Women again at forefront though enemy has changed from apartheid to Covid-19
While the women of 1956 could see their enemy and confronted it, in 2020 we are facing a different vicious beast altogether. And although this one sees neither race nor gender, once again it is mostly women at the forefront of the fight against Covid19.
This was the speech delivered by sport, recreation, arts & culture MEC Fezeka Nkomonye on behalf of premier Oscar Mabuyane at a Women’s Day event on Monday.
The event at the Trinity Methodist Church in East London was organised by the Covid-19 Community Support Group, which has more than 100,000 members online.
Delivering the keynote address, Nkomonye announced that 1,137 health workers had died from Covid-19 complications, saying “like the soldiers that they were, they died with their boots on”.
She described the apartheid system as a “repugnant, vile, racist, unjust and a crime against humanity”, adding women had played a crucial role in bringing it to its knees by “keeping the fires burning” while some male leaders were in prison or in exile.
“Fast forward 64 years later and we are fighting a different enemy, an invisible enemy that does not see race, colour or class. That enemy is Covid-19.
“This is a vicious enemy and women are mostly at the forefront of fighting it. This is effectively a war against humanity and we cannot afford to lose it,” she said.
Nkomonye said there was hope in the fight against Covid19, and the province had a 90% recovery rate.
She described the establishment of the Covid-19 Community Support Group as “God’s intervention”.
“We are not surprised it took a woman to come up with such a brilliant and essential initiative which has ensured that Covid19 patients do not walk the journey to recovery alone.”
The group, formed by Covid19 survivor Nontozamo Xozwa, offers members psychosocial support and a place to share their experiences of dealing with the virus.
Nkomonye said the premier wanted the support group to work with his office and share Covid-19 stories with the public.
“We still have people out there who think this virus is a joke, even though we are losing people to it.
“There are some who are hiding [and] suffering in silence because of the stigma associated with the virus in some of our communities.”
Xozwa said the group had helped many people.
“Our support group aims to strengthen the ability of community members to support their families and neighbours by disseminating key messages on how to cope with the Covid19 pandemic.”
The group provides information from the World Health Organisation and the national command centre, she said.
“Our core objective is to share information and provide a safe space where affected communities can be supported.”
Turning her attention to gender-based violence and femicide, Nkomonye called on South Africans to work together to rid society of the scourge.
“The way we have come together and fought the coronavirus is the same way we must tackle gender-based violence. It is time for each and every man to change their behaviour and become activists for a woman-abuse-free society.”