Dlamini criticised for saying there are worse men than Manana

The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) yesterday faced a barrage of criticism after its president apparently defended the woman-beating Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana.

Manana, deputy minister of higher education and training, was released on R5 000 bail last week after a video of him assaulting two women went viral on social media.

According to te Sunday Times, ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini, who is also minister of social development, said no further action should be taken against Manana because there were many more government leaders and officials who were guilty of more serious crimes.

Bafana Khumalo, director of strategic partnerships and co-founder of the NGO Sonke Gender Justice, yesterday called the ANCWL a “patriarchal organisation that represents the interests of men and should not be trusted by women”.

“It’s quite disappointing. But in fact, we shouldn’t be shocked,” said Khumalo.

“The women’sleague for many years told South Africans women were not ready to lead the country, and it was for me a controversial statement by an organisation that represented women, that it had no confidence in women.”

Khumalo said Dlamini’s lack of action was an indictment of the league.

“Women of South Africa should not trust it [the league] because it is not representing them. It represents men’s interests and anything that has the blessing of powerful men enjoys the support of the women’s league.”

Khumalo added that they had been disappointed by Dlamini in the past regarding a number of gender issues.

“It is a sad day for women,” he said.

Manana has remained in office despite his confession, apology and court appearance. The IFP Women’s Brigade yesterday said Dlamini was in breach of her oath of office – again.

“Clearly Dlamini has forgotten that it is her responsibility as the custodian of government’s gender-based violence programmes to ensure that those programmes are a success, by ensuring that perpetrators are identified, apprehended, and successfully prosecuted,” IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe and MPL Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said on behalf of the Women’s Brigade.

They also demanded to know what action Dlamini had taken against those in government who were guilty of more serious crimes, as she apparently claimed to have knowledge of such.

“Why hadn’t she reported them already?”

Dlamini had earlier caused an uproar when she said all the members of the ANC’s NEC “have our small skeletons and we don’t want to take all skeletons out because hell will break loose”.

The DA said it would report Manana to the Commission for Gender Equality and the Human Rights Commission and would protest at Manana’s next court appearance.

– amandaw@citizen.co.za