Members of Parliament have been slammed, largely by women on social media, for using gender-based violence as a political football.
This came on Tuesday as ANC MP Boy Mamabolo, squared up with his long-time political rival, EFF leader Julius Malema.
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.
Ramaphosa was married to the late Mtshotshisa between 1991 and 1993.
Ramaphosa cut a forlorn figure when Mamabolo posed the question to Malema.
Malema told the House Mtshotshisa had confided in former president Jacob Zuma, and he asserted Zuma would be able to verify the claims.
But on social media, women - among them prominent journalists, politicians and gender activists - hit back at the politicians and slammed them for using the issue of gender-based violence as a political football.
This came as Malema tweeted a screenshot allegedly depicting ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodima cheering on the ANC MPs who took the fight to Malema during the SONA debate.
“Malema must feel the heat and drink his medicine,” read one message purported to be from Majodima. Five minutes later, supposedly after Malema had been kicked out of Parliament, she purportedly wrote: “Well done Cdes”.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/MYANC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MYANCWhatsApp group encouraged their rascals to use GBV false allegations for political point scoring. When we respond truthfully, they want to cry foul! pic.twitter.com/kc8Ob5OcYT
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema)
GBV RAGE
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sonadebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sonadebate
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/SONAdebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SONAdebate
— khaye Nkwanyana (@khayeLK)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/ParliamentofRSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParliamentofRSA. The debate is not about alleged abuse of women and taking a stand against GBV. It is about appropriating & weaponsing women’s experiences of violence for scoring political points. Toxic & abusive.
— Nomboniso Gasa (@nombonisogasa)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Triggered?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Triggered @ParliamentofRSA
— Nomboniso Gasa (@nombonisogasa)
In the world of the comrade, GBV will always be used to settle political scores. Survivors confide in comrades today only to read about their experiences in the papers when conference time comes. Seek another avenue for comfort and solidarity.
— Phindile Kunene (@kunenephindz) February 18, 2020
undefinedGBV is a physical manifestation of the belief that women are objects upon which men can visit their rage and sexual violence.
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) February 18, 2020
So using alleged GBV victims to score political points isn’t a shocking aberration
It’s the natural consequence of seeing women as props,
not people https://t.co/BMmVlw3kmX
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/SONAdebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SONAdebate pic.twitter.com/u2lWKSHVtq
— Thibos (@ThibosAfrika)
The ANC played a dangerous game with the GBV question on Julius, now it's backfiring
— The Villager (@Penxenxe) February 18, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/SONAdebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SONAdebateis an insult to the millions of women who are victims of GBV at the hands of people who sit in and outside this House.
— Siviwe Gwarube (@Siviwe_G)
You know why we cant win the war against GBV? Our politicians still see sexual violence as a political tool, that's why
— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) February 18, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/SONAdebate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SONAdebate
— AK (@Akhona_PQ)