IN QUOTES | Julius Malema's Women's Day address - 'women are still oppressed'

EFF leader Julius Malema said women continue to be marginalised by society in decision making processes during his speech on Women’s Day on Sunday.

He called on government-owned and private companies to dismantle the patriarchal leadership structures by ensuring gender equality through, among other ways, equal pay.

Here are seven critical quotes from his address:

Women in leadership

“Women are still oppressed because the majority of highly funded non-governmental organisations are not led by women. Women are still oppressed because higher positions in business and government are still occupied by men to the exclusion of women, even when they do qualify.”

Gender-based violence 

“Women are still persecuted wherever they go, on the basis of their gender. It is women who fear being raped every day, they fear sexual harassment in workplaces, at churches and in their own homes.”

White males still dominate

“Despite the foundation that the 1956 generation has laid, women in general and African women in particular, are struggling for recognition in the economic structure. If you go to the JSE, there are no women, except the CEO.

It is not just males, but it is white males who are leading in these strategic companies of our country. We need to fight and ensure that our own companies are not transferred back into the hands of white males.” 

Pay

gap

“Men are earning more than females even when they are doing the same job, even when they qualify. When they start a job, women will always be started at a lower wage, whereas men will be given an unfair advantage. Education helps to close the gap, but it is not enough because a male will be given a preference and where a female succeeds, her salary will be less than that of her classmates.”

Inequality and lack of education

“It is worse for women who are not educated at all because men who are not educated have more chances of getting a job in some construction company or security, warehousing or transport. We all know that taxi drivers, bus drivers, majority of them are males.”

Land claims 

“If you look at all the committees in the villages where land claims took place, there are no women. It is only males who claim to know the correct history of the family and claim the land. After claiming the land successfully, rent it back to the white male and when the money exchanges hands, women are not in those committees to influence direction.”

Rape must be taken seriously 

“Rape and abuse of women and children should be crimes against the state. So much that even when the victim withdraws the case, the state must proceed with the case against the perpetrator. Anyone who suspects a case of rape should lay a complaint even if they are not a victim.”