A Focus on Women, Politics and Development
By Nontlantla Skenjana
There is a broad consensus among various writers that the struggle for gender equality and equity is a struggle for power. Martin Luther King (Jr) once said, “Power is the ability to achieve purpose. Whether or not it is good or bad depends upon the purpose.”
Steven Lukes identifies three faces of power:
1. The power of one to make and implement decisions.
2. The power of one to set an agenda so directing discussions.
3. The power to shape ideas by manipulating what people think they want.
These three faces can be used to achieve whatever the set purpose is. In South Africa, when speaking of gender equality, it is always mentioned that in the past women suffered from class, gender and race oppression. The struggle was basically against colonial and patriarchal rule. In post 1994 period, the significant changes in the political and social landscape of the country have necessitated a visible shift in the agenda of the women’s movement.
The Liberation Struggle
After years of women struggling for the liberation of all people in South Africa, the Women’s Charter was signed in April 1954 in Johannesburg. South African women wanted equal rights. Until then, legislation only recognised women as minors, which meant that they were unable to own property or make important decisions. They were paid less and could only work in certain areas assigned to them, like nursing and teaching, and then there were also the limitations forced on women by apartheid. Of course, we have come a long way in realising the objects of the Women’s Charter, but have we done enough? In 1994, the Women’s Charter was revised to be the Women’s Charter for Effective Equality. This document panned out the agenda of the new dispensation in advancing the struggle for gender equality.
The year 1994 brought the promise of change for all South African citizens, including women activists. In 1991, the ANC had discussed the issue of women representation in all its structures, including at government level, at its annual conference for the first time. It was concluded that a 30 percent quota should be introduced. In 1994, the government adopted the quota system to allocate seats in Parliament and in the Executive Council. With the introduction of the quota system and affirmative action, merely being female became sufficient to motivate election into leadership, regardless of the experience a likely candidate had. Being female gave them a competitive edge. As a result, we have seen a number of women holding positions in provincial government and in the central government’s cabinet.
Women in Power
Representation of women in government has steadily increased since the introduction of the quota system. According to EISA (2009), women representation at local, provincial and national government has risen as reflected in the table below.
Election Year Local Provincial National
1994 / 1995 19% 24% 27.75%
1999 / 2000 29.6% 27% 30%
2004 / 2006 40% 32.3% 32.75%
2009 41% 43%
Information sourced from www.eisa.org
However, in a number of cases, there has been token placement of women in positions without the necessary capacity being developed. With the adoption of the vision of the Republic of South Africa of a democratic, non-racist, non-sexist and prosperous country through the Constitution Act 108 0f 1996, it was imperative that some structures be used as the Gender Machinery. These included Section 9: Commission for Gender Equality and the Office of the Status of Women in the Presidency. The primary purpose of the Machinery was to push for gender-conscious policy decisions and to influence government’s agenda by mainstreaming gender in all its programmes. These were acknowledged at the launch of the Progressive Women’s Movement in 2006 as having improved the quality of life for women and having laid the foundation of changing power relations between men and women.
Women in Business
The introduction of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 facilitated the establishment of policy to guide recruitment and employment with preference to previously disadvantaged people. The Supply Chain Management Framework in the public sector created an opportunity for women to have an edge over the competition in the awarding of tenders. This framework was created to assist in transferring economic power to the majority, particularly the previously disadvantaged groups. As it happened at the start of affirmative action, a lot of fronting occurred as men started including their womenfolk in their business activities.
Women took advantage of the new opportunities presented in business ownership and management by the progressive legislation. However, it has been discovered that a significant portion of registered entities belonging to women either do not takeoff or they are liquidated early in their existence. According to a census done by Empowerdex in 2004, private sector transformation in gender representation is not progressing as smoothly as desired. In executive management, it was discovered that there was only 14.7 percent representation of women, while they occupy less than 10 percent of seats in directorships (7 percent), chairpersonship of boards (3 percent) and Managing Directorship/Chief Executive Office (2 percent). This means that more still needs to be done to enable women to find their feet in business.
Empowering Women
There has also been a shift in the social makeup of society with the growing number of women and child- headed homes due to a number of reasons, including HIV/Aids. It has also been found that women are the most vulnerable in increasing levels to being infected with the HIV/Aids. The new dispensation also provided opportunities for women in education, employment and social services. According to population statistics in 2005, women constitute the majority of the population (51 percent); this justifies the mainstreaming of gender into government activities. Various programmes have been adopted for the support of women by government departments, such as Women in Agriculture and Rural Development, SAPS Women’s Network, Women in Science Awards and Businesswoman of the Year Awards, amongst others. A number of policy decisions have been taken with consideration of the concerns of women, including the introduction of the child support grant, as well as the transformation and democratisation of Traditional authorities.
