A measured and God-fearing woman not usually given to such outbursts - Nocwaka Lamani

Whenever female members stood up, they were clearly not interested. They [male MPs] started talking on their own.”

Many women say that if Parliament – the legislative arm of government – is to be the locale of power and not the executive, then women must be better trained. Many women MPs had not seen draft statutes and, having come from the trenches, were not au fait with parliamentary proceedings.

Some women in the ANC had wanted the quota beefed up to one in two candidates. They failed in their bid, but it remains the only party with a quota of seats reserved for women