The paper for the people? Then where are the women?

Last Sunday’s paper (February 25) had a budget special featuring six experts — all men — offering their take on South Africa’s fiscal future. We hunted high and low, but couldn’t find the balancing half-dozen opeds by any of South Africa’s many talented women budget analysts. Which left us stumped.

Because we’re convinced that the Paper for the People knows that the budget affects every citizen. Regardless of gender. And that you can’t exclude the majority gender from your budget coverage. Not without sending a singular message to women: that on matters of national importance, your voices don’t count.

This is important because women and men experience life differently. Women offer different perspectives, often deeply nuanced perspectives that deepen and broaden debates. With this, they enrich the media landscape.

Given South Africa’s difficult history with power and paternalism, this doesn’t sit comfortably with us. It smells much like the stereotype that women can’t do maths. We’d go so far as to say that it affects democratic process. It limits the lens through which audiences read about political economy and social development. And in an election year.

News matters. The Sunday Times positions its news as hard-hitting and relevant, especially about politics. As election news hots up, Quote This

Woman+ has this challenge for the Sunday Times news team: keep a tally of source demographics to mind your gender gap. This way, you can really make your stories matter.

And if you ignore this challenge, society is in for a dangerous situation. Right now, women’s voices are being left out of too many conversations. Most particularly, the ones that will best help us understand the critical choices we face if we’re to usher in a better tomorrow come election day.

Quote This Woman+ is a media and gender nonprofit that curates a database of more than 750 women+ experts who can talk on various aspects of news. Together, they’re helping create nuanced media narratives better reflecting all perspectives of society. We invite journalists to log in at www.quotethiswoman.org.za to access this database. And remind all media: we are here to help.

Kath Magrobi, Quote This Woman+, via e-mail

Response: The Sunday Times recognises the need to reflect diverse viewpoints on matters of importance which form part of the country’s many conversations. We agree that the inclusion of different views, from women as well as men, helps to nourish public debate and ensure that our society is an inclusive one benefiting all citizens. The lack of female commentary in our post-budget analysis last week was indeed an oversight we will endeavour to avert in the future. — Editor

Cash is king

Clearly what people are excited about as “democracy” is not anything like what those who gave the system to the world envisioned.

It was designed for an ideal world of people with integrity and a love for their people and country.

It has unfortunately come to a point where democracy is survival of the moneyed.

The outcomes of democratic processes such as elections depend entirely on the marketing capacity of the candidates involved.

Marketing costs money. Therefore, if you have no money you cannot market yourself, however capable you may be of running the affairs of a country. If you have no money you stand no chance to contest or win an election.

On the other hand, the moneyed can manipulate elections even from a distance, kill those seen to be disruptive and boost those who can advance their agendas. There can also be direct bribery of the electorate itself.

This makes a mockery of the democratic principle.

In South Africa the definition should read: “Government of political parties, by political parties, for political parties.”

From the very [birth] of the constitution the people were marginalised. They were cut out from making their contribution.

Standing for elections attracts all sorts of characters, but mostly those looking for income and [opportunities for] graft.

A substantial number of voters vote to see a favoured entity win elections, not to get efficient management of their affairs. Kenosi Mosalakae, Houghton

Putin’s useful idiot lapdogs

Yet again, Barney Mthombothi — “Glugging his vodka, Mbalula was loath to ask Putin about Navalny” (February 25) — has pulled no punches in his appraisal of the death of Alexei Navalny in a Siberian prison while the ANC secretary-general was in Russia, remaining silent over the opposition leader’s untimely passing.

Amazing how South Africa leapt to the defence of the hapless citizens of Gaza, taking Israel to the International Court of Justice at considerable cost, but could offer no word of concern or comment over Navalny’s death.

As Mthombothi states, the government and its kowtowing to President Putin is shameful.

We have said barely a word condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, instead fawning over the Russian leader as he continues his murderous campaigns.

Thank you, Barney Mthombothi, for your fine and fearless journalism. Would that those in power showed moral courage instead of uttering empty populist promises to gain votes.

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