TUESDAY, 3.00PM
MOST South Africans believe that women have no role in combat and should be accompanied by men in dangerous areas, a poll of 2 200 people by the Human Sciences Research Council and the Institute for Security Studies has revealed.
Almost two thirds of respondents said women should not be allowed to join police patrols in dangerous areas and 48% said women should not be allowed to volunteer for combat duty. Women respondents themselves were less open to the idea: 52% said women should not be allowed to volunteer for combat duty.
The study report notes that South African public opinion on this matter is similar to that in the United States.