The ANC Women’s League in the region hosted a Mother’s Day picnic to celebrate all the women who have been visiting Nelson Mandela Bay homes as part of the party’s door-to-door election campaign.
The event hosted in Happy Valley saw scores of ANC supporters being treated to a fun-filled day of prize giveaways, a braai and engagements to encourage each other to move as a unit going into the elections.
The ANC Nelson Mandela Bay regional deputy secretary and organiser of the event, Eugene Johnson, said the event was the perfect way to thank the party volunteers for their efforts.
“These women have been working hard during this election campaign and we thought it would be good to organise something to make them feel special on this Mother’s Day,” Johnson said.
“Some of these women are not even members of the ANC, but volunteers who simply love the organisation.
“We wanted them to take the day off, rest and be catered for by the men in the ANC, who braaied for them.”
ANC national executive committee member and human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said women in the Bay had battled with issues ranging fromgender-based violence to the pressures of the election.
“We wanted to make a good gesture by bringing women together in a relaxed environment to celebrate them this Mother’s Day.
“Some of these women come from poor backgrounds and their children don’t have the means to make them feel special.
“We thought this event would be best way to fill that void.”
Kubayi said women also wanted to make their voices heard so that when executive members for various structures were appointed after the election, women were placed in strategic positions.
“It starts from the cabinet appointments by the president where 50% of ministers are women.
“Which is why we are also happy with the outcomes of the national list where we see a lot of women.
“We are also emphasising that as we conclude the elections and there will be subsequent structures that are put in place in terms of executives, we want to see women represented,” Kubayi said.
ANC regional women’s league regional secretary Nontombi Nama said the event was for women to share ideas, practices and experiences.
HeraldLIVE
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