An African National Congress (ANC) MP on Friday apologised to women for his comments that prostitution be legalised ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
”I wish to submit my profound and unreserved apology to all women of South Africa for the manner in which these comments in the portfolio committee were attributed,” said George Lekgetho in a statement. ”I would like to state that I had not in any way intended to offend or undermine the dignity of women of this country.”
It was not clear from the statement whether Lekgetho was still supporting the legalisation of prostitution. Asked for clarification, a spokesperson for the party’s parliamentary caucus, Moloto Mothapo, said the MP was simply ”revising the contrast in which the statement was reported”.
”I’m speaking on behalf of the organisation and not on behalf of Mr Lekgetho. I don’t know whether Lekgetho is still backing the legalisation or not,” he said.
Mothapo said the statements gave a worrying impression that the legalisation of prostitution and the prevalence of rape in the country were connected. The manner in which Lekgetho had coined his statement was regrettable, said Mothapo.
Lekgetho had told a meeting of the portfolio committee on arts and culture in Parliament on Tuesday that legalising prostitution would help make the tournament a success, ”because we hear of many rapes, because people don’t have access to them [women]”.
He also said: ”If sex working is legalised, people would not do things in the dark. That would bring us tax and would improve the lives of those who are not working.”
His suggestion was met with a groan of protest and chuckles from other MPs.
Lekgetho said on Friday the inference drawn from this statement was that the prevalence of prostitution in this country was a consequence of its illegal status.
”I deeply regret the damage my ill-considered statement has done to the dignity of this country’s mothers and sisters and the harm it might have inflicted to the progressive and historical positions adopted by my organisation, the ANC, on the issues of women’s rights and gender emancipation.”
He said that as a member of the ANC, he fully subscribes to its commitment to the elimination of gender stereotypes, oppression and exploitation from our society. ”Therefore I fully apologise to the organisation for any damage my statement caused.” — Sapa