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21 March, 2019On 14 March, women representatives from IndustriALL affiliates formed the IndustriALL National Women’s Council of South Africa (INWC-SA). The committee immediately released a statement in support of Gugu Ncube, a young woman who has had to endure harsh treatment of both the police and her employer after putting forward accusations of sexual harassment of her boss.
The Council, made up of NUM, NUMSA, SACTWU, CEPPAWU and UASA, is meant to initiate and facilitate collective action to:
- Promote joint actions and campaigns aimed at developing and strengthening South African IndustriALL affiliates’ responses to Gender Based Violence
- Promote women’s participation in key union structures and work in line with IndustriALL’s strategic target (achieving 40 per cent gender balance
- To work towards collective actions aimed at protecting and defending the rights of working women in South Africa
In the meeting, the INWC-SA agreed on a statement on the case of Gugu Ncube, a young woman who put forward allegations of sexual harassment by her manager, while employed by a service contractor of UNISA Early Childhood Centre.
While the allegations are yet to be determined, how the police has handled the case, the public shaming of Gugu, and UNISA’s refusal to take responsibility, arguing that she was hired through a subcontractor, has led to an outcry in South Africa.
The INWC-SA is calling for a picketing action to be held on the 29 March at UNISA in Pretoria.