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President Jacob Zuma's wives Bongiwe Ngema, Thobeka MaMadiba-Zuma, Nompumelelo MaNtuli-Zuma and Sizakele MaKhumalo Zuma. PHOTO: Thuli Dlamini

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Polygamy oppresses women, but the ANC must accept those people who practise it, gender commission member Patricia Cheu said on Friday.

“Polygamy in its practice oppresses women; if you are a women activist you will not agree with polygamy,” she told media on the sidelines of the ANC policy conference in Midrand.

However, she said, society should accept those who do agree with it.

“The ANC, it is a broad organisation, it accepts all ideas, we can’t expel them out of the ANC because they support certain issues.”  

She said South Africans must live side-by-side with those choosing polygamy.

“We need to accommodate people with diverse ideas.”  

She emphasised polygamy is not isolated to South Africa.

“People must stop raising this issue as a South African issue... it’s a worldwide issue, even white women stay in polygamous marriages.”  

She said polygamy was part of the evolution of society.

“Polygamy is not a South African issue, it is an evolution of society... we should not isolate it as an issue that comes for nowhere; even in Germany it is there, in America it is there, so don’t treat is as a South African issue.”  

The leader of the ANC, President Jacob Zuma, practises polygamy, and currently has four wives.

• The gender commission has also recommended the establishment of an academy to train prostitutes in life skills so they can gain independence.

Furthermore, it called for gender equality in the top six positions on the ANC’s national executive committee, and in all structures of the ANC and the private sector.

And, the commission wants a gender summit to examine women’s rights.

“We had planned with women from the alliance... to unpack this [gender] issue, but... in the commission they said no,” ANC Women’s League treasurer general Hlengiwe Mkhize said.

“What we need... is a gender summit, which will look at power relations in all respects, so that it is not only women who are talking about these issues.”  

Friday was the last day of the four-day summit to discuss policies to be adopted at the ANC’s national conference in Mangaung in December.

Comments

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Sat May 25 17:28:00 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 29, 2012

Mporoz

Gud, now shut up!
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Jun 29, 2012

MommaC

Any relationship can be 'oppressive'.
I can't see the benefits of a polygamous marriage but as long as they are all willing victims .... I mean, participants .... then it isn't any of my business.
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Jun 29, 2012

JB$

Polygamy oppresses women, but the ANC must accept those people who practise it, gender commission member Patricia Cheu said on Friday.

clearly the most idiotic statement I've heard this week. so by the same breath.... ..

Child labor oppresses little children, but we must accept the people who practice it.

Human trafficking oppresses people, but we must accept those who accept it.

That does it. our so called leaders are so retarded
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Jun 29, 2012

CheeseBoy

Polygamy is oppressive but we must accept it. I have never heard of a confusing statement than this. Oppression is bad like black people where oppressed under apartheid but we did not accept it.

But I'm not surprised, the ANCWL is one of the most useless bodies in the history of this country
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Jun 29, 2012

CheeseBoy

@JB$

brilliant analysis of the situation.
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Jun 29, 2012

Nush

Patricia Cheu :If you dont understand it dont talk about it as you will contradict yourself as you are doing now. I am Zulu woman I am proud of my traditions including poligamy my family practise it and nobody feel oppressed the mothers that I have were not forced or beaten to be married to my dad they came willing and where is oppression there.They do what they want and they are comfortable with the life they choose where is oppression there. South Africa is a country where we prctise freedom of choice so if I choose something different from yours I am being oppresed since you dont agree with it. There are millions of woman who are on monogous relationships and marriege but they are more oppressed that those who are in isithembe so just shut up.
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Jun 29, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

LOL, apartheid was opressive, but we must accept it./
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Jun 29, 2012

KAWUKHONJWA

I prefer IsiZulu isthembu than polygamy as English derived a lot of words from many languages, especially from Latin, French and many more. There is no oppression in polygamy instead is a truly love based marriage. Is embracing institution fully of caring, respect and embracing no missing of any one or feeling lonely.

That is where the hard workers and genuine leaders are borne.
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Jun 29, 2012

επιθυμώ.smg

Being a South African, I believe, means excepting the culture and customs that were and still practiced as they give meaning of who we are. Its only right to choice what you want to have (polygamy or otherwise) but it cant be said its oppressive. It is our way of life and should be excepted as it is. Saying its oppression, to me, that statement is just opinionated without illegible reason which there is none.
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Jun 29, 2012

TSOENYANA

People must stop raising this issue as a South African issue... it’s a worldwide issue, even white women stay in polygamous marriages.”

She said polygamy was part of the evolution of society.

“Polygamy is not a South African issue, it is an evolution of society... we should not isolate it as an issue that comes for nowhere; even in Germany it is there, in America it is there, so don’t treat is as a South African issue.”
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This is the biggest load of rubbish I have heard this year!

So, Madam, you mean because some white women are in polygamous relationships, black South Africans should not have a problem with it?
Because it happens in Germany(Former colonizer) and America(modern and sophisticated colonizer), then it makes it senseless for South Africa to have a problem with it?
Wa pota wa tseba??????
@JB$, good point.
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