Toward a South African women's movement WOMEN UNITE

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go to meetings and the women stay home. freedom Many of the women in the ANC Also, I think in many organizations like women's league used to say that gays and the civic movement and the neighborhood lesbians are the result of capitalism and movement, the majority of members are apartheid, and once apartheid is destroyed women, as is the case in the unemployed South there will be no more gays or lesbians. So and cooperative movements. there is a real conservatism concerning In the church the women are also the these issues. bulk of the membership. Overall, women Question: What is the situation as far in this country have played an important as maternity and contraception are conand major role in building organizations freedom and in the struggle for a new South Africa. MA: There are two problems with conQuestion: There are in this country traception in this country. The biggest two different types of division: the problem emerged at the beginning of the apartheid division into racial groups and the Nomen 1980s, when the National Party governdivision between social groups. ment tried to enforce the use of How have these two lines of division Tresdom contraception because they claimed that affected the possibility of building a gen- there was a population explosion. But the uine grassroots feminist movement, Workers communities saw this as an attempt by the feminist consciousness, and women's white apartheid government to suppress the mobilizations? number of Black people in this country.

MA: Firstly, because of the legacy of It was seen like this partly as a result of apartheid and of tradition, you find that how it was done. They were encouraging many Black working-class women from the whites to have three or four children but townships have very few of the skills or women, we will not have a real feminist supposed to fight against their oppressor, they were saying that Blacks must use coneducation of their white and middle-class movement in this country or a movement what is the level of violence against traception, and this marred the whole women counterparts. that is going to be able to speak about the political conception of what contraception Therefore, in many of the organizations interests of working class women. MA: It's extremely high. Even some can actually mean for a woman—the freethe debates around gender issues do not take We will have a petty-bourgeois feminist men who are members of political organi- dom that she can have, etc. place at the grassroots level, because peo- movement that will highlight irrelevant zations beat up their wives. There isn't the So there are many problems, and I don't ple have not been exposed to these consciousness that we are equals, that there think that political organizations or femiquestions. The idea of a discussion around So, we will have to grapple with this. shouldn't be an abuse of power against nists have done enough to politicize the sexism is difficult. We don't yet know how to do it. Many of someone who is physically weaker. whole issue of contraception.

