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Madonsela said the government was constitutionally obliged to improve the conditions of the people.

"We have a right to blame a lot on apartheid, but can we blame all of it on the legacy of apartheid," she said before going into a narrative about a woman who was forced to live in a house that had human excrement floating in the yard because of shoddy work.

She was delivering a lecture on apartheid activist Helen Joseph at the University of Johannesburg on Tuesday night.

President Jacob Zuma has in one of his radio interviews blamed apartheid architect Hendrik Verwoerd for the failure of the current education system to supply books to pupils in Limpopo.

Madonsela said women in influential positions needed to act more strongly to better people's lives and shape democracy, instead of acting like proxies. "Many women leaders occupy positions of power and privilege ... the challenge is to leverage the option of power and give a voice to the voiceless, and using authority to make a difference.

"What do we do when we see mud schools and children of four classes learning in one class? Do we accept the excuse that this is the legacy of apartheid or do we agree we can do better. We need to start speaking truth to power," she said.

She lamented corruption, saying there was no progress in clamping down on it. This was one area that needed attention to ensure that it did not derail the constitutional promise of a better life.

In what could be interpreted as a move to ward off fears about questions raised about her office, Madonsela said her political beliefs did not mean she could not find common ground with South Africans on issues that affected them.

The ANC recently criticised her for attending a Woman's Day event hosted by the Democratic Alliance.

Madonsela hit back, saying she was unfazed by the criticism and that her office would not arbitrarily adapt operations because one organisation wants things to be done a certain way.

- nhlabathih@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sat May 25 10:18:00 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 23, 2012

januswanus

MmeMadonsela the problem the politicians are raping the country and jy kan niks doen.
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Aug 23, 2012

SOLUTIONS

Madonsela hit back, saying she was unfazed by the criticism and that her office would not arbitrarily adapt operations because one organisation wants things to be done a certain way.

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Good for you!

saying there was no progress in clamping down on it.
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We are moving backwards, we need a competent party to take us forward and run SA as the successful country it could be, the anc is not it.
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Aug 23, 2012

LBS

Thuli Madonsela is one very strong lady with integrity and high morality - something her bosses do not like!
She'd better watch her back because she IS doing a good job, speaks out and isn't intimidated.
Can were get rid of the buffoons and put her in charge - things can only get better?!
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Aug 23, 2012

januswanus

Only the electorate can change that. Not some politicians.
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Aug 23, 2012

Sinudeity_

Dont blame apartheid? But what should the ANC and its peeps do then?

Do introspection?!
Take responsibility themselves?!
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Aug 23, 2012

CYBORICO

I am no fan of affirmative actin, i always believed men r where they r because they eared it, I am totally against puting women at management positions just to fill the numbers, i always said women need to prove themselves first before getting intergral positions, like u cannot just make women mine engineers, u need someone who can cope in such enviro, and then here is Thuli, dont know how she got to be what she is but she is proving her worth day by day without compromise. If there were to be a women I would vote for a president of this country it will b this women.
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Aug 23, 2012

Mgaraji

It is not suprising Thuli, you are a guest speaker in Democratic Apartheid functions. Defend them.
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Aug 23, 2012

CheeseBoy

our current electoral system is counter productive

if we followed the model of Switzerland where the people vote on all major issues affecting the country Zuma would not have been in power right now. Blaming collonialism/aprtheid is a tactic that has been tried and tested and working for liberation movements accross Africa.

Look at all post liberation countries. instead of taking from the past and improving our govts are hell bent on destroying what ever was built pre 94. instead of building sustanable communities our govt builds RDP houses meant as an insult to black people.

Instead of supporting the small businesses our govt is in bed with big business. Wake up people of Mzansi, this blame the past game is nothing new. its an African phenomenon. Our leaders do not give a damn about us.
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Aug 23, 2012

Sinudeity_

Mgaraji - Haters will hate, and will find any lame excuse they can think of :P
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Aug 23, 2012

RobinH

One great woman this. Seriously. About the only person in any leadership position at the moment that even knows what integrity means.

Magaji: You really need to hone up on your knowledge, and understanding, of the constitution. You seem a little lost.
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