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CAPE TOWN - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) came down hard on President Thabo Mbeki last week, accusing him of failing to address rape and the suffering of women and children.
The ANC-dominated second chamber of Parliament unanimously adopted a motion by DA member Juanita Terblanche condemning the rape of a 60-year-old Potchefstroom woman on October 18. She had to wait two hours to see a doctor and was still in hospital a week later. The 12-line motion ends: "That the council regrets the refusal of the President to address the serious crime of rape in our country and to acknowledge the suffering of women and children who have been attacked on a daily basis." Terblanche said that due to confusion about microphones not working, she had not given notice of the motion. As a result, she had to read her message out in full on Tuesday, as a motion without notice, while NCOP deputy chairman Mninwa Mahlangu was in the chair. She assumed she would be shouted down. "He called, as he usually does, for objections and there were none, so it was adopted," said Terblanche. But she did not assume that she had suddenly persuaded the overwhelming ANC majority in the chamber to turn on their leader and back her position. "I assume they just were not paying attention," she told the Sunday Times. The motion was recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings for Tuesday, October 26, with the note: "Motion agreed in accordance with ... the Constitution." - DDC
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