Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President, Mr Speaker, and colleagues ...
... elke jaar vier ons Vrouemaand deur spesiale geleenthede, toesprake en die bekendmaking van spesifieke programme vir vroue. Die ANC-regering, onder die leierskap van president Zuma, het hierdie sentiment verder geneem en nou 'n Departement vir Vroue, Kinders en Mense met Gestremdhede ingestel. Indien hierdie departement nie effektiewe dienste en hulp gaan aan vroue verleen, gaan die stap ongelukkig maar net 'n le gebaar bly - iets wat ons nie kan toelaat nie.
Vroue het nie net mooi woorde van mans nodig nie, maar absolute dade. Vroue toets mans aan die dade wat hulle verrig; en in ons land, ongelukkig, slaag mans nie hierdie toets nie. Suid-Afrika, as 'n land, tree nie beskermend teenoor sy vroue op nie. Syfers oor gesinsgeweld, geweld teen vroue en geweld teen kinders in die algemeen bewys dit oor en oor.
Die behandeling van vroue en die benadeling van vroue word egter nie net deur geweld getoon nie. Vroue staan dikwels laaste in die ry wanneer dit kom by die bied van geleenthede waardeur vroue hulle omstandighede kan verbeter. Meer as die helfte van Suid-Afrikaanse vroue is enkelouers en daarom die alleenbroodwinners van hulle families, wat hulle in 'n baie moeilike posisie plaas. Wanneer ons kyk na die inkomste van vroue, blyk dit dat meer vroue werkloos is en ook baie laer salarisse verdien. Daarom het die regering, asook die privaatsektor, 'n verpligting om meer geleenthede vir vroue te skep.
Dikwels word daar net lippediens aan gelykheid gegee en word vroue net gebruik om kwotas te vul. Die eintlike mag oor die omstandighede van vroue is nie in hulle hande nie. Suid-Afrika het een van die mees moderne parlementre stelsels waar vroue gelyke geleenthede het. Die Parlement kan daarom as voorbeeld vir die Staatsdiens en die privaatsektor dien. Vroue wat hier verteenwoordigers is, moet egter van hierdie geleenthede gebruik maak om nie net vir hulle eie loopbane te werk nie, maar daadwerklik te sorg dat die werk wat hulle hier verrig tot voordeel van alle Suid- Afrikaanse vroue is. In hierdie taak sal ons, die mans van hierdie vroue, hulle met graagte wil bystaan. As mev Rajbally vandag hier was, sou sy ges het, "Malibongwe!" ["Prys!"] [Tyd verstreke.] [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[... every year we celebrate Women's Month with special events, speeches and the introduction of programmes specifically for women. The ANC government, under the leadership of President Zuma, has taken this sentiment further and created the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities. If this department does not render effective services and assistance to women, this step will unfortunately remain an empty gesture - something we cannot allow.
Women do not only need nice words from men, but absolute deeds. Women evaluate men according to their deeds, and in our country men are unfortunately not passing this test. South Africa, as a country, does not act protectively towards its women. Figures on domestic violence, violence against women and violence against children in general prove this over and over again. The treatment of women and the injustice to women are not only shown in violence. Women are usually at the back of the queue when it comes to giving them an opportunity to improve their circumstances. Over half of South African women are single parents and therefore the sole breadwinners of their families, which places them in a very difficult position. When we look at the income of women, it becomes clear that more women are jobless and they are also earning much lower salaries. Government and the private sector therefore have a duty to create more opportunities for women.
Often mere lip service is paid to equality and women are just used to fill quotas. The actual control over the circumstances of women is not in their hands. South Africa has one of the most modern parliamentary systems, in which women have equal opportunities. Parliament could therefore serve as an example to the Public Service and the private sector. Women who are representatives here should, however, be using these opportunities not only to work on their own careers, but also to see to it that the work which they are performing here is to the advantage of all South African women. We, the husbands of these women, will gladly support them in this task. If Mrs Rajbally had been here today, she would have said, "Malibongwe!" ["Praise!"] [Time expired.] [Applause.]]