Although the patriarchal system still operates in traditional authority and political structures, there is deliberate inclusion of women in decision-making processes. However, it cannot be confirmed whether women do set the agenda of the meetings or whether they have been able to manipulate thoughts as this requires time for the mindset change. This leadership gap is more enhanced because communities have little confidence in women leadership, regardless of their educational and experiential qualifications (Kanjere, 2008). In some communities, School Governing Bodies will reject qualifying teachers because of their gender. It is hoped that with the introduction of the Ministry for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, the progress made so far will be consolidated and make a significant mark in the South African History.
Facilitating Empowerment
Steve Biko state that “the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” It may be believed that women are oppressed by men, but it has been observed that at times women also perpetuate oppression through their expectations, actions and perceptions of their roles that have been entrenched by their experience. The changes in societal principles, that of putting individual wishes forward at the expense of collective gain, also slows down any form of progress. This increases the potency of the weapon in the oppressor’s hands as they become their own enemy.
There is need for society to invest in appropriate leadership training for womenfolk. If women’s discussions focus mainly on child welfare, then it is very possible they will not be able to participate in areas of finance, economics and infrastructure development. Everyone’s understanding and perceptions of situations and life is directly linked to what they have been exposed to. If a child is exposed to cattle, she will know how to take care of them, but another child exposed to technological gadgets may not know how to take care of cattle. Perhaps there needs to be open engagements and discussions on how women can be capacitated to lead the country beyond health, social welfare and token representation in structures.
Power by itself can achieve a purpose, but it is only when such power is converted to authority that it is entrenched. However, it is through power that authority shall be established. Under the theme “Age of Hope: Women Marching for Equality, Development and Peace,” the Progressive Women’s Movement, on 06 August 2006, made a commitment to support the emancipation of women and to build a strong and enduring women’s movement. Hopefully, it will have a significant impact on fighting poverty, crime and creating a better tomorrow for future generations.
References
• www.educationforum.co.uk/sociology_2/politics.htm (sourced on 10 November 2009)
• www.eisa.org
• Kanjere, MM. 2008. Challenges faced by Women Leaders as School Principals in Rural Areas. University of Limpopo.
There is a broad consensus among various writers that the struggle for gender equality and equity is a struggle for power. Martin Luther King (Jr) once said, “Power is the ability to achieve purpose. Whether or not it is good or bad depends upon the purpose.”
Steven Lukes identifies three faces of power:
1. The power of one to make and implement decisions.
2. The power of one to set an agenda so directing discussions.
3. The power to shape ideas by manipulating what people think they want.
These three faces can be used to achieve whatever the set purpose is. In South Africa, when speaking of gender equality, it is always mentioned that in the past women suffered from class, gender and race oppression. The struggle was basically against colonial and patriarchal rule. In post 1994 period, the significant changes in the political and social landscape of the country have necessitated a visible shift in the agenda of the women’s movement.
The Liberation Struggle
After years of women struggling for the liberation of all people in South Africa, the Women’s Charter was signed in April 1954 in Johannesburg. South African women wanted equal rights. Until then, legislation only recognised women as minors, which meant that they were unable to own property or make important decisions. They were paid less and could only work in certain areas assigned to them, like nursing and teaching, and then there were also the limitations forced on women by apartheid. Of course, we have come a long way in realising the objects of the Women’s Charter, but have we done enough? In 1994, the Women’s Charter was revised to be the Women’s Charter for Effective Equality. This document panned out the agenda of the new dispensation in advancing the struggle for gender equality.
The year 1994 brought the promise of change for all South African citizens, including women activists. In 1991, the ANC had discussed the issue of women representation in all its structures, including at government level, at its annual conference for the first time. It was concluded that a 30 percent quota should be introduced. In 1994, the government adopted the quota system to allocate seats in Parliament and in the Executive Council. With the introduction of the quota system and affirmative action, merely being female became sufficient to motivate election into leadership, regardless of the experience a likely candidate had. Being female gave them a competitive edge. As a result, we have seen a number of women holding positions in provincial government and in the central government’s cabinet.
Women in Power
Representation of women in government has steadily increased since the introduction of the quota system. According to EISA (2009), women representation at local, provincial and national government has risen as reflected in the table below.
