Gender Politics at Local Level Author(s): The Gender Advocacy Programme Reviewed work(s): Source: Agenda, No.

45, Local Government: Bringing Democracy Home (2000), pp. 13-17 Published by: Agenda Feminist Media Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4066311 . Accessed: 03/05/2012 16:32
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Gendear politics

at

locdl

leuel
REPORTIAK

THEGENDERADVOCACYPROGRAMME organised

a conference whichprovidedthe opportunityfor local government stakeholdersto strategiseways of promotinggender equality

From 31 May- 2 June2000,theGender

Advocacy Programme (GAP) hosteda 'Thelocalgovernment conference: elections: challenging gender politics at local level'in CapeTown. Theintention wasto bring roleplayers from various sectors to discusshowto use the together localgovernment elections as a forthcoming focalpoint to promote a gender-sensitive sphere of government. Theconference wasbroadly informed by anopportunity three objectives. Firstly, was given to keystakeholders to report on their inthelocalgovernment activities transformation process. Thus, theMunicipal Demarcation Board, theIndependent Electoral Commission andtheDepartment for (IEC) Provincial andLocal Government wereinvited to address Thesecond theconference. thegender wasto critically review objective implications of thelocalgovernment transformation Particular attention was process. givento issuesdirectly related to theeleccandidate tions,suchas political parties' selection of a 'women's process, thenotion vote'andtheexperiences of women councillors. Thesethemes werediscussed by in various presenters andfurther explored commissions. theconference Finally, a platform provided to holdpolitical parties to theconstitutional to accountable obligation promote gender equity. Leading political ina panel wereinvited to participate parties discussion andengagewithparticipants.

its GAP alsousedtheeventto launch

campaign 'Putwomen in theirplace ... COUNCIL!'.

Update on thelatest developments

Particular attention to wasgiven

of the DrMichael Sutcliffe, Chairperson Board, explained Municipal Demarcation issues direcof municipal boundaries thatdemarcation to tlyrelated delivwasnecessary to createnewservice aresustainable, economic- the eleceryareaswhich andcontribute foster allyviable, integration tions,such He to moreequitable service delivery. Board as political theroleof the Demarcation explained it hadusedto decideon the thecriteria parties' andhowthe Board municipal boundaries public input. Oneof hadsought to facilitate candidate thedemarcation thefactors hindering selection of voting districts, process is theexistence the process, drawn up lastyearbythe IEC. an IEC Commissioner, Thoko Mpulwana, of a notion inthelocal discussed theroleof theIEC 'women's electoral She government processes. facing highlighted someof thechallenges vote'andthe In in administering the IEC theelections. experiences different different voting councils, Forexample, peoplein procedures apply. of women metropolitan areaswillhavetwovotes:one of their forthepolitical choiceandone councillors party fora ward outside candidate. People living areaswillhavethree votes:in metropolitan addition to thetwomentioned above,they willalsobe ableto votefora political party Council. to represent themon theDistrict

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LEVEL POLITICS AT LOCAL GENDER RE PORTBACK

The fact that people have two or threeballot papers,dependingon wherethey live, makes votinga complicatedprocedure. Another challengerelatesto the need to drawup an accuratevoter'sroll,whichincludesthe addressesof voters.The IECis also concernedaboutthe possibility of a low level of voterturnout and are makingplansfor a registration drive.Mpulwana indicated thatthe IECis awareand concernedthatthe majority of municipal electoralofficersare men. It is unfortunate that the Department for Provincial and LocalGovernment did not send a speakerto the conference.Its role in developingpolicy and legislationand in providing supportto municipalities makes it an essential roleplayer in the transformation process. Its absence was regrettedby participants.

Itis notonly important to get more women on but councils, alsoto make

Reviewing gender implications

GAPpresentedan overviewof the key challenges for genderequitypresentedby the local governmentelections. These vary surethat froma lack of awarenessamongst potential theyfind voters aboutthe elections and its significance; the need to ensure that politicalparties themselves supportwomen candidates,both on their in a condu- partylists and as wardcandidates;and gettingthe electorateto considerthe sex of a then at least civework candidateif not as irrelevant, not as a discrediting factorto theirsupportof environment a candidate.In addition,it is not only important to get more women on councils, but also to make sure that they findthemselves in a conduciveworkenvironment in which they are treatedwithequal respect to their a key challenge male colleagues. Moreover, is to change a mindset whichtends to hold women ratherthan all councillorsand each politicalpartyresponsiblefor the promotion of genderequity.The currentlegislation gives civil society tools to promotecertain aspects of genderequity,such as the Structures Act provisionin the Municipal (1998) to ensurethat partylists are drawnup in such a way thatevery alternate candidate is a woman.The same Act also allows

