Public protector sees UJW as a valuable partner

MOIRA SCHNEIDER

PHOTOGRAPH BY MOIRA SCHNEIDER

CAPE TOWN

Pictured: Myra Goldenbaum, past UJW Cape Town chairman and national vice president, executive member of the International Council of Jewish Women (left); and Dr Maria du Toit, CEO of the public protector’s office, who was guest speaker at the UJW Cape Town’s 82nd AGM.

Dr Du Toit, who was guest speaker at the AGM, pointed out that in terms of Section 182 of the Constitution, “the public protector should be accessible to all communities”. That factor also underpinned her engagement at the UJW meeting, she said. “For us access is about people being well versed in who we are and where to reach us.”

In her opening address she said: “Let us see that there is some hope, even in this country.”

Advocate Du Toit, a graduate of the University of the (Orange) Free State, has a Master’s degree in human rights.

Twenty-one years into democracy, women still faced an uphill battle with regard to violence and disease, among other things. “While a lot has been achieved, the Struggle continues for women,” she said.

A progressive Constitution outlawing discrimination on the basis of gender, along with several pieces of legislation supporting this principle, signified recognition of rights not previously acknowledged. “But we have to ask: How far are we in monitoring implementation of these rules in our society?”

She added: “There are not many with the means to access the courts, for example. People are afraid to get out of their comfort zone while recognising (instances of) discrimination. I see the UJW as a partner in helping the public protector to be more effective, to live up to being accessible to all communities, to protect the rights and freedom of women and therefore I couldn’t miss out on this opportunity today.”

Before one approaches the public protector to investigate action or inaction on the part of any of the three tiers of government, one should have exhausted all other remedies available. “For those who approach the public protector, it will be a last resort, so that’s why we like to say: There is hope.” 

On the fact that the public protector was only answerable to the National Assembly, she said: “We can be perceived to be an enemy of the state, but this of course is not the case.”

Also speaking at the AGM, Hazel Levin discussed The Malacha Fund that she started with a friend, Janice Bunn, providing interim assistance to families in the community while they are processed for help from elsewhere. They have been providing meals, food vouchers, airtime, clothing and assisting with shopping for five years, despite the fact that both hold down fulltime jobs.

Last year they linked up with the UJW and are one of its beneficiaries. They don’t advertise themselves, preferring to operate below the radar, but the rabbis are aware of the service they provide.

Andy Bolnick spoke of Project Bayit, her way of engaging the Jewish community in the work she does with Ikhayalami, an organisation that develops and implements affordable solutions for informal settlement upgrading.

The UJW plans to support the project and Bolnick invited audience members to approach her and her building team to make an assessment of, for example, their employees’ shacks.

Upgrading to fire- and flood-resistant structures could take from one day upwards and would cost between R9 000 and R15 000 for a normal-sized shack.

Union stalwart Myra Goldenbaum called for a minute’s silence in memory of Pearl Mandelstam, honorary life national president of the UJW, who passed away in December at the age of 102.

The Pearl Mandelstam Shield of Excellence – the chairman’s award – was presented to 90-something-year-old Freda Davis in recognition of her “ongoing support”. Davis still serves on the executive of the UJW.

Hermoine Sternberg received the Freda Kapelus Award for her 15-plus years of active involvement in the UJW.