I find this in my own work. It will take us political activists have neglected these Women are used vithin political organi- What we have done is to highlight some a long time to be able to say to women issues and have instead built political orga- zations, and are victims of sexual abuse in of the ways in which contraception has that they have a different role in society. nizations at the expense of building a trade unions. Some trade-union tops will been used in this country. A woman would We need to find a mechanism to take these women's movement in this country. try to sleep with all the women. There is a go into a hospital to have a baby, and debates to ordinary women. Opinion: What are the specific con- lot of that type of sexual abuse. without any consultation or permission An example is the big gender conference cerns of young Black women involved in Rape has become a major problem. they would give her injections and a bysthat was organized in mid-1991. Invited social struggles? Statistics show that there is a rape in our terectomy. This was done in many were feminist academics, and activists in MA: There are a number of issues that communities and in our cities every 20 hospitals, and people would only discover political and other organizations, some are coming to the fore. One of them is the minutes. Women cannot think of taking afterwards what had happened. grassroots women as well as some interna- concern that women often make up the trains at night alone. We cannot walk in So, we have tried to highlight these tional guests. bulk of the membership of organizations our cities or streets by ourselves. wrongs of the system and to educate people At this conference, 80 percent of the but that they are not in the leadership. The level of violence and incest is very about this and explain their rights to them. women were either white intellectuals or There is also a desire to understand poli- high. I think that the sociological explana- But we have not done enough to raise the middle-class coloreds or Indians. Ten per- tics. Women have often been pushed to tion probably has something to do with importance of what contraception can do cent were women from political sing songs and shout slogans without real- rapid urbanization and the breakup of rural for women in terms of economic indepenorganizations, and there was a small per- ly understanding the political issues. In our communities and the inability to cope with dence, social independence, and so on. I centage of women from grassroots own organization there is the desire to set think we have to do a lot more of that kind organizations. up study groups and debate the political Incest is on the rise, which is an unusual All these academics had papers to pre- issues raised by the feminist movement phenomenon for so-called African families In many rural communities, contracepsent. By the second day, the 20 percent of internationally. where the family, children and the extended tion is taboo. So, I think that women have activists who were Black women and rural There is also a demand for a different family are very important, which is disinte- not woken up to the fact that their lives women stopped the conference. They said approach to education. People want to go grating. We will have to deal with these can be dramatically changed if they consider "we are sick and tired of you academics and to school, to educate themselves. problems but I am not sure exactly how. the available options. Also, the kinds of white feminists coming to give papers on So, people want all the things in the Question: Concerning this violence, contraception that are given to women, parus, Black women. You do research on new South Africa that have been previous- are there any state structures or proposals ticularly working-class women, have Black women in rural areas, Black women ly denied to them. They want the fruits of in the political or mass organizations to set always been the cheapest. in the factories, but you never taught us their struggle, to go to school, to have up centers where battered women can go? These women have always been used as the skills to do this. MA: Slowly, such centers are being guinea pigs, and they have never been "You never taught us the skills to talk There isn't a specific issue of what formed. They include groups like "rape cri- given education or options to choose this about our own lives, to control our own women want as women except the question sis", "lifeline," and "childline," as well as or that method. lives. You want to write on our backs and of violence against women. In 1991, there centers for battered women. But very few Maternity benefits are still a big problem often it is not even to make a contribution were many protests against this violence women actually go to such centers. I know in this country. Legally, the situation is to our liberation but to make a contribu- and women are saying that this is a politi- of a comrade whose husband is also a polit- that a woman can take three-months matertion to your academic qualifications and we cal issue and that they want greater safety. ical activist. Every weekend she is beaten. nity leave, and the state will pay 40 percent object to that" • So they stopped the conter- There is also a very strong anti-labola She has a broken nose, a broken arm. and the employer a small amount. So there feeling. Labola is the traditional way of It is difficult to intervene even though isn't full-pay compensation when women That was the start of a revolt against the buying a bride-an arranged marriage we treat it as a political issue. It is difficult go on maternity [leave]. There is therefore circles that make decisions and carry out between two families. Women are saying to know what to do because the next week no proper maternity law. the debates around working women. So the that they do not want to be bought and sold they are together again. Very few working- Some unions have won certain benefits, point I am making is that unless we politi- like cattle. Working women in the trade class women actually go to these centers. It including SACCU, which has won good cos find a new vehicle to take some of unions have taken up this question. is mostly students or petty-bourgeois maternity benefits. They have six months these issues to rural and working-class Opinion: In a country where people are women who go. of maternity benefits fully paid by the Roger Meintje issues.

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uth African "Another example is the teachers union, where 70 percent of the membership are women but very few are represented in the MEN EUNITE freedom sen fon Sout h freedom women VITEL •yesdom supposed to fight against their oppressor, what is the level of violence against women?

MA: It's extremely high. Even some men who are members of political organizations beat up their wives. There isn't the consciousness that we are equals, that there shouldn't be an abuse of power against someone who is physically weaker.

Women are used vithin political organizations, and are victims of sexual abuse in trade unions. Some trade-union tops will try to sleep with all the women. There is a lot of that type of sexual abuse.

Rape has become a major problem. Statistics show that there is a rape in our communities and in our cities every 20 minutes. Women cannot think of taking trains at night alone. We cannot walk in our cities or streets by ourselves.

The level of violence and incest is very high. I think that the sociological explanation probably has something to do with rapid urbanization and the breakup of rural communities and the inability to cope with society.

Incest is on the rise, which is an unusual phenomenon for so-called African families where the family, children and the extended family are very important, which is disintegrating. We will have to deal with these problems but I am not sure exactly how.

Question: Concerning this violence, are there any state structures or proposals in the political or mass organizations to set up centers where battered women can go?

The working women see it as part of their lives, and even if they fight back, there isn't a political consciousness about it. Another example is that in many of our communities it is still the case that, if a woman marries the chief, he is allowed to have three or four more wives, and she must accept that. This is part of the tradition and culture not only amongst Muslims but amongst Zulus as well.

