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