Cape ANC raises gay flag, derides Zuma on women

31 August 2012 - 02:08 By Quinton Mtyala
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The silhouette of a man is seen through a rainbow flag. File photo.
The silhouette of a man is seen through a rainbow flag. File photo.
Image: AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO

The ANC in Western Cape has voiced its support of gay rights - and delivered a swipe at President Jacob Zuma's views on single women.

At a joint press conference with the Gay Flag of South Africa, ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile attacked President Jacob Zuma's views on women, marriage and children, and reiterated the ANC parliamentary caucus's rejection of an appeal by the Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA that the protection granted to gays and lesbians in the constitution be reviewed .

He said his party had partnered with the Gay Flag of South Africa to promulgate the message that gay rights were human rights.

"It is our combined hope that this message will shift public perception to mutual acceptance and make it clear that hate crimes will no longer be tolerated," said Mjongile. "Gone are the days when we used culture to discriminate against others.

"Culture evolves with society. Social stereotyping is against the ANC's norms."

Gay Flag chairman Eugene Brockman said it was encouraging that the ANC had condemned homophobia.

Mjongile acknowledged that social conservatism in townships had fuelled attacks on lesbians and had led to "corrective rape".

"I think the rights of women must be respected equally. Women have got the right to say whether they want to bear children, whether they want to be single or whether they want get married, in the same way that men have," said Mjongile.

Zuma controversially said during a television interview with Dali Tambo that it was not right for women to remain unmarried .

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