Chairperson, structures are failing dismally, and corruption is the order of the day. Service delivery is nonexistent, and the social ills affecting women are escalating. Relationships are at an all- time low, and unemployment and poverty break up the families. We have all forms of violence and abuse of such proportions that it makes one sick in the stomach.
We speak about women every year. Women's Days come and go. We deliberate, debate, make promises and highlight weaknesses in the system of government, but - year in, year out - the same songs are sung. Some organisations and institutions only come alive during Women's Month.
The ANC continues to claim success based on the numbers game, yet the lucky ones that make the quota race forget where they come from and dismally fail the majority of women who are so trapped in many of the social conditions described above. One wonders if indeed the end of the world is nearing us. It is definitely the end of the ANC in sight.
The ANC-led government established the Office on the Status of Women, OSW. Although this structure worked hard and endured many pressures in the early years whilst under the Presidency, a new Ministry then replaced it, with even more pressures such as a weak Minister, understaffing and underfunding. Why is it so hard to learn from these mistakes? Who are protected in this? Is it the ANC Women's League cadres who must be deployed or maintained in jobs?
The ANC Women's League was present on Monday at the Women's Day celebrations in the Eastern Cape, in its full force and colours. Another ANC party turning sour as it failed to give meaning to real women's issues. It also failed to attract women across all equality expressions of our Bill of Rights. The President had to intervene and call the gathering to order, reminding participants that it was not an ANC meeting, but a Women's Day. The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is all quiet and not in charge.
Where was the Multiparty Women's Caucus? What part did they play to ensure that that was not an ANC rally? [Interjections.] Is it because its management is clueless about the Joint Rules of Parliament in the sense that they can advise, influence and consult on women's issues inside and outside Parliament? Are they running around not knowing what to do or where to fit in because they are also underfunded and understaffed?
Hierdie tipe flaters is onaanvaarbaar en 'n klap in die gesig van alle vroue van Suid-Afrika. Nog so 'n onaanvaarbare flater is die Konvensie oor die Uitwissing van alle Vorme van Diskriminasie teen Vroue, die Cedaw- verslag. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[These sort of blunders are unacceptable and a slap in the face of all South African women. Another unacceptable blunder is the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women - the Cedaw Report.]
This report was not tabled in Parliament before being submitted to the UN in 2008, nor was it compliant with the UN reporting requirements. But it was signed by the hon Kgalema Motlanthe when he was President and the late Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang when she was a Minister in the Presidency.
Just guess who recently came to light to bring clarity on this matter three weeks ago in the year 2010? It was the Commission for Gender Equality, CGE. Why only two years later did the CGE make this important matter known? I can only think that the CGE was so trapped in the mismanagement of their own funds, getting a disclaimer of opinion for two concurrent years, that they were unable to oversee such an important report to the UN. They were also not serious about women.
In the 16 years of democracy in our country, South Africa, I had the personal opportunity, for the first time, to experience a united nation through sports, giving us moments of song, praise, rhythm and the vuvuzela sounds when the soccer World Cup arrived on 11 June 2010. We were able to shift from our own prejudices to something new to support what is good and the will to win even after our own team, Bafana Bafana, lost. We continued to support other world teams. We felt it, saw it, and it was a success. I thought this is how I see our country using the same spirit and will to look after our people.
However, the vuvuzela sound softened, and the togetherness was no longer there. Everything is back to normal, and uncertainty prevails again. The theme chosen for the 2010 Women's Day, namely "Working Together for Equal Opportunities and Progress for all Women" is not in sight.
Building and sustaining the kind of energy of the World Cup - the same spirit, the same will, united as a nation - is needed to change the lives of all our people, especially our women and children. We are all responsible to achieve this. [Applause.]