Women: Outspoken activists or passive spectators of their oppression?

Written by Sam Mathe
Tuesday, 16 August 2011 15:36

Where is the voice of the majority of South African women in the country’s political and social discourse? In particular, where is the voice of the fairer sex within the so-called broad church that is the ruling party? It is a truism that the leadership of the tripartite alliance – Cosatu and the SACP in particular – is always vocal on various political issues. It is also a well-known fact the ANC Youth League’s outspokenness on these issues is legendary. But seldom does one hear a voice – let alone of dissent – from the ANC Women’s League.

A classic example of the ANC Women’s League’s silence when it was expected to be vocal on the issue was when Julius Malema expressed flagrantly sexist statements at President Zuma’s rape accuser – in effect insulting all women when he said all those demeaning words about breakfast and taxi money. In an address at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology last year, he told students, “When a woman didn’t enjoy it, she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes out, request breakfast and ask for taxi money.”

Despite the fact that the Youth League president’s speech clearly constituted harassment, hate speech and discrimination, there was no outcry or outrage from women’s organisations. Ironically, it took a man, Mbuyiselo Botha, to take up the cudgels on behalf of women. Under the auspices of a men’s organisation, the Sonke Gender Justice Network, Botha took the offending party to the Equality Court and won.

It was baffling that during Malema’s court appearances, there was a sizeable number of women expressing solidarity with Malema! Such types are willing participants in the degradation and oppression of their own gender. Now that Malema has apologised to all women for his sexist remarks, where are those women who were toyi-toying outside court in his support? Do they feel Malema’s apology is genuine, or do they think they have been taken for a ride?

And where was ANC national chairperson Baleka Mbete when Malema insulted womenfolk? Mbete has commended the young firebrand for his apology. She was quoted as saying, “I think it is a good thing because what it is illustrating is a young man who has grappled with the issue, who has processed it and has come to a position, which I think is commendable and we should congratulate him for that.”

Such fawning and opportunistic remarks don’t advance the cause of women’s rights and dignity. Instead of being congratulated, he should have been chastised immediately after airing his comments. Are we perhaps witnessing a selective morality on the part of the Women’s League and leaders such as Baleka Mbete? After all, the Women’s League was quick to condemn self-styled tycoon Kenny Kunene’s sushi parties.

“We are appalled by this derogatory act of serving sushi on bodies of half-naked women,” the Women’s League said in a statement. “We cannot allow such insulting acts or anyone to associate it with the ANC. We view this practice as an attack on the bodily integrity and dignity of all women.”

At the risk of sounding cynical, one wonders whether the Women’s League’s decision to release a statement condemning Kunene’s sushi parties was motivated by its leadership’s wish to distance the ruling party’s name from the sushi king’s nightclub after Malema referred to it as the “ANC club” instead of genuine concern for women’s rights.

Otherwise, why would the Women’s League pick on a seemingly innocuous issue that involves eating raw fish from bodies of consenting adults? I mean, violence against women in this country has reached crisis proportions. Spousal violence in the form of wife battering, the rape of women and children and the murder of female partners – all these are common hate crimes that happen daily in the privacy of our households and even on our streets. They are a newspaper staple. Yet one always feels there is lack of public moral outrage against these crimes. Yes, we occasionally witness placard-wielding women on court premises during rape trials. But even then, women seldom speak in one voice on these issues. Women in this country need a strong anti-rape, anti-violence lobby that will speak unequivocally in one loud voice against injustices that they are subjected to daily.

One cannot help but notice that too often when there is a topic involving women on radio talk shows, there are more male than female callers and contributors. Sometimes the silence of women during these talk shows is simply deafening. The same applies to opinion makers in our newspapers.
Granted, women have made great strides in crucial fields that were previously the domain of men. But there is still a need for them to be more visible and vocal in public and media spaces on issues that affect them directly.

Gender activists such as Mbuyiselo Botha should be applauded for their efforts in fighting for an equal society by sensitising men to the plight of their women. But it is women themselves who must play an active role in the fight against their abuse.

As a nation we have made significant strides in the fight for freedom and human rights. But organisations, such as the ANC Women’s League, that fought so passionately in the past for these freedoms should be more vigilant by giving voice to the struggle for women’s rights.