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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


WATCH: Bathabile Dlamini’s ‘lit’ red carpet interview trends on Twitter

The minister says her designers Michelle and Mimi were helped by the government.


Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini’s red carpet interview ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address in Cape Town on Thursday has been the talk of the Twitter streets. Her interview with SABC’s Sakina Kamwendo left those who watched with more questions than answers as she seemed to have forgotten who dressed her for the night.

What can be gleaned from her talk with Kamwendo about the designers, is that they were at some stage helped by government.

She said: “It was made by two young women, they have their home … a sewing place. They’re seamstresses. You just buy the material or they buy the material for you. At some stage, they were assisted by government when they were still growing. But now I think they’re self-sufficient. Also, I brought them for other ministers because other ministers also depend on them.”

Watch the interview below:

In another interview, Dlamini did mention her designers and said they knew how to dress her body well.

“We are dressed by Michelle and Mimi, this is not new. We tried to coordinate colours. What I like about Michelle and Mimi is that they understand my structure. My dress fits me well, I feel comfortable in it. I don’t feel like it’s short at the back and low in front,” she said.

Watch the video below posted on Twitter by @mulevhuwe:

Check out some of the comments on social media:

The minister further spoke about what she expected the president to touch on concerning her department. Violence against women and children was at the top of the list for the minister, who said she needed clearly-defined preventive programmes that would have to be funded and implemented.

“If we have that on issues of violence against women, we will have done well. When it comes to the issues and women and economic empowerment, that is very important. We need to start now giving women an opportunity in all spheres of life in all businesses and the economy sector. They must be given proper time for empowerment and development.

“Also people that work in the institutions that fund women must also be trained and they must not come with a societal attitude that undermines women, that is patriarchal and bring it to work and women end [up] having to give sex for work. We just need to change the system and focus on institutionalised patriarchy. Men must commit to the fight against violence against women,” she said.

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

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