THULAMAHASHE – Thousands of women welcomed Inkatha Freedom Party ‘s message rendered by the party’s leader, Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi during Women’s Day celebrations where President Jacob Zuma delivered the key note address.
Buthelezi impressed the women ,who ululated and clapped, by highlighting that they were not enjoying the freedom that they had fought for because of the abuse which they experienced on a daily basis.
“We can never be truly a free nation as long as women continue to be victims of abuse,” he said.
The IFP leader said that women were the backbone of the country’s liberation struggle and have a vital role in society that cannot be limited to the home and family.
“You are the backbone of political mobilisation and must become the backbone of moral regeneration and men must respect that. I expunged the barbaric provision that gave a husband the right to administer corporal punishment to his wife. Abuse of women is not a cultural thing. It is pure evil,” he concluded, exciting women by blowing kisses to them.
During his speech, Zuma praised women who were not bystanders in the struggle for liberation.
He mentioned that women had played a key role in the liberation struggle and will continue to play an increasingly important role in the development of the country.
“Today we recall the struggle of generations of women towards the achievement of a free, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa,’ he said.
Zuma also highlighted that 2013 was special as the country was marking 100 years of women’s struggle for freedom from all forms of oppression in South Africa.
“We are celebrating women under the theme :A centenary of working together towards sustainable women empowerment and genders equality,” he said to the applause of the women.
Cope representative, Mr Smuts Ngwenyama reminded men that the country was able to defeat apartheid through the assistance of women.
He urged all males in the country to join in the fight against women abuse saying that it has reached crisis point and that extraordinary steps needed to be taken to curb the moral issue.
“Women abuse is a serious matter and the way we raise our children hugely contributes to the increase of the number of abused women. Boys are raised to be violent and a girl child is raised to be a victim, always afraid in the society,” he said.
Women, Children and People with Disabilities Minister, Ms Lulu Xingwane welcomed the sentencing of the Modimolle monster saying that it served as a warning to other men who were contemplating abuse against woman.
She also spoke strongly against men who raped lesbians as a way of teaching them to be real women.
“Corrective rape is a barbaric act which contributes to moral decay and it will never be tolerated,” concluded Xingwane.
