“We are not sex symbols,” cried DA women after mayor’s sexist remarks
The Democratic Alliance wants the mayor of Tshwane Kogosiento Ramokgopa to applogise for his sexist remarks towards a council member and stage a protest on Thursday. But it seems if the mayor just laughed in their faces.
There is no place in this city for a sexist mayor.
This is the message the Democratic Alliance (DA) wanted to get across when they staged a peaceful protest on Thursday, shortly before the start of a special council meeting.
Around twenty women and men – Bruce Lee, a council member, was spotted wearing a sexy black dress – gathered in front of Sammy Marks Square with blue placards stating: ‘Sputla must apologise’ and ‘No place for sexist mayor’.
Bronwynn Engelbrecht, council member for ward 42, said she was ridiculed by mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa, also dubbed as ‘Sputla’, during a political debate following the state of the capital address last Thursday.
During that session Engelbrecht said the city had lost a press ombudsman case against a daily newspaper after they had reported among other matters about the mayor’s alleged extra-marital affair.
Ramokgopa then said Engelbrecht just wanted his attention. “I have a wife at home who give me attention. She, then he pointed at Engelbrecht, doesn’t have a husband at home to tell her she is beautiful.”
He followed that up with a comment about Engelbrecht’s appearance and hair colour. “She does not even know what her own hair colour is.”
Engelbrecht is a natural red-head but she is always spotted with different hues of red in her hair. Therefore, most of the other council members supported Engelbrecht’s hair colour by putting hues of red in their hair. “I love red hair,” said councillor Elma Nel, a placard reading, ‘He is not fit for office’ in her hand.
At that stage four police officers were moving closer to the protesters. “If they wanted to arrest us, they are welcome,” councillor Elmarie Linde said. “We know this protest is illegal, but we just want to make a point that sexism won’t be tolerated.”
Councillor Chrizaan Bosch had organised this protest. “We are all wearing black for two different reasons. Firstly, we are standing together against sexism and secondly, this could be a reference to the Black Sash.”
The Black Sash was an organisation consisting mainly of women protesting against apartheid during the eighties.
“We are not a bunch of sex symbols,” added Bosch. She said female councillors in the ANC were very quiet about the mayor’s remarks. Lee, who borrowed a black dress from a friend, said: “It doesn’t matter what you wear or what you look like, as long as you deliver and serve the city. But I won’t wear this dress every day,” he laughed.
Police tried to prevent the protesters from moving up the escalators, but the DA members just forced their way through. Ramokgopa spotted them with their placards and just laughed to their faces.
“They are all a bunch of liars who made a mockery of the council,” Ramokgopa said at the start of the session.
Speaker Mosupyoe Letshoe also reprimand the DA by saying: “You make a mockery out of this council. You can’t invite people to toi-toi in front of this building. We are the people who must uphold the law.”
Also read:
DA councillor to stage protest against mayor’s sexual remarks
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