The South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA) has called on women in Africa to start believing themselves to be competent enough to take up leadership positions and support women-led political parties.
Speaking recently at The Star’s Political Dialogue held at the Joburg Theatre, SARA president Colleen Makhubela said she had found campaigning for her party as a woman to be very difficult.
Makhubela said this was due to the fact that media coverage was a problem that many women-led political parties had to keep fighting against when they launched their manifestos or held events.
“We had a manifesto launch recently and there was no coverage except for the SABC. While, on the other hand, you get a male-led party having a manifesto launch with 1 000 people, and we won’t rest for the whole day ‒ whether it is eNews ... ENCA,, it will be flighted.
“Women-led parties are not covered that well, whether it is online or not, so those are some of the things we are encountering. So if I don't get the media coverage that Rise, Bosa, ANC, ActionSA or any other party is getting, how will people get to know about SARA ‒ and other new parties which do not have the resources to cover much ground?”
Makhubela said this issue spanned many areas, especially in African politics, as in most cases funding was given to only male-led parties, and ‒ worst of all ‒ even women choose men for leadership, and not their own.
“What I am finding with women is that you have nominations for leadership, women nominate men. Even if you put them in the room and say we need a leader to chair this, they will be the ones who nominate men, and I always have to fight that.”
She added: “I don’t know how many times women must be told the table is here, pick a seat and if you don't pick a seat, then reserve the high table, but don’t sit and complain.”
This stigma, however, is not just reserved for one province but for the general country, as Makhubela detailed that in most cases women have a lot more explaining to do, and perhaps this spoke to a need to invest more confidence in women in leadership.
Saturday Star