Please Make It Stop!

August and September are significant months in South Africa with August focusing on women and September focusing on heritage. Due to our history there is a need to remind people of the role that women played during the struggle times as well as to acknowledge and show appreciation for the different cultures that make up the nation. Both initiatives are noble and should fill the country with a collective sense of pride of about who we are as a people and how far we have come. Sadly, this is not the case. Instead they have become about yet another public holiday and at most what people look forward to is time off work or school. Perhaps some people do not know the history of these dates.

24th September was previously known as Shaka Day and used to commemorate one of the great warriors of our country. The change to Heritage Day was deliberate, to avoid upholding one group of people over another but to rather bring to attention the beautiful diversity of the people in South Africa. By acknowledging Heritage Day we acknowledge the significance of all groups and appreciate the tone and colour they add to this tapestry. Each people group is acknowledged as a significant and valuable part of the ‘rainbow nation’. This has meant not just focusing on the Zulu nation (as per the original purpose for the day) or merely focusing on black South African heritage (as many people seem to believe) but to see ALL of the people of the nation. It is a day, if used properly, where people celebrate their differences and see each other for who they really are.

When you see and acknowledge a person’s history, you see and acknowledge their journey and ultimately you see and acknowledge them. That is all that people really want, to be seen and acknowledged. Unfortunately, over time the day seems to have regressed to a contest along colour lines. Popular perception seems to be that only the African heritage is acknowledged forgetting that South Africa is not just made up of people of African descent but also of people of European, Indian, Chinese descent. And that deep down we all want the same thing – See Me, Hear Me, Acknowledge Me.

On the 9th of August 1956, the Federation of South African Women organised a march against amendments to the apartheid laws. It is reported that over twenty thousand women were present at the march. Now this may seem like nothing in a country that is used to protest but a few factors made this protect march significant and noteworthy.

Firstly, it was organised and attended by women. That on, its own, was significant considering the position women held in society those days. At a time where women were expected to play a supporting role they took the lead. The existence of the federation was an indication of their bravery and initiating the march an indication of their resilience. This protest was a show of defiance to the current rule of law, as act that could have ended badly for many of them. It also took great organising skills to put together an event of such magnitude at a time where communication was basically by word of mouth. This was a time before social media, before the internet, before cell phones and before emails. It was a time before home phones for many. And yet they made it work.

This event was not without risk. Anyone who has ever been part of a protest march will tell you of the many different ways that things can go wrong. There could have been serious bloodshed and loss of lives on the day.

It also meant great personal sacrifice to the women. The march was on a Thursday, a workday for many of those privileged enough to have jobs. They would have had to organise time off from work on that day. Many had to arrange for someone to look after their children so that they could attend. While many needed permission from their husbands. So, without a good support structure surrounding them, the march would not have been the remarkable success it was. While some bosses, husbands and neighbours may have been understanding and accommodating, many were not. So many women ended up absconding from work, sneaking out of their homes or even taking their children with them. Most importantly the success of this march was based on the fact that it belonged to women of all races. Proving yet again the benefit of appreciating, acknowledging and accepting each other’s heritage.

Although the precipitating events these both days may be different the underlying message for both is the same – we all want to be seen and head, irrespective of gender or heritage. Both months should be like a school show-and-tell, buzzing with a sense of pride, a sense of unity and a sense of purpose.

Instead, other groups end up feeling one group is getting too much attention. Many men end up feeling marginalised in August and many Whites, Indians, Chinese and even Coloureds feel marginalised in September. It seems that different groups find themselves further polarised during these months. And instead of celebrating each other we compete for attention. What we fail to realise that is that we are so intertwined that a win for one is a win for all. A win for women is a win for men. A win for Black people is a win for Whites, is a win for Coloureds, is a win for Indians.

The struggle was never against a people but against an oppressive system. Many men supported the woman’s cause just as many races supported the African’s cause. We do not spend enough time appreciating each other and so when one group is highlighted others feel slighted.

Just like sibling who compete for a parent’s attention; we swipe, snipe and snap at each other instead of being happy for each other. Sadly, this prolongs the struggle and further widens the gender and race divide.

Perhaps it is time WE took it upon ourselves to MAKE IT STOP.