WOMEN’S Month would not be complete without a critical look at the supposed vanguard of women’s struggles, the ANC Women’s League.
There has been no will demonstrated on the part of the league to check the government’s gravitation towards laws that have the potential to reduce the space within which African women in particular, may realise their true potential.
The league failed to stand for rural women during the debates about the Traditional Courts Bill, and the Communal Land Rights Act, as Hassim notes.
These days the league is seen protesting outside court at selected rape trials. Its leaders and members pronounce on the guilt of this or that perpetrator and are heard calling for tough sentences.
As important as it is for it to be seen to be standing against all behaviour that violates the dignity of women, the league has greater power than its “advocacy-cum-support group” guise suggests.
The league should be wielding its numeric advantage in the echelons of the ruling party and government, not on the streets.
It cannot pretend powerlessness when it has the power to shift political, social and economic reality in women’s favour.
Motshekga’s league is content with accepting tokens from the party’s top brass. It should, instead, be ensuring that the party implements its policies on gender equality and creates an environment where women can access all the tools to exercise full citizenship, reach their potential and contribute meaningfully to the economy and to development.
The league has shown unquestioning support for a leadership steeped in patriarchy – ideologically and in practice. In so doing, it is complicit in strengthening abuse of power, corruption and violence of the present-day morphology of patriarchy.
What do men who exploit and abuse women have to fear from a women’s league that has ceased to fight vigorously for the dignity of women?
Patriarchy is emboldened by the league’s blind loyalty at the expense of the rights of women.
Nompumelelo Runji is an editorial project assistant at Sowetan
Women’s League a pawn in internal ANC power play
There has been no will demonstrated on the part of the league to check the government’s gravitation towards laws that have the potential to reduce the space within which African women in particular, may realise their true potential.
The league failed to stand for rural women during the debates about the Traditional Courts Bill, and the Communal Land Rights Act, as Hassim notes.
These days the league is seen protesting outside court at selected rape trials. Its leaders and members pronounce on the guilt of this or that perpetrator and are heard calling for tough sentences.
As important as it is for it to be seen to be standing against all behaviour that violates the dignity of women, the league has greater power than its “advocacy-cum-support group” guise suggests.
The league should be wielding its numeric advantage in the echelons of the ruling party and government, not on the streets.
It cannot pretend powerlessness when it has the power to shift political, social and economic reality in women’s favour.
Motshekga’s league is content with accepting tokens from the party’s top brass. It should, instead, be ensuring that the party implements its policies on gender equality and creates an environment where women can access all the tools to exercise full citizenship, reach their potential and contribute meaningfully to the economy and to development.
The league has shown unquestioning support for a leadership steeped in patriarchy – ideologically and in practice. In so doing, it is complicit in strengthening abuse of power, corruption and violence of the present-day morphology of patriarchy.
What do men who exploit and abuse women have to fear from a women’s league that has ceased to fight vigorously for the dignity of women?
Patriarchy is emboldened by the league’s blind loyalty at the expense of the rights of women.
Nompumelelo Runji is an editorial project assistant at Sowetan
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