Durban - The ANC has slammed the use of gender-based violence as a means for political point scoring in the National Assembly.
ANC national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, was commenting following the debacle that unfolded at the post-State of the Nation debate that took place in Parliament on Tuesday.
During the debate, ANC MP Boy Mamabolo, squared up with his long-time political rival, EFF leader Julius Malema, and accused him of abusing his wife.
Mamabolo had risen on a point of order as Malema delivered the EFF’s response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address. Mamabolo asked Malema if he had abused his wife, to which the EFF leader belatedly responded he had not.
But soon after denying the abuse claims against him, Malema fired back, and accused Ramaphosa of abusing his ex-wife, Nomazizi Mtshotshisa.
Mabe said the expedient use of the emotive subject of GBV had all the features of patriarchy and deep-seated prejudice against women.
"The trivialisation of Gender-Based Violence at the apex house of law making undermines the very honor bestowed on the National Assembly. If left unattended the kind of scenes witnessed in parliament can only serve to push back efforts by the ANC-led government to mainstream the fight against GBV," he said.
Mabe said women, both in SA and around the world over, mostly bare the harsh reality of abuse and look up to legislatures for protection through the affirmation of laws that protects, preserves and upholds their rights.
"The ANC henceforth expects all its public representatives to refrain from scenes that fuel perception of using gender based violence for publicity and attention seeking stunts. The ANC also believes that public representatives regardless of their political affiliation have a moral duty to act in a responsible manner primarily around their articulations on an emotive subject like gender based violence," he said.
Mabe said the party further called on relevant committees in parliament to enforce the use of appropriate language and acceptable conduct from among all members of parliament.
"The ANC caucus should also consider conducting an investigation to establish whether the unfortunate utterances, specifically on gbv, do not constitute transgression and where necessary submit to relevant committees for appropriate action. All South Africans, irrespective of their political persuasions and station in life, must unite against the scourge of gender-based violence," he said.
"The ANC stands for a non-racial; non-sexist and prosperous South Africa and expect all its members to be true champions of these values," Mabe said.