The Speaker of Parliament and chairwoman of the ANC, Baleka Mbete, wrote eloquently in support of International Women's Day this week Sunday Times asked her ... Why is there such a culture of sexual harassment and abuse in South Africa?This is one of those ills that we often see in situations where there is poverty and overcrowding.story_article_left1Is sexual abuse about poverty or about attitudes?Both. The material conditions people grow up in often affect how they see things, how they understand relations.How serious is the ANC about combating the abuse of women?The ANC is very, very serious. That's why we've always talked about these things and we've always made a point that internally we have mechanisms of paying attention and ensuring that those issues, when they arise, the appropriate structures take them forward. But it's not only an organisational matter, it's a challenge to broader society.But society needs clear leadership from the ruling party and government, doesn't it?Yes.So what is your view on the president's recent remarks about sexual harassment?I didn't hear them. What were they?He said it is only because it is a white man's world that there is so much sensitivity about sexual harassment. Do you agree with that?I think I would rather see the statement myself, then I can comment. I don't want to comment on hearsay.These were his reported remarks.I know what happens when people are quoted. We are often quoted inaccurately. So I'd rather not take a chance and comment on something I have not heard myself.Have you tried to find out what the president really said?No, because I am not aware of the issue. There is so much happening all the time all around us that I might not necessarily know what statement was made last weekend or whatever.story_article_right2These remarks have been widely published in the media, but you say you're not aware of them?No, I'm not.Why is that?I don't know.Surely, in the week of International Women's Day it is important to be aware of what the president says about this issue?Sure, but one is not always aware of each and every thing happening or being said in every corner of the country.Is this a view you could associate yourself with?I think let's not push a point and try to insist on me commenting on something I am saying I am not prepared to comment on. I need to satisfy myself that I know what was said and what the context was. Then I can fully comment.Isn't it important to you that the president articulates the ANC's official line on this issue?You are giving me your quotes of what happened, but I'm saying that for me that is not enough. My experience with people like yourself is that one needs to know exactly what happened.His remarks have been widely reported.The fact that they were widely reported does not mean that I saw them, or I saw enough of them and had the context and everything for me to be able to comment. And really I don't think it's useful to keep pushing this matter.story_article_left3You have conceded that there is a culture of disrespect for women in this country. If the president treats it as a laughing matter, then shouldn't that be of concern to you?I appreciate your reading of what happened and the issues that arise from it, but I have no comment on it.Why does South Africa have a rape culture?South Africa has many social ills. And because we come from a history where women were at the bottom of the pyramid of social ills, that trend continues. It's not like because in the past two decades we've been trying to build a human rights culture, it's gone. Instead of making it a finger-pointing exercise we must talk about how we are going to build a better culture.How do you build a better culture when the president says that women who wear short skirts are asking for sex?I think if you have nothing else to say to me but just keep talking about the president of the country ...If the ANC is serious about combating sexual abuse why did it take so long to act against [Western Cape ANC chairman] Marius Fransman after his personal assistant made allegations of sexual abuse against him?I don't know if you know what you're talking about or if you are just talking, because in actual fact the leadership of the ANC took the matter up with its integrity commission. And we're not commenting on it until the work of the integrity commission is done. So it is not true that the ANC took long. If your interest is just to throw mud at the ANC, then frankly this is not the interview I thought we were going to be engaging in.Don't you think this is very much about women's rights and the abuse of women in this country?I think it is a very serious matter and not one you should be using to throw mud at an organisation. I think women out there expect better...