South African Deputy President David Mabuza has urged the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to honour the party’s late Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte by adhering to its own gender equality policy.
Mabuza was speaking late Thursday during Duarte’s national memorial service in Johannesburg to a packed programme in which speakers confirmed the late ANC official’s desire to see women take up half the positions in the party’s top six.
“Despite progress made to date in the representation of women in the ANC leadership, there is no doubt more work needs to be done to advance gender equality,” the deputy president said.
Duarte was the only woman in the current top six, while in the previous administration there were two women.
He, however, admitted that no significant strides have been made in achieving gender parity, something the party ought to change in Duarte’s memory.
He committed the party to endeavour to elevate women to critical leadership positions at all levels.
“In her memory we must run with the baton to deepen women’s emancipation, women’s empowerment and broaden access to developmental opportunities to women, all people with disabilities and all other marginalised sectors of our society,” Mabuza said.
Former National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete said Duarte was at the time of death troubled by the party’s regression in the representation of women.
NM/jn/APA