WOMEN NEED TO RAISE THEIR VOICES SHARPLY
I can confidently say that, in general women do not support other women. This is a fact. If you look deeply into political parties, when coming to lobbying, women are the weakest. They are not the weakest because they lack skill to lobby; they are weakest because they are not decisive when it comes to the role that women must play in politics.
Justice Malala's article "Will nobody speak out for SA' women?" (see here) strikes a cord. Although Justice touches on social oppression of Women, this originates from discrimination of Women in politics. The voice and presence of women in politics is non existent.
It is clear that political parties have taken a principle stand to utilize women for quotas. Both ANC and COPE do subscribe to 50% women representation in all structures.
One of the strongest women politicians in South Africa Winnie Mandela, could not make it to either the Secretary or Presidency of ANC. Most people may say that Winnie's name was not so clean considering some of the battles she faced. But JZ, regardless of all his battles and questionable integrity, was protected to the end. It was even said that JZ could even rule from a jail cell, the youth league was prepared to kill and die for him.
It is so amazing, when Baleka Mbete was not re-affirmed as deputy president of the country women in South Africa said nothing, women in ANC said nothing. What a disgrace. Why must it take men to fight for women? Why can't women have a principled stand and say it like is.
I can promise you that if Malema was a woman, he would not have the freedom to speak his mind as he is doing. He would have being suspended or worse, expelled from ANC.
In congress of the people when Lynda Odendaal resigned, I head nothing coming from women. She left with deafening silence from women.
There is general resistance to women leadership in general amongst political parties. The best Women can do is to be Presidents and Secretaries of Women movements.
The leadership of Helen Zille in the DA, Charlotte Lobe as Secretary of Cope as well as Baleka Mbete as Chairperson of the ANC must be acknowledged, but it's far from being enough. I only mention these three parties because they are the largest in SA politics.
The fact of the matter is that Powerful positions in general are reserved for Men and that's the truth.
I have to mention that Justice Malala's article did strike a cord with me because, in my activism in COPEYM I spent most of my time trying to protect women from being removed from their positions by men hungry for power. In some of these instances sometimes you succeed and sometimes you will fail.
That's why I'm not surprised by the latest suspension of Anele Mda. Regardless of the exchange of words between Anele and Deirdre - ranging from the K-Word to the R-Word - if Anele was a Man, she would not have being suspended. This, noting that the exchange of words between them was equally damaging.
Only Anele qualified for the suspension as she occupies a position in politics especially reserved for men. The presidency of youth in dynamic politically parties like COPE and ANC is reserved for men and the suspension of ANELE is long overdue.
Many other attempts were made to remove her but those attempts failed. A more diplomatic route had to be taken to finally get rid of her. If the DC finally decides that Anele is not fit to lead the youth, she will without any doubt be replaced by a man.
I'm not surprised that COPE's women's movement is quiet - that is exactly what we expect from the Women.
I'm tempted to repeat Malala's statement: Will nobody speak out for SA's women?
Sefu Sekgala is Cope youth movement Tshwane regional treasurer and regional Chairperson of Cope business and professionals, he writes here in his personal capacity.
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
