2 days ago
Women rising against patriarchy's silent saboteurs
South Africa stands as a testament to women's resilience and leadership. We honour the legacy of Winnie Mandela, among others as heroines of our liberation struggle.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
'Fundamental to patriarchy is the invisibility of women, the unreal nature of women's experience, the absence of women as a force to be reckoned with.' — Dale Spender, Women of Ideas and What Men Have Done to Them
IN her essay Patriarchy and Women's Subordination: A Theoretical Analysis, Abeda Sultana observes that women today occupy positions of power and have made notable gains in various spheres.
Yet, she argues, this progress does not alter the fundamental reality: the system remains male-dominated. Women are often accommodated rather than empowered — permitted entry, but not granted equal authority. At the heart of this imbalance, Sultana identifies patriarchy as the primary barrier to women's true advancement. Despite variations in its expression, the core principle persists: men remain in control.
While patriarchy undeniably obstructs women's ascent to leadership and influence, a troubling irony emerges: the system often finds its most effective allies among women themselves. As Anna Mokgokong compellingly argues in her piece Women Are Their Own Worst Enemies, women frequently fail to support one another. There is a disturbing pattern of mutual distrust, jealousy, and competition — a dynamic that undermines collective progress.
This phenomenon is vividly illustrated in Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, where he recounts the 'crab bucket' analogy: when one crab tries to escape, the others pull it back down. Similarly, when a woman rises, others — conditioned by internalised patriarchy — may unconsciously conspire to bring her down. This 'pull her down' syndrome reflects deep-seated insecurities fostered by a system that pits women against each other for limited spaces at the table.
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As Judith Butler writes in Precarious Life: The Powers of Mourning and Violence, 'We're undone by each other. And if we're not, we're missing something.' Solidarity is not optional; it is essential. If women are to dismantle patriarchal dominance, they must embrace the empowering mantra: 'If it is to be, it is up to us.'
Consider this powerful observation from a social media post I once read: 'If wealth were the
inevitable result of hard work and enterprise, every woman in Africa would be a millionaire.'
How true. For generations, African women have shouldered the dual burden of labour and caregiving — working the fields, raising children, sustaining families — yet were systematically denied access to land, property, capital, and secure employment. Their contributions were rendered invisible, their potential stifled. Recall that in the 1950s and '60s, single women teachers in many African countries were dismissed from their jobs if they became pregnant. These were not isolated injustices, but part of a broader architecture of oppression.
Yet, from this crucible emerged resilience. Women of the 1960s and '70s, forged in adversity, created self-help mechanisms like stokvels, lifting themselves through collective effort. They understood a hard truth: 'Women, you were on your own.'
In his article, Adam Minus (with Affiong L Affiong), poses a critical question: 'What have women not yet acquired, recognised, or claimed that would bring them to the table of power?' He highlights the glaring invisibility of women in African politics and public life. Despite their numbers, women often appear passive—unwilling or unable to leverage their collective strength. The result? A self-reinforcing cycle: men lead, women follow; men speak, women listen; men decide, women react.
Affiong asks: When will the dancing stop and the discussion begin?
When will praise-singing give way to negotiation?
When will catering make room for conversation?
These symbolic acts, women dancing to welcome male leaders at airports, must evolve into meaningful participation. The question remains: Can women stop playing on men's terms and begin charting their own path? Will they build autonomous political constituencies, redefine the rules of engagement, and demand power rather than beg for it?
There is inspiration to be drawn from history. Frantz Fanon, in The Wretched of the Earth, describes how, during Algeria's liberation struggle, women transformed their societal roles. No longer seen as mere complements to men, they forged new identities through courage and sacrifice. They redefined gender relations through action and agency, a powerful lesson in self-determination.
Globally, scholars offer both caution and hope. Francis Fukuyama, in Women and the Evolution of World Politics, suggests that while male tendencies toward dominance and aggression are deeply rooted, they can be redirected. He envisions a future — by mid-21st century — where ageing, affluent democracies in Europe and the US will see more women in leadership roles, driven by demographic and educational shifts.
Hanna Rosin's The End of Men echoes this: not that men are disappearing, but that male dominance is waning, particularly in economies that reward communication, education, and adaptability — areas where women are increasingly excelling. Yet, as Ralph Richard Banks cautions, this shift is not uniform. In many developing regions, economic parity remains distant. Still, to deny the global strides women have made would be disingenuous.
South Africa stands as a testament to women's resilience and leadership. We honour the legacy of Dr Margaret Mncadi, Victoria Mxenge, Zondeni Sobukwe, Winnie Mothopeng, Dorothy Nyembe, Philda Shange, Lilian Ngoyi, Winnie Mandela, and Helen Joseph — heroines of our liberation struggle. We celebrate global icons such as Miriam Makeba, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Their courage reminds us that we can — and must — produce more.
I write not as a detached observer, but as someone shaped by the strength of women. I was once a boy who watched in awe as my mother navigated hardship with grace and power. I am now a husband who knows that there can be no true struggle between men and women — only a shared struggle for humanity. The real battle is not man versus woman, but humanity versus inequality.
The path forward demands solidarity, self-belief, and sisterhood. Women must stop pulling each other down. We must lift each other up. For when women rise together, the world rises with them.
* Dr Vusi Shongwe works in the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal and writes in his personal capacity.
** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
