Helen Zille's letter to supporters on Zuma controversy

FROM: HELEN ZILLE, LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE

I have had a number of queries around the background of the stand-off between me and the ANC.

The issue started when various spokespersons of the ANC-tripartite alliance accused me of sexism.  I wrote the following letter in reply.  The Sowetan pulled out one sentence to pursue their established agenda. This got the whole controversy going.
 
I therefore enclose the full letter below, so that you can judge it for yourself, in context.
 
Helen Zille
Leader of the Democratic Alliance
 
Letter to the Editor of the Argus.  From Helen Zille
 
Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, whose party, the ANC, has just dropped a woman from the Deputy President position, has a nerve to attack me over the gender composition of the DA and ID Western Cape Provincial Cabinet (Cape Argus 11 May 2009).
 
The ANC, in all its 90 years of existence, has never elected (or deployed)a woman as its leader. The DA has done so within the first ten years of its existence. In fact, until recently, both the DA's national leader and Parliamentary leader were women.
 
The ANC's alliance partners, the SACP and COSATU, are also led by men. And, more significantly, the ANC's leader, Jacob Zuma, is a self-confessed womanizer with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.  Even after this the ANC women's league strongly endorsed his Presidential campaign.  Their professions of support for women's rights ring hollow indeed against this background.
 
While some of the ANC's senior women achieved their positions on merit, others are well known "quota appointments".  The ANC can therefore pretend to be serious about women's rights, while actually patronizing women who want to be recognized for their ability.
 
Jacob Zuma is able to make all his quota and politically expedient appointments because he has extended his Cabinet (including deputy
Ministers) to a ludicrous 62 members -- at taxpayers' expense.
 
In contrast, Provinces are confined by law to 10 MECs drawn from the list elected to the provincial Parliament.
 
Zuma's expanded cabinet will cost an extra R19 million in salaries alone, before adding the cost of all the staff and perks to which they are entitled.  But the real power remains firmly in the hands of the 'big men'.
This is blatant hypocrisy. When women are appointed to meet a quota, it is an insult to every woman who has achieved her position through adding value, such as women in the DA.
 
By paying lip-service to the empowerment of women, the ANC is also promoting the mindset that only women can care about the issues affecting women, or do something about them. The same applies to the ANC's warped logic regarding race, which says that only black people can care about black people, that only whites can care about whites and so on. This is racist nationalist thinking which goes against the letter and spirit of our constitution.  It is also something that every intelligent South African should reject.
 
In the DA we believe that human beings can care for each other regardless of race or gender. The real test of democratic equality is how well services are delivered to everyone, on an equatible basis, not the colour or gender of the people delivering them.
 
Helen Zille
Premier of the Western Cape

Source: www.da.org.za

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responses to this article

In defence of Helen Zille's letter Very good. Helen Zille has gone right to the heart of this issue. No beating about the bush. I write as someone married to a former political prisoner and banned person. The attacks on Helen Zille are outrageous and at least . .more semi-fascistic. It is a simple fact: many South African women, most of them black, have died because of men's behaviour as described by Ms Zille. At last someone at the head of public life has had the courage to tell the truth about this. Shame on her detractors. . .less by Paul Trewhela on May 13 2009, 21:34 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Lead by example The verbal attacks on Zille over the issue clearly show the character and calibre of key people in ANC alliance. Therefore this incident should perhaps be a warning that such bait should not be given to them. Such juvenile and testorone filled responses . .more by the ANCL, MK Vets and others make it quite clear that they are not up to any form of democracy or truth being aired. There is so much that can be done and improved in the Western Cape, Helen make your point by creating a working and efficiently run province. . .less by wendy on May 14 2009, 07:04 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Paul Trewhela well said.What people forget is that the Judge at his rape trial also castigated Zuma for his sexual behaviour alluding to the fact that he had sex with a women young enough to be his daughter and in addition she was also a duaghter of a long standing . .more family friend, so it is on record. What the ANC does not realise is that the Western Cape is seen as a litmus test by investers as to what the ANC re-action would be if theY lost power through the polls and I think that their questions have been answered, so kiss long term foreign investment goodbye as it will go to South America. . .less by Mike on May 14 2009, 15:44 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Paul Trewhela Well said!!! People like you give me some hope for the future of this country! by Observer on May 15 2009, 16:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

lunatic of the 21st centuary this shows that hellen zille is bitter from the fact that jacob zuma is the president of the republic, no matter what or how the situation might be, the president general should be given maximum respect by all his people including a premature lady from . .more western cape . .less by adolph rapetswa on June 08 2009, 14:47 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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