Interesting episodes in August, the women�s month!
Michael Dingake | Tuesday August 22, 2017 17:20
Buoyed by their numbers and the spirit of resistance, they sang in Nguni language: ‘Wee, Strydom , you have touched the women, you have touched a rock, you’ll perish…!’ Though the petition was specifically against the imposition of passes on African women, previously the albatross on African males’ necks, the big protest march was all-encompassing in as far as discrimination and oppression of all women was concerned. Since the 1994 democratic revolution in RSA, changes by the government of the day, particularly to address women’s inequality with men in all spheres of life, are discernable. Women hold positions of influence and power in politics, business, management and sport.
The efforts of the SA liberation movement and current government has been to inspire the rest of the continent so that Africa marches in step; much remains to be done to end the multiple abuses women are heirs to. Women are still subjected to bashing, murder, rape and more . Admittedly, positive changes occurring in women’s favour, are few and far between, and virtually a slow trickle, to be appreciated.
The momentum of women liberation shouldn’t be left in the hands of women alone. Males as the source of female oppression should play an appropriate role. As victims, women of course will be expected to play a leading role. ‘‘The term and length of slavery,’’ someone has said, ‘’depends on the slave, not on the slave-owner!” Man, the perpetrator of women’s woes, left alone, will prefer to see the status quo continue ad infinitum.
Pressured by the impact of the wave of the rhetoric about the women emancipation, echoed in the international conference halls, man will adopt platforms, protocols, pledges and promises, which if unprompted, he will conveniently ignore to gather dust on the desk; left unmonitored, he may even hatch excuses that the women’s plight of insubordination is a self-inflicted injury! Two Botswana Presidents, FG Mogae and LT General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, have made the remark that Batswana women have nobody to blame for their lack of, or slow empowerment, but themselves: at Primary and General elections, aver the Presidents, women invariably opt for and elect male candidates instead of female candidates! Isn’t that evidence enough that they enslave themselves? That may be true. However, we should never forget that the females of the human species have been indoctrinated by the Biblical history which teaches that Eve came from Adam’s rib, a tiny part of Adam’s body! It’s high time humans dig out the truth on the origin of the species; let us be cautious of a history that brainwashes by teaching theories liable to misinterpretation!
Let’s see how the females of the species have been projecting themselves in their month, particularly in the Southern tip of Africa where our inspiration comes from! Stories trending in the print, the electronic and the social media have been riveting. Unforgettable. Zimbabwe First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe is reported to have assaulted a ‘young’ model she found in company with her son(s). What one reads between the lines, is either the ‘model’ was an acquaintance or friend of her son(s). Dr Grace Mugabe is not only de facto First Lady, but an aspiring presidential candidate for Zimbabwe next year, who has gone as far as agitating her husband to name his successor. Guess who might be in her mind! Her countrymen say it’s in her nature to stir up diplomatic scandals in foreign countries, while she ‘s a ‘bully’ in her own Zimbabwe. Does she look like someone who shall contribute to women’s empowerment when she takes the reins of government?
I daresay, it’s 50/50: Since she is capable of behaving like a ‘bully,’ she may be the right woman to instill confidence in women. What a man can do a woman can do better, isn’t it? On the other hand some may despair that men and women behave atrociously to women! Minister Bathabile Dlamini, heads the Department of SASSSA. She was reported expressing remarkable leniency on behalf of Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mduduzi Manana who is unanimously condemned for bashing and trampling on a young lady allegedly for insulting him at a nightclub.
The woman-basher himself is reported to have subsequently apologised profusely for his behaviour. Imagine Hon B. Dlamini thinking he needn’t be disciplined, but spared for there were men, worse than he! Meantime, Hon Dlamini, who doubles as the ANCWL President, has appointed herself Campaigner-in-Chief for Hon Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the next President of the RSA.
Does she mean it, or she’s just being nepotistic, since they share the maiden surname? For the life of me, I don’t appreciate women who try to cover women-bashers’ evil deeds or pretend those abuses could have been worse! Finally, meet Dr Makhosi Khoza fire-eating mum, up in arms against President JG Zuma for sins he has committed or alleged to have committed. Her secret vote in the Motion of No Confidence in HE Zuma is secret in name! Khoza decries the ANC as no longer the ANC she joined! So far she’s the only one of the ANC dissidents who has been punished for her cheek. Well, she’s weighing her options if push comes to shove! Shouldn’t she be the presidential candidate to push the women agenda? Gutsy!