‘Stop cyberbullying Maseko’s wife’
MBABANE – Assassinated Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko’s wife Tanele’s continuous criticism on Facebook has irked pro-women organisations.
The Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly (Sicandvulo sabo Make) strongly condemns what they termed as the cyberbullying of Maseko’s Wife.
The Chairperson, Bonisile Mamba, expressed concern over the bullying, adding that they condemned it as an organisation. She said as an organisation, they did not take kindly to the utterances made by a Bonginkhosi Maseko, who also sometimes introduces himself as the prayer commander on his Facebook page. Bonginkosi said Tanele had embarrassed the family by addressing the public while wearing mourning gowns.
Condemned
Mamba said as an organisation, they condemned the victimisation and oppression of women. She said they had long demanded that the government should declare gender-based violence (GBV) as a national disaster. She said Bonginkhosi statements were an act of GBV.
She also alleged that as long as the government did not take it seriously and prioritise GBV as an emergency such acts would continue.
“We are saying hands off Tanele.We also urge Bonginkhosi to retract his utterances togethwith others on Facebook,” said Mamba.
In Eswatini culture, the mourning period for widows is essentially the time you take after death to reflect on it, come to terms with it and re-adjust to life. It may be formal or informal.
The chairperson said as an organisation, to them what Bonginkhosi uttered was barbaric backward behaviour. She said they would like to remind Bonginkhosi that the Eswatini Constitution Section 28:3 clearly stipulates that; “A woman shall not be forced to follow a cultural norm she was opposed to,” said the chairperson.
She also reminded him that Eswatini was a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All forms Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a convention that seeks to rebuke traditions, religion and culture which suppresses and oppresses women among other issues.
“The backward, barbaric socalled cultural norms that have gravely oppressed women over the years must be done away with,” said Mamba.
She said as an organisation, Eswatini needed to align with universal democratic principles practised the world over.
Dictated
A formal mourning period is dictated by your religion or society. In Eswatini a period of mourning is observed by the immediate family after a burial. Formal mourning periods often have particular mourning customs associated with them, such as staying at home, concealing mirrors, or dressing in black. Even if your society doesn’t expect you to mourn in a particular way, you may find yourself going through a personal, informal mourning period after a death.