Councils to set upward committees, and encourages Councils to consider theneedfor women to be equitably represented onthese committees. Now theresponsibility restswith and communities, organisations, councillors to political parties to usetheseprovisions their advantage. in a councillor Gertrude Pheko-Mothupi, Bloemfontein andtheChairperson of the Gender of theSouth African Working Group Local Government Association (SALGA), account of what to gavea personal it meant ina historically be a woman councillor (and In male-dominated environment. currently) herexperience, oneof themainbarriers to the effectiveness of women councillors is thelack inthe of information regarding developments Shefeltthatwomen andlegalsphere. policy and areoften ormisinformed uninformed noted thatnothaving thecorrect information is extremely disempowering forwomen. Thecommission on women councillors andemphasised continued thediscussion the lackof accessible theuse of information, alienating language (jargon), negative women attitudes of malecolleagues towards andpractical constraints (lackof as the main infrastructure, roads, electricity) This barriers experienced bywomen. commission included a number of women whofeltthatwomen themselves councillors, needto takeresponsibility forreading andto capitalise relevant material on their personal strengths. Theywerequite the responsibility about of outspoken to support women as political parties candidates forlocalgovernment andto sustain themoncetheyareelected. at Amanda associate Gouws, professor Stellenbosch to unpack University, attempted thenotion vote'.Opinion of a 'women's polls andsurveys to the 1999elections prior showed havedifferent thatwomen priorities to men.Forexample, women stressed the lackof electricity androads as poverty, menemphasised immediate needs,whereas as thegeneral economy andcorruption

14

AGENDA 452000

GENDER AT POLITICS LOCL LEVEL REPORTBACK Panel discussion with political parties at GAP's conference leftto right):(from Sandra Botha (DP), Brown Lynne (ANC), Withooi Joyce (NNP), Annelize van Wyk (UDM), Mbuyesilo Rodolo (IFP)
*

Acam~,, o d ..eO u

0__ 0

]'

priorities. Various research has shown that women linkvoting to an improvement inthe quality of lifeforthemselves, their family andtheir communities. Yetpolitical parties didlittle to canvassthewomen's votein last year'selections. Gouws Ironically, identified the electoral system(basedon proportional representation) as the mainreason why political do nothaveto takethe parties women's voteseriously: thecurrent system doesnotallow voters to support gendersensitive candidates, becausepeoplevote fora political party. Thisis ironic, because gender activists promote the current. electoral systemas onethatfacilitates women's accessto political leadership
positions.

Lulu Zingitwa, an official forthe working Drakensberg District Council, described rural localgovernment as weak,withno formal administrative structures. Rural councillors haveno realpower, onlyrepresentative while the realpolitical authority and administrative restswith power the District Council. Rural areas,characterised by a lack of infrastructure andbasicservices andhigh levelsof poverty andilliteracy, constitute a labour reserve forminesandseasonal As a result farming. women area majority in theseareas.Because of their exDeriences

andinsights, women arewell-placed to participate in localgovernance andevento becomecouncillors. She proposed thatthere doesnothaveto be an adverse relationship between women andtraditional leaders, as women arethecustodians of customs. Thecommission on women in rural areasidentified tradition as a significant obstacle to women's involvement in local government. women Furthermore, themselves acceptthesocialnorms and valueswhich confine themto certain roles. Rural women tendto be unaware of current legislation thatprotects their rights and interests. Rights education is needed to ensure thatrural women canclaimtheir rights so thatprogressive will legislation havea positive impact on their lives. Thecommission onthecandidate selectionprocess of political parties expected that thereduction of thenumber of councillors will inintensified result Asyet,only competition. theAfrican National Congress (ANC) andthe Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) haveindicated thattheysupport theprovision intheMunicipal Structures Act(1998),which callsfor to ensure thatevery alternate candiparties dateontheir party listsis a woman. However, were quite concerned thatpolitiparticipants calparties maybetempted to shift women

Rights education is needed to ensure that rural women canclaim theirrights so thatprogressive legislation willhavea positive impact on theirlives

