By Norm Dixon
JOHANNESBURG — Just days before South Africans went to the polls, abortion became a prominent issue. An emotive debate erupted, with the media giving high profile coverage to the views of local and US fundamentalist Christian "pro-life" organisations. Of the major parties standing for election, only the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) came out clearly for a woman's right to choose abortion.
South African law restricts legal abortion to situations in which the woman's life would be threatened by continuing pregnancy, cases of rape and situations where the mother is mentally deficient and unable to care for the child.
Each of these situations is surrounded by complex qualifications. Two doctors must agree that an abortion is necessary. Where health clinics are available, most do not have two doctors. The law excludes abortion on socioeconomic grounds.
In practice, only wealthy, educated women are able to obtain legal abortions. Many wealthy women fly overseas for abortions. For the vast majority of South African women, especially rural women, illegal "back street" abortions are their recourse.
There are 7 million women of reproductive age in South Africa, and it is estimated that between 250,000 and 400,000 back street abortions a year take place. Only 1000 legal abortions are performed annually. Thousands of South African women suffer enormous medical complications, many fatal, from botched illegal abortions.
Sheila Camerer, National Party deputy minister of justice, said the NP was against "abortion on demand" and was opposed to it becoming a "political football" in the elections. Abortion law reform is "a complex and sensitive issue, a moral issue, a health-related issue and a legal issue". She said the current law was adequate and "acceptable internationally". She agreed, however, that there might be "room" for amendments to "ensure equal treatment and equal access to medical facilities for all women who require a lawful abortion".
The "liberal" Democratic Party, which campaigned as the party that champions individual rights, stopped short of extending them to women. The DP would allow its elected MPs a "free vote on the two right to life issues — the death penalty and abortion" said its spokesperson on women's rights, Dene Smuts. It was "an enormous pity that the ANC has put [abortion] on the election agenda".
The DP wanted a commission appointed by parliament to "sit down and look at this difficult policy issue. Above all, they must look at the moral implications because abortion remains an ethical right to life issue, it concerns more than the underlying social ills. The rights of the foetus have to be addressed, and in addition the rights of the father simply cannot be ignored."
Smuts added that to argue that abortion is "a women's rights issue is to duck the real debate. The crunch question is in what circumstances is it justified to take the life of a small person."
For Lindiwe Zulu of the ANC, "women's rights are human rights. We believe in the right of every woman to decide and to take control over her body ... Abortion should be legalised and it should be given on demand."
The ANC's pro-choice position followed "painstaking" discussions at branch and regional levels of the organisation, Zulu explained. "The ANC membership was divided on the issue", but after a process of thorough, informed discussion with women at all levels of the ANC, the branches and regions decided that abortion should be legalised.
"The ANC also believes that reproductive rights also include education, counselling and confidentiality. We don't want a situation where abortion is made into a form of contraception. Once women have enough education, once they have access to contraception, you will have less abortions." The ANC will build hundreds of clinics and hospitals, which will allow women practical access to safe abortion, Zulu added.
The PAC also committed itself to a pro-choice position. Among the minor parties, several are committed to a pro-choice position.
The leader of the Women's Rights Peace Party, Nina Romm, said that abortion rights must be seen "within the context of women's reproductive health". Romm said her party was committed to the "individual's right to have control over her body" and opposed to "state-imposed morality".
The manifesto of the far left Workers' List Party commited it to "full maternity rights, state provided nurseries and creches, the right of women to abortion, pap smears, contraception and other reproductive health rights".