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19 November 2024 Photo Supplied
Siyanda Magayana
Siyanda Magayana, Senior Officer: Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office, Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, University of the Free State.

Opinion article by Siyanda Magayana, Senior Officer: Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office, Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice, University of the Free State.


The growing unsafety of women in South Africa

 

As a woman living in South Africa, my daily routine is dictated by more than just work, social gatherings, or errands. It is also significantly dictated by fear; fear of, “will I make it home?”. As a result, I am not the dictator of my life; instead, the world around me shaped and dominated by men dictates how I must live. For instance, before I leave the house, I must make sure that my location is turned on, check in with at least two or more people, giving them details about where I am going, who I am meeting, and what I am wearing. This information serves as a distress signal in case something happens, as though my clothing, location, and/or companions should be catalogued in advance.

Again, as I move through public spaces, I must make sure to deliberately pass places with visible cameras, hoping they might deter anyone who sees me as prey, or at the very least, offer evidence if I were to disappear. In South Africa, and beyond, this is not a unique experience; it is the daily routine and reality for many women. We live on high alert, managing our fear as much as our lives. These steps are not taken out of paranoia but out of necessity, because in a world created for men, women must constantly adapt, shrinking themselves to fit within the boundaries of a system that refuses to protect them.

This is a terrifying reality that has become normal for so many. And the normalisation of such terror speaks to a much deeper global crisis. The world is becoming increasingly unsafe for women, and nowhere is this more apparent than in South Africa, where gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) have reached epidemic proportions, third-quarter crime statistics 2023/2024 report that, 851 women and 45 men were victims of rape while 137 women and 17 men were sexually assaulted . This is indicative of a global crisis on women’s safety and reality of violence. Subsequently, it reminds us that in world designed for men, women’s safety is not a guaranteed privilege; women are not safe in their homes, not safe walking the streets or in social media spaces.

The biggest question we ought to ask ourselves is why. Why, in an era of supposed progress and world-class continuation are women still subjected to such high levels of violence? Why should women continue to live in fear of their lives? Why, despite all the technological advancements and justice systems, does the world remain a battleground for women’s safety? The simple, yet complex, answer lies in a complex web of factors such as patriarchal norms, inadequate and ineffective legal and justice systems, and social complacency all of which allow violence to thrive. Therefore, we urgently need comprehensive solutions and efforts from all corners of society to address the scourge of violence in our society.

A shift in societal attitudes and norms

The fight against GBVF in South Africa is not just a social issue and law and enforcement issue. It is a phenomenon that requires addressing and shifting entrenched toxic norms and attitudes that perpetuate misogyny and entitlement over women. This fight, has over the years, shown us that we must look beyond the law; as a society, we ought to equally address the prevalent toxic cultural norms that perpetuate male entitlement and misogyny. We live in a society that still socialises and teaches men and boys to believe that they have dominion over women and objectify women’s bodies. This culture is similarly prevalent in all spheres of society, as result, we must invest in fostering a culture of consent education to shift toxic societal attitudes and norms. Institutions such as the media, and all other educational institutions, must likewise invest in a quest to reshape narratives that frequently blame victims and survivors of GBV.

Gaps in the legal and policing system

“Nearly 200 cops found to be perpetrators of GBV,” according to a report on the Domestic Violence Act and Police Station Census conducted between October 2023 and March 2024 . Additionally, the research discovered that “no police station was found to be fully compliant in terms of implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) across all nine provinces”. Additionally, 59 instances of non-compliance were documented, with Gauteng reporting one, the Western Cape 20 cases, North West 15 cases, and the Free State 23 cases  .GBV is a horrifying reality in the nation, where those who are meant to enforce the law — both individuals and institutions — fail to do so. It is depressing that the very institutions that are supposed to protect against domestic violence (DV) are plagued by significant levels of non-compliance when it comes to reporting cases of DV and offenders inside the system, in a nation that is already dealing with worrisome rates and incidents of GBV. This further illustrates the necessity for the government to do more than make empty promises. The people who are supposed to safeguard us frequently ignore a concerning pattern and culture of violence and non-compliance. For many people, the police and the organisations they are supposed to support, and safeguard have turned into re-traumatising sites. Therefore, laws by themselves are insufficient if they are not upheld or supported by effective and compassionate law enforcement.

