Unsung heroines made the world an oyster for SA women
Born-frees must never forget the Struggle and the sacrifice their mothers made to give them a better future
AS WE kicked off Women’s Month, we celebrated Dr Judy Dlamini’s appointment as the new chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand. She is among many women in the country who have challenged the status quo and have risen above the stereotypes of what a black woman can be and how far a woman can go when she is determined.
One feels proud when one sees a black woman at the top. It often feels like her success is also our success as women. If only the so-called born-frees could comprehend just how big the obstacles black women have had to overcome to get where they are today.
It is almost hard to believe that, not so long ago, the architects of apartheid had designed that a black woman’s place was limited to the kitchen in white suburbia, cooking and cleaning in exchange for meagre pay to feed their children.
Those considered to be academically gifted would attend training colleges to become teachers and nurses. There was no space for black women in the boardroom or in leadership positions.
Although we have made many strides as a nation, there has also been a lot of regression. There was a time when the rep- resentation of women in political leadership positions was unparalleled, but in the past 10 years we have seen a regression and a drop in the numbers in political leadership positions. The recent spat between the DA and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille was a painful reminder of the disregard women are subjected to daily in the political and corporate space and, sadly, even in society in general. The alarming report of domestic abuse in homes and the rise in the number of women murdered by their partners is clear evidence of the cancer in our society where women are seen as objects.
On August 1, there was a #TotalShutDown march by women against gender violence. Just like youth unemployment, gender-based violence against women in the country is a ticking time bomb because no society can thrive if it disregards and harms women who are major contributors to the economy. Most industries may still be male-dominated but women are still major players in our economy.
The same women that society looks down on are the ones who have raised the greatest leaders in our country. Many accomplished leaders in our different industries were raised by women employed as domestic workers.
We often hear people say that behind every great man is a great woman. And when you hear of how fondly Nelson Mandela spoke of his mother, who was completely illiterate, you realise the great impact women have in shaping the great men and women we have today.
I was born and raised in rural Transkei where most women were rural peasants who had never set foot in a classroom. I fondly remember their great respect for education, and all knew it would empower us to have more choices than they did.
My grandmother was a schoolteacher who was content with being a home economics teacher in rural Transkei, but she always encouraged us to take over the world.
Fortunately, gone are the days when women were only destined to only shape their children’s destinies and take care of their families. Today they can do that and carve their own path in life and build a name for themselves.
Women such as Dlamini have proven to us that the world is our oyster. There is nothing we cannot achieve that can be achieve by our male counterparts. There was a time in society in a bygone era when leadership in society was bestowed upon those with the greatest physical strength. Today those who are smart, creative and hard workers become leaders in society – and those qualities are not gender-based.
The women of 1956 will always occupy a significant niche in our country. Women were tired of lagging behind in the Struggle and had decided to take a stand. Women such as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Charlotte Makgomo Maxeke and Lilian Masediba Matabane Ngoyi were instrumental in obtaining the political freedom we enjoy today.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, we must draw inspiration from all the amazing women who are breaking new ground and reaching new heights in their various fields. But as we celebrate these women, we must never forget the many unsung heroines who selflessly sacrificed everything to ensure their children eat and go to school.
Most importantly, may we as women,who work hard in our occupations and make a positive difference daily, even when it goes unnoticed, celebrate ourselves even when no one else celebrates us.
Yolanda Mhlungu is a communications science student who runs her own branding and printing company.