Imagine a political party without a manifesto rising to become South Africa’s third-largest in just a few months, securing over one million votes. The meteoric rise of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) is a recent example, following in the footsteps of predecessors like the Congress of the People (COPE) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Despite women being the main organisers on the ground, possessing formidable mobilisation prowess, women’s movements with real decision-making power remain conspicuously absent. Why haven’t women organised similarly to articulate their lived experiences in parliament?
Refilwe Matenche President & Founder: African Women’s Movement (AWM)
Women’s mobilisation from the 1954 march to contemporary political challenges in South Africa
Nowhere in South African history have we seen the power of women to mobilise for a cause more vividly than during the Women’s March in 1954. This was an era before social media and with limited access to telephones, making it significantly harder to mobilise people. Yet approximately 20 000 women defied these odds to stand against unjust pass laws.
The legacy of the 1954 Women’s March resonates today as a testament to women’s collective power in effecting social change. The bravery and determination of those women who marched, facing arrest, violence, and the contempt of a patriarchal society, should stir a deep sense of indignation. They fought not just against a specific law but against a system that denied them fundamental rights. Their courage and sacrifice laid the groundwork for future generations to continue the struggle for equality and justice.
However, despite significant strides in legislative reform since then, the promise of full equality remains unfulfilled. Women continue to face systemic barriers in achieving political and economic parity.
The aforementioned political parties, born from dissent within the African National Congress (ANC), gained prominence within a short period. Yet, female representation in South Africa’s political landscape remains starkly inadequate. The 2024 elections highlighted a distressing absence of women in presidential candidacy across major parties, perpetuating a narrative that women are unfit to lead or lack the support needed to compete on an equal footing. This disparity is exacerbated by a lack of comprehensive policies and systems addressing critical issues such as gender-based violence (GBV) and an ineffective child maintenance court system. Moreover, the investment in the proper functioning of government institutions such as the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) and the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities (DWYPD) remains woefully inadequate.
Call to action
It is time for women to channel their energy into a renewed push for change. The legacy of the Women’s March demands nothing less than a commitment to dismantling the barriers that hinder women’s progress and ensuring that their voices are not just heard but heeded in the corridors of power such as in parliament and key portfolios of cabinet.
Women must harness their historical and contemporary mobilisation prowess to unify and advocate for substantive political change that serves them. The Women’s March serves as a powerful reminder of what collective action can achieve, even in the face of adversity.
As we commemorate Women’s Day in August, let us renew our commitment to organising and mobilising for gender equity.