Election Year Local Provincial National
1994 / 1995 19% 24% 27.75%
1999 / 2000 29.6% 27% 30%
2004 / 2006 40% 32.3% 32.75%
2009 41% 43%
Information sourced from www.eisa.org
However, in a number of cases, there has been token placement of women in positions without the necessary capacity being developed. With the adoption of the vision of the Republic of South Africa of a democratic, non-racist, non-sexist and prosperous country through the Constitution Act 108 0f 1996, it was imperative that some structures be used as the Gender Machinery. These included Section 9: Commission for Gender Equality and the Office of the Status of Women in the Presidency. The primary purpose of the Machinery was to push for gender-conscious policy decisions and to influence government’s agenda by mainstreaming gender in all its programmes. These were acknowledged at the launch of the Progressive Women’s Movement in 2006 as having improved the quality of life for women and having laid the foundation of changing power relations between men and women.
Women in Business
The introduction of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 facilitated the establishment of policy to guide recruitment and employment with preference to previously disadvantaged people. The Supply Chain Management Framework in the public sector created an opportunity for women to have an edge over the competition in the awarding of tenders. This framework was created to assist in transferring economic power to the majority, particularly the previously disadvantaged groups. As it happened at the start of affirmative action, a lot of fronting occurred as men started including their womenfolk in their business activities.
Women took advantage of the new opportunities presented in business ownership and management by the progressive legislation. However, it has been discovered that a significant portion of registered entities belonging to women either do not takeoff or they are liquidated early in their existence. According to a census done by Empowerdex in 2004, private sector transformation in gender representation is not progressing as smoothly as desired. In executive management, it was discovered that there was only 14.7 percent representation of women, while they occupy less than 10 percent of seats in directorships (7 percent), chairpersonship of boards (3 percent) and Managing Directorship/Chief Executive Office (2 percent). This means that more still needs to be done to enable women to find their feet in business.
Empowering Women
There has also been a shift in the social makeup of society with the growing number of women and child- headed homes due to a number of reasons, including HIV/Aids. It has also been found that women are the most vulnerable in increasing levels to being infected with the HIV/Aids. The new dispensation also provided opportunities for women in education, employment and social services. According to population statistics in 2005, women constitute the majority of the population (51 percent); this justifies the mainstreaming of gender into government activities. Various programmes have been adopted for the support of women by government departments, such as Women in Agriculture and Rural Development, SAPS Women’s Network, Women in Science Awards and Businesswoman of the Year Awards, amongst others. A number of policy decisions have been taken with consideration of the concerns of women, including the introduction of the child support grant, as well as the transformation and democratisation of Traditional authorities.
Although the patriarchal system still operates in traditional authority and political structures, there is deliberate inclusion of women in decision-making processes. However, it cannot be confirmed whether women do set the agenda of the meetings or whether they have been able to manipulate thoughts as this requires time for the mindset change. This leadership gap is more enhanced because communities have little confidence in women leadership, regardless of their educational and experiential qualifications (Kanjere, 2008). In some communities, School Governing Bodies will reject qualifying teachers because of their gender. It is hoped that with the introduction of the Ministry for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, the progress made so far will be consolidated and make a significant mark in the South African History.
Facilitating Empowerment
Steve Biko state that “the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” It may be believed that women are oppressed by men, but it has been observed that at times women also perpetuate oppression through their expectations, actions and perceptions of their roles that have been entrenched by their experience. The changes in societal principles, that of putting individual wishes forward at the expense of collective gain, also slows down any form of progress. This increases the potency of the weapon in the oppressor’s hands as they become their own enemy.
There is need for society to invest in appropriate leadership training for womenfolk. If women’s discussions focus mainly on child welfare, then it is very possible they will not be able to participate in areas of finance, economics and infrastructure development. Everyone’s understanding and perceptions of situations and life is directly linked to what they have been exposed to. If a child is exposed to cattle, she will know how to take care of them, but another child exposed to technological gadgets may not know how to take care of cattle. Perhaps there needs to be open engagements and discussions on how women can be capacitated to lead the country beyond health, social welfare and token representation in structures.
Power by itself can achieve a purpose, but it is only when such power is converted to authority that it is entrenched. However, it is through power that authority shall be established. Under the theme “Age of Hope: Women Marching for Equality, Development and Peace,” the Progressive Women’s Movement, on 06 August 2006, made a commitment to support the emancipation of women and to build a strong and enduring women’s movement. Hopefully, it will have a significant impact on fighting poverty, crime and creating a better tomorrow for future generations.
References
• www.educationforum.co.uk/sociology_2/politics.htm (sourced on 10 November 2009)
• www.eisa.org
• Kanjere, MM. 2008. Challenges faced by Women Leaders as School Principals in Rural Areas. University of Limpopo.