Cape Town - Women’s rights activist Advocate Brenda Madumise-Pajibo says instead of advancing gender equality, the Commission for Gender Equality is involved in petty politics.
A group of concerned gender activists has called on the National Assembly to institute an inquiry into the “extreme dysfunction” at the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE).
In a letter to acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli, the group, which consists of 15 institutions and 32 individuals, says the dysfunction impedes the CGE from fulfilling its constitutional and public service mandates.
The group further criticised the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities handling of CGE matters, claiming that the biased conduct of the committee hindered effective oversight of the CGE.
“In particular, we are deeply concerned about the Parliament Portfolio Committee's (PPC) apparent interference in the operations of the CGE, and the PPC's recent partisan media statements on the CGE.
“We urgently call upon you to appoint a non-partisan Inquiry that is independent of the publicly partisan PPC on Women, Youth and People living with Disabilities, to investigate the CGE's blatant failure of its constitutional and public mandate which is being fuelled by partisan media statements from both the PPC and the Department of Women, Youth and People living with Disabilities.
“The CGE is an independent constitutional entity, which is supposed to be held accountable for its constitutional mandates via the PPC as our public representatives. Yet the biased conduct of the PPC through its recent media releases and other media coverage, impedes the PPC from effective oversight over the CGE. As the CGE struggles to implement its public mandates,” the letter reads.
The group further implored Tsenoli to appoint an impartial investigation into the CGE’s current challenges, as well as its structural historic challenges, which have impeded it from fulfilling its constitutional duty to the nation.
“Hon Tsenoli, the Inquiry should consult widely with not only the CGE, parliament and government, but more importantly, with civil society institutions and individuals active in the field of gender justice,” the letter read.
Madumise-Pajibo said it was important for an inquiry, as after 30 years, this Chapter 9 institution had never known peace, and never really executed its constitutional mandate.
“It gets caught up in the politics and infighting, leaving the constituencies which it’s supposed to serve – which is the people in the country – in the lurch, because it is not focusing on women in the country getting a fair chance in the economy, socially and otherwise.
“We have to ask ourselves why this institution is in the state that it is in. We have been left with a bitter taste in our mouth when commissioners themselves hold an unpalatable view on what gender equality is. For once, the problem needs to be diagnosed, instead of putting a Band-Aid on it. We need to get to the bottom of what the reason for the dysfunction of the CGE is,” Madumise-Pajibo said.
Another activist, Lebogang Ramafoko said the inquiry needed to be very objective and determine what the CGE has done, to date. She said the heightened level of political interference was particularly worrying, as the CGE was not given an opportunity to function optimally.
“Indeed, there have been reports that the portfolio committee has failed in its duty of doing oversight over the CGE.” Ramafoko said.
The CGE appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities last week, on issues pertaining to operational matters of concern within the CGE.
On claims of political interference, chairperson Nonhlanhla Ncube-Ndaba said the committee was driven by its constitutional mandate that included provision of assistance to the Institutions Supporting Democracy (ISDs) to ensure, among other things, their independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness. She added that nothing could stop the committee from demanding accountability from the entity.
The CGE last week took a decision to suspend and take disciplinary action against one of its members, Mbuyiselo Botha, for allegedly insulting fellow commissioners.
Botha is alleged to have launched a verbal attack on CGE chairperson Tamara Mathebula and another commissioner Nomasonto Mazibuko.
The remarks were allegedly recorded in a clip.
He was heard in the clip calling Mazibuko an albino, and Mathebula lacking a backbone.
Ncube-Ndaba said the CGE was correct in taking action against Botha, and that his conduct would not be tolerated.
Political Bureau