Dear Editor I would love to make a rather controversial piece as a way of opening up discussion and debate on the theme of gender relations.
The time has come for men and women to deepen their focus and understanding on gender equality, by exposing and conscientising men about the power and privilege they have at the expense of women's dehumanisation.
If society treats women as subordinates of men, then women are treated as semi-humans or as 'things'. Men cannot criticise the situation and wish to change it, if they are not involved in the reality of the situation which women are humanly and socially experiencing.
The patriarchal society under the capitalist system has created for men a strong possessive consciousness, which tends to transform everything surrounding him into an object of his domination. To some men, humanisation of women signifies subversion, hence the necessity for constant control.
Bur surely women's existence as humans, not as things, is necessary to society's existence. Men, as beneficiaries of the patriarchal society, cannot perceive that it is a necessary condition for all human beings.
Violence against women, perpetuated from generation to generation, is always initiated by those who oppress, who exploit and who fail to recognise others as people. Force is used not by those who have become weak under the dominance of the strong but by the strong who have emasculated the weak.
Women who fight to be treated as humans take away men's power to dominate and suppress. They restore to men the humanity they (men) have lost in the exercise of oppression.
It is a farce to affirm that women are humans, and thus should be treated at home, at work, in the organization, in society as human beings, yet do nothing tangible to make this affirmation a reality.
When women are no longer willing to be mere objects, responding to changes occurring around them, they are more likely to decide to take upon themselves the struggle to change the structures of patriarchal society through family, social units, the workplace and in the organisations.
It is time now that women come to a new awareness of selfhood and begin to look critically at the social situation in which they find themselves, to take the initiative in transforming the society that has denied them the opportunity of participating in economic, political, social and cultural development. Thobile Maso, SAMWU
Dear Sir
I'm writing this letter to your magazine to highlight the plight of the working class.
Number one, it is the issue of reviewing of awards. As someone who deals with work related problems and experience first hand the plight of workers who have been dismssed and have to wait for plus mnus 12 months for a case to be heard at CCMA, a poor sale going without income, then his or her union then wins his case at Arbitration level.
Then companies like Pick & Pay, a collous and wicked company for that matter bost that Its their official policy to false each an every case on review because they are filthy rich. This is their calculated strategy to see to it that workers remain unemployed.
I regard this as a serious assault on the gains and victories we have won on the battle field.
It is my view that this issue of review will not help the cause of the working class. Therefore belaf Cosatu should begin to grapple with the issue at Nedlac.
Comrade Mdladlana and his fellow travellors should also include that in their list of priorities rather than trying to please captains of Industries.
My last point is about the pathetic state of policalisation of our masses in the Northern Province. A lot has still to be done in that province. Apartheid and Besley u still in force. Workers don't know their rights. Cosatu and the Tripatite alliance needs to mobilise and hold workshops. Etc.
Your Comradely
Norman. B. Ackerman
Trade Union Official
N.B Views expressed here I my personal views.
Dear Editor
I was surprised and shocked to see Shoprite/Checkers in a gesture pretending to be caring and giving during the Felicia show on etv.
The gesture was giving away hampers to some of our mothers in acknowledgement of their commitment, achievements etc. while celebrating Mothers Day in the process. The question that everyone would ask is : "What was shocking and / or surprising?
Shoprite is employing thousands of our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. These employees are subjected to shocking conditions and paltry benefits and to top it all, meagre salaries. Of the thousands that they employ, the majority are non-full-time (i.e casuals and temporary workers) who are said to be in the region of 50 000
The treatment of workers by management is pathetic, to say the least, yet they impress the unsuspecting public that they are a caring company. If they really do care about South African and African in general, why treat their employees with inhumanity?
A typical example would be the merciless dismissals of workers that really gained momentum after the acquiring of OK Bazaar. In Mozambiqui, it is a shame, as workers earn something next to nothing and even have to buy their own working clothes.
Workers are subjected to very long hours and it is in that country that Shoprite masters the art of exploitation, because union activism is suppressed with brutality.
Shoprite's gesture and appearance in the show was nothing but an advertisement ploy, which was unfortunately used under the guise of honouring our mothers and sisters whom they do not care about anyway.
I urge anybody to just get to Shoprite and ask any worker about the working conditions, as well as what Shoprite did for those women they employ for Mothers' Day
Our mothers suiffered greately at the hands of the apartheid government and Shoprite contributed to that. That the majority of the exploited non-full-time employees are women confirms that Shoprite continues such suffering for women.
Shoprite is amongst the leaders in exploiting our mothers who continue to employ women at appalling conditions and meagre wages. This happens all over, from Lesotho to Mozambique, Zambia, Uganda and South Africa is no exception.
It is interesting to note that all the shops and wealth of Shoprite bosses are from profits generated through the sweat and blood of workers. These workers have nothing to show for their efforts, whilst Shoprite annouces growth and profits year after year.
To Shoprite I say : "Charity begins at home! Make your workers happy for you are nothing without workers."
To the workers of Shoprite;"Stand up! Unite and speak in one big voice!" Sonwabo Shibanem. "Union official writting in his capacity as a community member. The views expressed are not a cannvassed view of the union."
