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Indeed there are strides, though slow and painful, towards changing
the power relations between women and men, but there is still
a “long walk” to gender equality.
Colonialism, Apartheid and Partriarchy
Colonialism brought in its trail patriarchy, the system of domination
of women by men at all levels of society based on the socially
constructed notions of gender, gender roles and gender relations.
That patriarchy interfaced with the indigenous version and was
used to benefit apartheid. Therefore apartheid, race, gender and
class oppression were combined to form an intricate system of
oppression. Black working class and rural women bore the harshest
brunt of exploitation and oppression. They suffered “the triple
oppression” – exploited as a class, oppressed as a national group
and dominated as women.
The combination of colonial and indigenous women’s oppression
denied women basic social and economic rights beginning within
the family and permeating throughout all spheres of life in society.
The institutionalisation of racism and sexism meant that, amongst
others, black women were barred from living in cities, owning land,
accessing family planning, inheriting, borrowing money or participating
in political and economic activity. The system of women’s
domination and control was reinforced by widespread abuse of and
violence against women, both within and outside the family.
The Legacy of Apartheid
8
The following statistics provide a stark illustration of the legacy of
apartheid where black working class women, particularly in rural
areas, continue to bear the greatest burden of poverty and inequality.
According to the 1996 Census results, South Africa has a population
of 40.56 million. Of these, 77% are African, 11% are white,
9% are coloured and three percent Asian or Indian. 48.1% are
male and 51.9% female.