A senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Wits University, Dr. Hlengiwe Ndlovu, says political parties campaigning ahead of next month’s elections have neglected to adequately address the main challenges, affecting women in the country.
Ndlovu says women comprise a significant portion of the electorate.
After analysing various parties’ election manifestos, Ndlovu says issues like gender-based violence and inequality in many aspects of society have been sidelined.
She says, “When it comes to gender transformation and women’s issues, gender-based violence and all of that, is the normal usual rhetoric, you know, that is pitched at a very substandard level. Just as a footnote, if I may say, to just say we are aware that there’s gender-based violence, femicide, we are aware that we’re still struggling with gender representation.”
“But, you know, there isn’t a clear strategy in terms of how they are going to address that, and that on its own tells you about the commitment that the different political parties are having,” Ndlovu adds.
