All women not equal

WOMEN from opposition parties including the DA, Cope and EFF, were left feeling confused and insulted after they were asked to speak without warning at an International Women’s Day celebration, they thought was organised by the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) in Thomo village, Giyani on Saturday.

To add insult to injury, in spite of the fact that they were not formally invited to the function, but were attending as members of the public, their names appeared as speakers on the programme.

The event, which was marred by the confusion, was seen as one of the ANC’s attempts to neutralise areas that were highly contested by opposition parties. Although premier Stanley Mathabatha was expected to attend, he did not show up.

According to the programme, the DA, Cope and the ANC were each supposed to deliver words of support at the event. However, when they were called to the stage, there was no reaction from any opposition party representatives. Only the ANC’s representative spoke.

Opposition party members said this was orchestrated by the ANC as they (the opposition parties) were not invited to the function in the first place.

“We were there as ordinary members of the community with no VIP tag, however, we were surprised to be called up to the stage to give a message of support,” said Shinyata Rikhotso, DA secretary in ward 17, which includes the village.

“All along when this event was being prepared we were made to believe that it was an ANCWL event, and therefore, we were only there to watch.”

Delivering her message of support on behalf of the ANCWL, ANC candidate Magie Machumele said: “There’s no other party that could champion the rights of women other than the ANC.” Machumele was also apparently speaking on behalf of other ANC structures, whose representatives reportedly could not speak Xitsonga.

Safety, security and liaison MEC Joyce Mashamba, representing the premier, veered off her prepared speech saying: “Who am I to differ with what the chief has said, let us all go and vote the right way on May 7.” She was referring to Hosi Thomo who had earlier told people to vote for the ANC in his welcome address.

An angry Rikhotso told CV allegations made at the function by ANC members that the opposition parties were “cowering and hiding” was unfair. “Even more unfair is the fact that they used a public platform to campaign,” he said.

EFF branch convenor at the village, Sugar Chauke, also insisted that the opposition parties were not invited. “You can’t just call people onto the stage without informing them before the time that they will have to speak,” he said. He also agreed that they were made to believe that it was an ANC event right from the start.

The ANC’s chief whip in Giyani, Jabulani Chabalala said no political party received an official invitation to the event.

“The programme was from the office of the premier and all councillors knew about it. Even the ANC was not officially invited, it was up to the councillors to inform their affiliates about the event,” he said.

The ward is currently dominated by three parties with the ANC at the top, followed by DA and EFF as the main opposition parties.