Over the last two years, a gay and lesbian movement has emerged. In 1990, there was a march in Johannesburg, but most of those marching wore a bag over their head because it is against the law in this society to be gay. And to be gay in an African township is even worse because it is seen as being sick.

Many of the women in the ANC women's league used to say that gays and lesbians are the result of capitalism and apartheid, and once apartheid is destroyed there will be no more gays or lesbians. So there is a real conservatism concerning these issues.

Question: What is the situation as far as maternity and contraception are concemed?

MA: There are two problems with contraception in this country. The biggest problem emerged at the beginning of the 1980s, when the National Party government tried to enforce the use of contraception because they claimed that there was a population explosion. But the communities saw this as an attempt by the white apartheid government to suppress the number of Black people in this country.

It was seen like this partly as a result of how it was done. They were encouraging whites to have three or four children but they were saying that Blacks must use contraception, and this marred the whole political conception of what contraception can actually mean for a woman-the freedom that she can have, etc.

So there are many problems, and I don't think that political organizations or feminists have done enough to politicize the whole issue of contraception.

What we have done is to highlight some of the ways in which contraception has been used in this country. A woman would go into a hospital to have a baby, and without any consultation or permission they would give her injections and a hysterectomy. This was done in many hospitals, and people would only discover afterwards what had happened.

So, we have tried to highlight these wrongs of the system and to educate people about this and explain their rights to them.

But we have not done enough to raise the importance of what contraception can do for women in terms of economic independence, social independence, and so on. I think we have to do a lot more of that kind of work.

In many rural communities, contraception is taboo. So, I think that women have not woken up to the fact that their lives can be dramatically changed if they consider the available options. Also, the kinds of contraception that are given to women, particularly working-class women, have always been the cheapest.

These women have always been used as employer and guaranteed jobs from the employers when they can return to work.They have also won the right to take their children to health clinics once a month. So some unions have very good benefits and others have not.

A large section of the workforce, such as domestic workers, who make up a large section of the workforce in this country, and farm workers, have none of these rights.

Question: What can women expect from the radical changes underway in South Africa?

MA: Like the rest of the population, they can expect nothing. An alliance has been set up in this country between the ANC women and women from the National Party, and they have invited other sectors of organized women to participate in this alliance.

But it is a mixed bag, going from the woman editor of Cosmopolitan magazine to executive-forum business women, to women from some political organizations. I cannot see that any gains for working people will come out of such an alliance. And this alliance is allegedly to discuss constitutional changes.

The bulk of working-class women are not really concerned about this because it is never discussed in their communities adequately. So, I doubt there will be any major changes for women. One new thing is that they have changed legislation for women. Women are no longer seen as minors.

Previously, women could not open accounts or sign checks without the consent of their husbands. Women can now act economically independently.

But I think that this is more because they needed to extend their market than because they believe that women are capable. So, I can't see any major changes coming for women.

Question: What kind of international solidarity is needed between the feminist movement in South Africa and the feminist movement in Europe?

MA: I think that we should establish links but that they should be links based on equality where we can leam from each other. The European feminist movement mustn't believe that we have to import their brand of feminism into this country or into any other Third World country.

Here we have a completely different social and cultural setting, with different traditions. So, they have got to learn from us and we from them.

I think they have gone through many years of struggling to build a feminist movement in their countries, and perhaps they should begin to draw a balance sheet of their movement before coming to tell us what to do.

We realize that the feminist movement in our country is very young. At the same time, many of the women activists are clear that they do not want to import bourleadership."

geois feminism into our struggle.

Insofar as we can learn from the international and European community, I think it will be good. Maybe it will take a long time, but we are going to build an indigenous brand of working women's politics in this country. I think that is our task.

There are lots of skills that we may need, but I think that it must be on an equal basis and not an unequal big sister-little sister relationship.

I also think that the women in this country have a rich history of mobilization and struggle that surpasses any experiences in the "First World" [advanced capitalist coun tries].

So I think that when we do get our act together, it will be a powerful feminist I also think that there are lots of things we can learn from similar communities in Asia, as well as from women in the Latin American countries.