WOMEN ON FARMS
THIS year, as we celebrate Women’s Month, much more thought must be given to women who reside on farms.
Most women who reside or work on farms are living under inhumane and undesirable conditions. Their tenure is insecure.
According to a report by Wikigender, an online platform that shares information to advance gender equality, one of the most serious obstacles to increasing the agricultural productivity and income of rural women is their lack of security of tenure.
The report says that is in spite of the fact that female farmers are responsible for 60 to 80% of the food production in developing countries. This shows that, despite the obstacles, women are more than capable of making the world a better place for all.
In recognising the plight of farm dwellers, particularly women, the tenure implementation systems unit within the Gauteng Provincial Shared Service Centre of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform embarked on an Esta roadshow in Bronkhorstspruit in the Tshwane region.
The Extension of Security of Tenure Act (Esta) provides for security of tenure by regulating conditions of stay and occupation on farms by occupiers and further regulates conditions under which an occupier may be evicted. The roadshow informed farm dwellers in the neighbouring farms of their rights when faced with evictions. They were also given a toll-free number to call and told of the legal avenues that the department had made available to them if they were evicted.
I say a big up to the Esta for arming the government with a weapon to fight for the poor. Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo, uzokufa! (You have struck a woman, you have struck a rock, you are going to perish.)
Themba Mzula Hleko
ADAM Catwhatnot, we saw your apology letter for that blue skies video.
Not sure if you have “black friends” too, we didn’t read that far.
But we are sure that for whomever it was supposed to reach, it was not for us.
So, Mr racist guy, here is another weather forecast:
A whirlwind is whirling on the ground.
It is curling and carving the Greek sands into a blood-curdling monster.
Only white privilege on sight. This beast is growing by the day. And by the night, it spells hate. By dawn it hibernates with its dust particles slowly seeping into hearts, man.
Who could ever beat this?
Even the clouds are hiding.
Who could ever reap this?
Seeds sown into soil that birthed this monster are coiling danger. Look how far it has come?
Look how they carelessly let their racism slip.
Do you see how they forget to hide it behind their gates.
How their loathing of blacks has pierced through the confines of their braai areas and dining room tables over supper?
It is said to be in our perception. Some say it is inherited from conception.
Coloniser, we do not accept your apology.
Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
If anything has been put into that note, it’s too much thought and a recycled PR tool.
You say your video was thoughtless and insensitive.
We say you are sloppily racist and a fool.
What genius complains about traffic in a flight?
If there is not a single car in the air,
what sense does it make to trash talk a carburettor for its clumsiness?
“I have insulted many of my people,” you claim.
No. You didn’t insult a single one of them.
Your people were behind you in that video.
Your people are Penny Sparrow and Vicki Momberg.
Your people are in Orania, in Kleinfontein.
They too never see blacks and are as happy as you were.
Coloniser, stop lying.
How are you “proud to have lived in such a beautiful and diverse country” when your letter personifies a black person speaking in one language and thinking in another?
The letter says you are proud, but the video is on another frequency.
Frequently we do not seem to escape from this sickness.
We get it. Our background keeps taking us back to our happy place of pain.
We get it. We have been drifting apart.
We get it. This hate transcends continents apart.
So whenever they ask, we will tell them land expropriation is an insult to your forefathers’ thievery.
Adam Catwhatshisface, you say you have offended everyone who wants harmony in South Africa, including your family and friends.
Now, which part here should make us think your racism in an isolated case?
Which part should tell us your braai areas and dining room tables have never heard the words glide out of your mouth before?
Which part coloniser?
Is it the family of friends?
The truck your family has thrown you under will serve as a reminder to leave your racism at home.
Whichever part of the world you are in.
The word k **** r on your white lips is a tree falling in the forest.
The forest is your braai areas and dining room tables.
Your family and friends are other trees in this forest.
Adam Catwhatevergoeshere, we do not accept your apology. kashiefa.ajam@inl.co.za karishma.dipa@inl.co.za sheree.bega@inl.co.za rabbie.serumula@inl.co.za sameer.naik@inl.co.za shain.germaner@inl.co.za shaun.smillie@inl.co.za kgopi.mabotja@inl.co.za