Thank you for the invitation, but it's declined.
Op die lys van die eerste 27 posisies van die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Onderwys se matriekulante wat verlede jaar presteer het, was 22 van daardie posisies gevul deur meisies. [Applous.] Die gekombineerde statistiek van 'n aantal van ons goeie townshipskole wys dat meer meisies as seuns tot in matriek vorder. Die statistieke van daardie skole se matriekklasse wys dat 60% van daardie klasse deur meisies gevul word.
Ingeval die kabinetwoordvoerder, mnr Manyi, dalk sal wonder of hy ook hier moet ingryp, wil ek s dat daar nie 'n oorkonsentrasie van vroue in die Wes- Kaap is nie! [Gelag.] Dit wys bloot net wat vroue kan doen wanneer hulle gelyke geleenthede gebied word. [Applous.]
Onbillike geslagsdiskriminasie is steeds 'n realiteit, ook in 'n beroep soos die onderwys. Die tipiese beeld van 'n skoolhoof is vir baie mense nog di van 'n man. Vroue as skoolhoofde en as senior onderwysbestuurders is nog ver in die minderheid. Eeue se diskriminasie en vooroordele word selfs in die 100-jaarherdenking wat ons vandag vier, nie uitgeskakel nie. Die DA glo dus dat spesiale stappe nodig is om sulke diep gevestigde ongelykhede uit te skakel. Die posisie van vroue in die gemeenskap moet gedurig gemeet en gedebatteer word.
Agb Minister, die DA bly gekant teen kwotastelsels, veral omdat ons gesien het dat die afdwing van kwotastelsels juis lei tot die skending van menseregte. Ek gaan een voorbeeld noem. Ons vind dit jammer dat die SA Polisiediens dit verlede jaar nodig gevind het om te appelleer nadat die Arbeidshof in die guns van 'n vrou, kaptein Renate Barnard, beslis het. Hierdie appl is beslis 'n terugwaartse stap vir vroueregte. Dit is ook nog 'n voorbeeld dat die laaste woord in die stryd om vroueregte nog lank nie ges is nie.
Mag ons volgende jaar, wanneer ons weer Internasionale Vrouedag herdenk, terugkyk en sien dat Suid-Afrika in 2011 wel nog verder op die pad van vroueregte gevorder het. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN: Twenty-two positions on the list of the Western Cape education department's top 27 matriculants who excelled last year were occupied by girls. [Applause.] The combined statistics of a number of our good township schools show that more girls than boys are progressing to matric. The matric class statistics of these schools show that 60% of those classes are attended by girls.
In case Cabinet spokesperson Mr Manyi is wondering whether he should intervene here as well, I wish to state that there is no overconcentration of females in the Western Cape! [Laughter.] It merely goes to show what women can do when they are afforded equal opportunities. [Applause.]
Unfair gender discrimination is still a reality, also in the teaching profession. For many people the picture of a typical headmaster remains that of a male. Females as headmasters and in senior teaching management are still by far a minority. Centuries of discrimination and bias will not even be removed by today's 100-year commemoration.
The DA therefore believes that special action is called for to remove such deep-rooted inequalities. The position of women in society should be continually measured and debated.
Hon Minister, the DA remains opposed to quota systems, particularly because we have witnessed how the enforcement of quota systems in fact leads to the violation of human rights. I will mention one example. We find it a pity that last year the SA Police Service found it necessary to appeal against a Labour Court decision in favour of a woman, Captain Renate Barnard. This appeal is indeed a step backward for women's rights. It is another example of how the last word on women's rights has not at all been spoken as yet.
May we look back next year, when we once more commemorate International Women's Day, and see that South Africa has indeed made progress on the road to women's rights. I thank you. [Applause.]]