Mar8 Sd2007

Women of Inspiration

The king's newspaper, The Swazi Observer, is very much like a bad winter cold which just keeps spreading germs around and around. March 8th marks International Women's Day but Saturday's Weekend Observer got off to an early start with Dumisa Dlamini's article entitled Femininity is a Magical Wand for Women. Clearly it is the epitome of irrational thinking but what can we expect from the king's cheer leading journalists? Welcome to 21st century misogyny.

Dlamini's "feminine" depiction of half the population reduces women to objects of desire, materialistic wretches and empty headed vain creatures. This magical "she" is a perverted alchemist's concoction combining a seductive Salome, a materialist Marie Antoinette and a power hungry Margaret Thatcher! Is the author describing the mother of the king, the wives of the king, women in politics?

Indlovukazi - "she elephant", mother of the king - lives in luxury and tosses bit and pieces to destitute children and the elderly. Yes, isn't it generous to give stationary to rural schools while students can't pay school fees?

Inkhosikati - the wives of the king - are often the "patron" of NGOs or Arts organizations but prefer their Cinderella privileged lives. Need they pray for the nation?

And then there are women in politics like Constance Simelane. As Minister of Education, this absurdly ignorant women warned junior high students about the consequences of premarital sex - "crooked penises" and "mutilated genitals" - rather than explain the very real consequences of HIV/Aids! Now as the Deputy Prime Minister, Simelane wants parents arrested if they encourage their children to speak English at home.

So where shall girls and young women find their role models as we celebrate Women's Day? The true heroines of Swaziland are the young and teenage girls who try to manage family households after their parents are deceased, the grandmothers who watched their children die as they continue to care for the grandchildren left behind, and the widows who take to the streets to demand respect from the parasitic Swazi government. These are the women of dignity whom we remember and celebrate - the courageous and the noble. We shall not forget La Fakudze.

Jan 8, 2006 Death of LaFakudze

Feb 19, 2007 Widows’ march shocks traditionalists

Mar 3, 2007 FEMINITY IS A MAGICAL WAND FOR WOMEN

Feb 22, 2007 Indlovukazi donates E10,000 ($2000) stationery to rural schools

Feb 21, 2007 Inkhosikati LaMbikiza made executrix

Feb 22, 2007 Arrest parents who insist on English at home - DPM

Feb 24, 2007 Royal Exploitation:150 girls strip naked at Prince’s home