16 Days of Activism 2024

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days Campaign) is a United Nations campaign which takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).


Other articles by Magayana

 

Harsh reality of revenge pornography: Time to take a stand against it

Opinion: Uganda’s anti-homosexual legislation erases and silences LGBTQ+ bodies and voices in African communities

How A Focus on Sexual Consent Can Create Safer University Spaces

Opinion: Gender-neutral language and titles can help create a more equitable playing field

News Archive

Guidelines for diminishing the possible impact of power interruptions on academic activities at the UFS
2008-01-31

The Executive Management of the UFS resolved to attempt to manage the possible impact of power interruptions on teaching and learning proactively. Our greatest challenge is to adapt to what we cannot control at present and, as far as possible, refrain from compromising the quality of teaching and learning at the UFS.

First the following realities are important:

  • There is no clarity regarding the period of disruption. It is possible that it may last for a few months to approximately five years.
  • At present Eskom (as well as Centlec) is not giving any guarantees that the scheduled interruptions will be adhered to. It comes down to this that the power supply may be interrupted without notice, but can also be switched back on in an unpredictable manner.
  • Certain scheduled teaching-learning activities/classes, etc. may (initially) be affected very negatively, as the UFS is working according to a scheduled weekly module timetable at present.
  • During the day certain venues with natural lighting and ventilation may remain suitable for contact sessions, while towards evening venues will no longer be suitable for the presentation of classes.
  • Lecturers will have to fall back on tried and tested presentation methods not linked to electricity, without neglecting innovative technology-linked presentation methods, or will have to schedule alternative teaching-learning activities for lost teaching-learning time.

Against the background of the above-mentioned realities, we secondly request you to comply with the following guidelines as far as possible:

  1.  In addition to your module work programme, develop an alternative programme (which can, for example, among others, consist of additional lectures or a more rapid work rate) in which provision is made for a loss of at least two weeks’ class/contact time during the semester. Consult Centlec’s schedule of foreseen power interruptions for this planning.
  2. Should it appear that your class(es) will probably be disrupted seriously by the scheduled power interruptions, you should contact your dean for possible rescheduling of your timeslot and a supplementary timetable. A prescheduled supplementary timetable for Friday afternoons and Saturdays and/or other suitable times will be compiled for this purpose in co-operation with faculties.
  3. The principle of equivalent educational treatment of day and evening lectures must be maintained at all times. Great sensitivity must be shown by, for instance, not only rescheduling the lectures of evening students - given specifically the sensitivity regarding language and the distribution of day and evening lectures.
  4. In the case of full-time undergraduate courses, no lectures should be cancelled beforehand, even when a power interruption is announced, as power interruptions sometimes do not take place or are of shorter duration than announced. If the power supply is interrupted, it should not be accepted that it will remain off and that subsequent lectures will not take place. Should a power interruption occur in a venue, lecturers and students must wait for at least ten minutes before the lecture is cancelled. Should natural lighting and ventilation make it possible to continue with the lecture, it should be done.
  5. Our point of departure is that no student must be able to use the power interruptions and non-presentation/cancellation of lectures as an argument for having failed modules, for poor academic performance or to negotiate for a change of examination scheduling.

Thirdly we wish to make suggestions regarding teaching and learning strategies (which can be especially useful in case of a power interruption).

  • Emphasise a greater measure of self-activity (self-initiative) on the part of students in this unpredictable environment right from the start.
  • Also emphasise the completion of assessment assignments in good time, so that students cannot use power interruptions as an excuse for late submission. Flexibility will, however, have to be maintained.
  • Place your PowerPoint presentations and any other supplementary learning materials on the web.
  • Use the opportunity to stimulate buzz groups, group work, panel discussions and peer evaluation.

Please also feel free to consult Dr Saretha Brussow, Head: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Division at the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development, about alternative teaching, learning and assessment strategies. Phone extension x2448 or send an email to sbrussow.rd@ufs.ac.za .

Thank you for your friendly co-operation!

Prof. D. Hay
 

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