Portrayal of Female politicians in the South African media

“It’s fashionable for females to be in leadership; we are beginning to see it as a normal thing here,” said the founding executive director of Gender Links, who also was the founding chief executive officer of the South African Commission on Gender Equality. - See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf

“It’s fashionable for females to be in leadership; we are beginning to see it as a normal thing here,” said the founding executive director of Gender Links, who also was the founding chief executive officer of the South African Commission on Gender Equality. - See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf

“In South Africa there now is a culture of ‘zero tolerance’ for not having women at the table. Someone will always ask the question, ‘Where are the women?’"
- See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf

Women in politics have received the same kind of  criticism and bullying as their International counterparts and this has also been the same in South Africa.

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In South Africa ,there are more than fifty women who are involved in politics of the country and these include Hellen Zille ,Lindiwe Mazibuko and Mamphela Ramphele among others.


 Mamphela Ramphele and Helen Zille have together presided over one of the most embarrassing political fiascos in recent South African history. Mamphela Ramphele has emerged far worse from the spat, being depicted as untrustworthy, selfish, and fickle in the media. Ramphele’s apparent egotism, sexual history, and age have all been deemed relevant to analyses of her political career. The prurient focus on the kiss between the two women at the press conference announcing the launch, drew attention away from a serious (attempted) shift in the South African political landscape.

 On social media she has been repeatedly referred to as a “gogo” (grandmother), and in the wake of the most recent debacle, as a “confused old lady”.

Women are subjected to  bullying in parliament, and being patronised and ignored by male colleagues, to threats of violence and rape.In the  African political discourse, while often brutal and sometimes puerile across the board, does not treat men and women the same way. This is evident in the negative attention paid to the physical appearance of figures like DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko. It is evident in the routine sexualising of female politicians; to take just one example, the comments of erstwhile ANC Youth League leaders Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu in 2009 suggesting that Helen Zille had stocked her Cabinet with “boyfriends and concubines”. It is evident in the fact that the word “girl” is often used to describe female politicians who have very definitely arrived at adulthood .The opposition in South Africa’s National Assembly, commented that much of the criticism of her appearance is “designed to make [her] feel small” – to remind her that women have no right to occupy the public sphere.

 HOWEVER

 Some critics  like McKaiser have argued that the accusation that women who challenge the status quo are “angry” or too “emotional” to debate rationally is another form of silencing and they need to be angry in public.


.According to  Aili Mari Tripp, Africa is a leader in women’s parliamentary representation globally. African countries have some of the world’s highest rates of representation:


The founding  executive director of Gender Links who also was the founding  CEO of the South African Commission on Gender Links,Collen Lowe Morna argues that its fashionable for females to be in leadership and she is finding it a normal thing. When she talks about what is 'fashionable' in South Africa ,her topic is women politicians -not their clothing.  A fact that is there in consideration to female politicians many women occupy exceptionally powerful positions within the political system.This shows that S.Africa has got 'zero tolerance' for not having female politicians at table.It also shows that female politicians in S.Africa are much more influential and participative in the public sphere as compared to female politicians in Zimbabwe.

When Colleen Lowe Morna talks about what’s “fashionable” in South Africa, her topic is women politicians -– not their clothing. - See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf

“In South Africa there now is a culture of ‘zero tolerance’ for not having women at the table. Someone will always ask the question, ‘Where are the women?’" - See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf

“It’s fashionable for females to be in leadership; we are beginning to see it as a normal thing here,” said the founding executive director of Gender Links, who also was the founding chief executive officer of the South African Commission on Gender Equality. - See more at: http://www.mott.org/news/news/2009/genderlinks.aspx#sthash.WKQp7ERX.dpuf