ARTICLE: THE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY BILL
2013-11-19
There is something quite touching in the ANC’s belief that it can solve complex economic and social problems simply by promulgating new laws. What is not so endearing is the underlying notion that the state has a right to intrude into the legitimate affairs of private businesses, civil society organisations and political parties in its efforts to impose its ideological precepts throughout society. That has the whiff of totalitarianism‐ however benign the intentions may ostensibly be.
The recently published BEE codes and the Employment Equity Amendment Bill (EEAB) can be understood only within the context of the ANC’s overarching National Democratic Revolution (NDR) and its ideology of demographic representivity (DR).
No doubt to the alarm of his minders and keepers, President Zuma deviated from the prepared text of his speech yesterday to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Giyani, Limpopo. His speech should have been suitably innocuous – with a nod to the older generation on International Grandparents Day, exhortations to the youth and the expression of justifiable pride in the fact that the number of children infected with HIV within the East and Southern African region has more than halved in the past 10 years. There was only one reference to “apartheid colonialism” – and for the rest, the tone of the speech was suitably presidential.
Remarks made by Prof Jonathan Jansen – Rector of the University of the Free State – in the Percy Baneshik Memorial Lecture to the English Academy of South Africa on 18 September, have caused a furore in Afrikaans cultural and educational circles. They have been widely interpreted as a call for English-only education and as a claim that “Afrikaans-exclusive or even Afrikaans-dominant white schools and universities represent a serious threat to race relations in South Africa”.
The recent statements made by Arts and Culture Minister, Paul Mashatile, as well as Pretoria/Tshwane executive mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa – only three days after South Africa celebrated Heritage Day – raise questions regarding their commitment to the Preamble of the Constitution to “heal the divisions of the past” and that “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity”.
One of the most important aspects recognised in the Constitution of South Africa, is the importance of our collective heritage and the rich cultural, linguistic and historical diversity of our people.
I have never, in my entire life, had even a puff of a cigarette. True, I did smoke a cigar 29 years ago when my son was born – but like Bill Clinton I did not inhale. Although I dislike smoking I am fairly tolerant of those who are addicted to tobacco (I have little choice since my wife enjoys the occasional cigarette). Nevertheless, I am happy that people may no longer smoke in planes, restaurants and other public places. I also believe that government should be commended for its vigorous anti-smoking campaign – which has cut smoking by 50% in the past 20 years.
The deepening turmoil in Egypt provides some sharp lessons on the potential pitfalls of winner‐takes-‐all democracy in deeply divided societies. Democracy is in essence a convention in terms of which competition for political power is resolved by elections - rather than by violence. Participants agree that the party or parties that win the election can form the government and rule the country for a prescribed period until the next election.
This year ‐ on 30 July - we celebrate International Day of Friendship. The day is based not only on the recognition of friendship in the general sense but also the relevance and importance that friendship is something more and noble, and embodies a valuable sentiment in the lives of human beings around the world.