EFF statement on International Women’s Day
8 March 2021
The EFF commemorates the International Women's Day that is celebrated as the global marker for recognizing the achievements of women. International Women's Day is a vital opportunity for the world to strengthen the quest of realising women's rights, equality and equity and participation of women in social, economic and political arenas void of discrimination, abuse and prejudice.
For the purposes and aspirations of commemorating this day, the Economic Freedom Fighters recognises that the growth of this historic day was made manifest from and by the unrelenting voices of labour movements and women activists. It is thus a focal point to note that the cushioning of misogyny, homophobia and transphobia are a reality rested upon the perpetuation of Capitalism, Patriarchy and Racism. It is these systems of oppression that must be unapologetically confronted and overcome in the interest of genuinely ushering total emancipation of women and in particular, Black women — who are subjected to the vicious reality of the continuous symptoms of Capitalism, Classism, Racism and Patriarchy.
It is a shameful reality that women in South Africa live in constant fear. The shame of the inability of women to walk freely, to travel safely using public and private transportation, to be safe from harm even in their homes is one that should hang on our shoulders as a society and the ruling party for failing to actualise safety and justice for gender-based violence and femicide victims. The tragic reality of the violence waged against women is so rife in South Africa that it comes as no shock when a woman gets shot and killed in cold blood by her husband inside Madeira Police Station in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. South Africa and the world at large remain fertile ground for the subjugation of women.
To this day, women remain the face of poverty and marginalization. In South Africa, women are still subjected to an increasing gendered wage gap where they earn 30% less than men in the same jobs and even in the same companies. This with no consequence.
It is immensely disappointing that President Cyril Ramaphosa could only declare a 40% goal by government in prospects to fund women-owned businesses when a 50% rate should have
been the minimum rate in an attempt to oscillate the gendered funding system and subsequently the bias in favour of men. With women making up to 80% of the work force in the agricultural sector, it is a disturbing reality that access to land and proceeds that come from land ownership are still not a reality for 90% of African women. To this effect, in our quest for expropriation of land without compensation, Black women should rightfully be centered in the process of having access to land under an EFF led government.
The EFF is in a permanent pursuit of being a protest movement and incoming government that will radically prioritise women in the benefits of economic emancipation; intentional education against patriarchy and sexism in the broader society, the family, places of work and education.
The establishment of the EFF GBV Desk is one of the efforts in this direction to ensure that no girl-child grows to being accustomed to the inescapable possibility of being the 1 in 3 of women to experience sexual abuse and that they are a lesser being undeserving of equality, justice and prosperity just because they were not born male.
The EFF calls for tangible efforts by governments across the globe to usher in complete emancipation and liberty for all kinds of Women in rural and township areas, in the work space, in political spaces and corporate, in the education arena, sex workers, women in the LGBTQI+ community, majority of primary caregivers of children, domestic workers and all women subjected to brutality and inequality just because they are women.
There must be legislative, economic, social and political actions by governments and society to destroy the status quo that renders women subservient beings.
Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 8 March 2021
