Media urged to tell the story of women and help build the nation
THE deputy director-general of incentives administration at the Department of Trade and Industry, Malebo Mabitje-Thompson, has appealed to the media to help build the South African nation by telling stories of women who are striving to empower themselves economically.
Mabitje-Thompson was one of the panellists at the media round table dialogue which was hosted by the department in partnership with Radio Turf at the Mankweng Campus of the University of Limpopo. The theme of the session was “Women Economic Empowerment – Does the South African Media Play its Part?”
“Tell our story and help us build a nation of people who invest in their existence and are investing their time and money to change their lives and that of their families and communities for the better. The media has a critical role to play in changing people’s perception in order for them to understand that women cannot only be consumers of what other people produce but they must also be producers so that they can accrue wealth to themselves,” said Mabitje-Thompson.
She said that empowerment initiatives such as stokvels that have changed the lives of many people needed to be profiled by the media as they play a crucial role in helping women accumulate wealth and make investment decisions.
“The major influence that the media have on the society means that they can communicate the right messages that can build the nation. It is important to emphasise to all that women empowerment is not about men oppression, it is about empowering all of society so that we can build on our strength as a society for the benefit of all of us. The media need to be part of the building blocks of the progressive society that we all want to build,” stressed Mabitje-Thompson.
Polokwane Mayor Thembi Nkadimeng said there were many women in South Africa who were emulating the heroic women of 1956 by breaking the glass ceiling.
The media spotlight, she said, needed to shine on these women in order to inspire the young girls of the country.
“Twenty-three years since the dawn of democracy and after implementing numerous policies and initiatives to uplift women and help them reach the pinnacle of success, we still find it uncommon for women to break through that glass ceiling and excel. But every time this happens it reassures the girl child anywhere in South Africa that she too can reach the top. One of the most important partners in spreading the word about the success of women is the media. We need to share ideas on whether our media is doing enough to spread this message and contribute in developing our society,” said Nkadimeng.
She said as a result of the fact that there was still no parity in gender representation in both newsrooms and boardrooms, the portrayal of women in the media would continue to leave much to be desired.
Professor of Media Studies at the University of Limpopo Carol Lesame said women in the democratic dispensation were no longer restricted and had freedom to take opportunities as they come.
“The most important lesson we can take from the women of 1956 is that you have to force change to happen. Things will not just come to you as there are still challenges that women have to overcome, particularly when it comes to economic matters.
“Women need to take action to empower themselves and the media’s role is to profile these women so that young people can look up to them for inspiration,” said Lesame. Sidwell Medupe Department of Trade and Industry