation of women.
Let us agree on the fact that times have changed. We don't wear traditional underwear anymore and lobola negotiations take place indoors and not at the kraal. That is proof enough that times have changed. Mothers are employed and they wake up at the crack of dawn to go to work. They perform the same jobs as men and sometimes they do even more and do it much better than men. Sometimes you are tempted to say to these men: "Take off your trousers, you idiot, and let us borrow you a dress"; especially when you witness women being harassed in the workplace. [Applause.] They are sexually harassed by being pinched and touched, but nothing is done by management. Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo. [You strike a women, you strike a rock.]
There are no childcare facilities in workplaces. It concerns me a lot to learn that Parliament doesn't have a childcare facility. Why are there no childcare facilities knowing that men do not conceive? It is probably because of that very same reason that there are no childcare facilities. Men do not breastfeed. Maybe that is another reason there is no childcare facility here at Parliament. If men were breastfeeding, I am certain that there would be a childcare facility in Parliament. [Applause.]
Women are paid far less than their counterparts although they are doing the same job. Yes, there is slight progress, but it makes one very suspicious. Women are still in the minority in respect of executive positions.]
It is clear that we require measures to address the disparities that impact on working women's careers, namely childcare facilities that need to be provided in each and every workplace and - I want to repeat - including this Parliament. Flexible working arrangements must be introduced to enable women to balance careers and domestic responsibilities.
As a member of the ANC, the party that forms the government of the day, I take no delight in talking about how persistent racism, colour division, gender inequality and discrimination are against people with disabilities. For decades, the ANC has advocated a gospel that says South Africa belongs to all who live in it, and all shall be equal before the law. These principles found expression in the new Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Thus, compliance with the Employment Equity Act is not an option but mandatory in terms of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
For the past 10 years, we have been knocking patiently on closed and barred doors, calling for diversity in the work place, equitable representation and the elimination of unfair discrimination. Once more, the employment equity report conveys the sad news of a people hell-bent of self destruction by resisting the reality that all South Africans have the inalienable right to equality.
I believe it is a society of the equal that can be truly democratic and prosperous. The resistance displayed thus far against the Employment Equity Act whispers an unfortunate message that persuasion is a pale and dry strategy too barren to bear fruit. If that be the case, we are forced to explore other additional methods to realize this constitutional mandate of employment equity in the workplace.
Looking back from the year 2005, when the first Commission for Employment Equity's, CEE, 5-year term ended, we are reminded of how we reported with a measure of satisfaction that the first five years have laid a solid foundation by developing the needed institutional framework, policies, regulations and codes of good practice for employment equity to prevail. Little did we know that by now, when the second commission's term ended at the end of July 2010, we would be submitting a report as gloomy as the one we have.
There cannot be any doubt that the data presented in this 10th CEE Annual Report paints a gloomy picture of the status of employment equity in the country. More whites, both males and females, are recruited into the middle and upper management levels than any other group. The same racial recruitment profile also applies to people with disabilities.
It petrifies to note how the privileged have chosen to distort the substance of the Employment Equity Act to preserve their privileged positions. White males dominate the economy and their privileges continue to hold sway in the work place. There are employers who have chosen to equate gender equity with the exclusive focus on white women when it comes to recruitment and promotion to senior positions.
Black women remain subjected to the brutalities of historical triple oppression. At the workplace, black women can hardly claim to have taken their rightful place as equals in a free nation. This is more pronounced in the economics of our country. They continue to be looked upon and treated as inferior by virtue of being black in the colour of their skin.
Lately, there seems to be yet another distortion of this Act whereby a narrow upward mobility is opening up slowly to black males, leaving behind black women. This cannot but be unfortunate, because it perpetuates the gender inequality aspect of the triple oppression theory in practice.
In the face of all this, the question that calls for an urgent answer is: How we change this trend? I, for my part, cannot preside over this fateful venture. Change must and will come in this regard. We have no option but to revisit the Act and tighten it so that those who stand opposed to this constitutional mandate bear the consequences.
After a thorough scrutiny of the employment equity report, the question arises as to whether it is not high time we considered harsh fines linked to the turnover of the affected enterprises? Should we not revisit the form and content of our inspection work so that a combination of advocacy and injection of the sense of duty on the part of the employer to honour one's obligation ultimately bears the desired fruit?
I will act swiftly to get this matter into the public arena so that the necessary social discourse is embarked upon towards finding the ultimate solution. I am convinced that employment equity still remains relevant in our efforts to redress inequalities in the workplace. We must act speedily to increase representation of, especially, black women and people with disabilities. The longer we take to make reasonable progress towards implementing employment equity, the more negative the impact will be on the growth of our economy and stability of our democracy.
I for one, personally ...
... nje ngegungqayi lakuQoboqobo eZingcuka, eMzantsi ilali ... [... as a rural boy from Qoboqobo, at Lower Zingcuka village ...]
... do not understand why we must beg for this country to be transformed. I do no understand why the reconciliation hand of the ANC is continuously being beaten and thwarted. I do believe that the approach the ANC took to reconcile the people of this country must be taken seriously, because the opposite is too ghastly to contemplate. [Interjections.]
Once more, I implore men and women of living conscience - including the one sitting on this side, howling and very worried by what I'm saying - in every workplace, to join me in this mission to create a conducive environment for employment equity to prevail. The longer we delay, the more we subject our beautiful country to the pain brought by discrimination in whatever forms it presents itself.
If we love Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, let us not bite the hand that is forcing us into reconciliation in this country. If we do, then it means we do not love Madiba. All that we are doing ...
... sibhibhidla' mazinyo, sikhwaza nje igama lakhe, singenzi le nto yena uMadiba afuna ukuba masiyenze. Malibongwe! [Kwaqhwatywa.] [... is wasting our time, chanting Madiba's name and not doing what he wants us to do. Let it be praised! [Applause.]]