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LEVEL AT LO(AL POLITI(S GENDER REPORTBACK party lists,inan to their ward candidates about attempt to be seento be concerned They feltthatitwould representation. women's to ifthiswere be a lossto thecommunity for thestruggle defeat happen anditwould gender equity. procedures on voting Thecommission the lackof suggested andvotereducation roleas one of localgovernment's awareness fora likely lowvoter of the mainreasons elections. turnout forthe localgovernment Findings Becauseof thecomplexity voter of voting, Voter is evenmoreimportant. that education showed what education needsto takeintoaccount the media themosteffective both waysareto inform Itwasalsofeltthatvoter usedfar menandwomen. on the include information education should fewerwomen importance andhow of localgovernment as spokesper- one'svotecanbe a voteforsocial fora gendertransformation, by voting sonsor sensitive localgovernment.
point,politicalpartieswere invitedto present the theirpositionon women'srepresentation, strategiesthey had adoptedto increasethe numberof women councillorsand, more generally,how to ensurethat theirrepresentatives wouldpromotegenderequity.The in the panel politicalpartiesparticipating discussionwere the ANC,DemocraticParty (DP), IFP,New NationalParty(NNP)and the UnitedDemocraticMovement(UDM). Whereasall politicalpartiesexpressed theirconcern aboutthe under-representation of women on local councils,the ANCwas the only politicalpartythat publicly expressed supportfor the provisionof a Structures quota system in the Municipal Act. The ANChas decidedthat 50 percentof (PR)lists the Proportional Representation shouldbe women. Inresponseto the argument that a quota system merelypromotes is tokenism,the ANCarguedthat patriarchy that requiresa construction a systematic Role of themedia to fightit. systematicconstruction on from theCommission Fatima Seedat Otherpoliticalpartiesopposed a gender theroleof considered Gender Equality (CGE) quota system, emphasisingthe importance inmaintaining stereotypes themedia gender of candidates.Forthe of 'merit'and 'quality' a Shepresented theelection period. during meritare determining DP,the main criteria conducted of theresearch bythe summary honesty and diligence.They arguedthat as of theCGE on behalf Project Media Monitoring 30 percentof DP councillorsare women, of the 1999electo analyse media coverage there is no need for a quota system. showed thatthemedia tions'. Thefindings however,it shouldbe noted that Currently or women as spokespersons usedfarfewer of only 23 percentof theirMembers on political thanmento comment 'experts' and 18 Provincial (MPLs) Legislatures theperiod leading upto during developments of Parliament (MPs) percentof Members Seedat More the 1999elections. generally, to the partyare women. affiliated thatthemedia tended to negative proposed theirrecognition The IFPspeakerdeclared parliamentarians, of women representations of the positiverolewomenplay in society and of their as 'little portrayal examples giving the need forthemto take up decision-making as competent leaders. rarely or'witches', girls' intendto Theydo not, however, positions. attending theconference Women politicians The insiston women'sequalparticipation. Inthisway, echoed thesentiments expressed. decides which candidates they community socialstereotypes about themedia perpetuate the partysimplyendorseswhatthe support; forwomen rolesandattributes appropriate the partysets wants.The criteria community andmen. includethatthey shouldbe forits candidates Role of political parties be a activemembersof theircommunity, be known to the memberof the partyand Thefinalconference sessionwas and mobile. and be literate party, debate. Atthis characterised by dynamic

than 'experts' mento on comment political developduring ments the period leading upto the 1999 elections

16

452000 AGENDA

AT GENDER POLITICS LEVEL LOCAL RE PORTBACK TheNNP, whodidnotsupport the quota systemargued thatthestrongest opposition in the to a quotasystemcamefrom women on women party. Theynotedthe dualburden in combining andthedifficulty work with domestic responsibilities. Consequently, the thatan enabling party proposed environment forwomen What is required. would constitute an enabling wasnotclarified. environment TheUDM argued thatit willpromote 'inthe ethosof equality'. women They thatwomen argued moveeasilywithin the ranks party andhavegreatvisibility although theyrecognise thattherearenumerous patriarchal barriers which aredifficult to break through. Despite feltthat this,the party forcing gender affirmative equality through is an insult action measures to women. wasputon the responsiStrong emphasis bility of women to organise themselves. Participants challenged political parties on is a gender-neutral theassumption thatmerit concept andthata gender insults the quota of women. a capacity Rather, theyargued, allows 'meritable' women the quota system their abilities. scopeto demonstrate leadership alsocontested thenotion thattheselecThey tionof candidates is doneintheabsence of orto putit more political party 'interference', thedevelopment kindly, of guidelines andcriteria Somefeltfrustrated bypolitical parties. bythefactthatpolitical parties werenotable to provide direct answers to questions about howtheyintend to achieve incertain policy Allparties tentions. thatthelowrepagreed inlocalgovernment of women resentation is a problem, yetfewsuggested clear on strategies howto address it.Also,noneof thepolitical answer to parties present gavea satisfactory thequestion of howtheywill ensure that willnotbe shifted women ward councillors to theparty lists.Nonearticulated howtheywill inlocalgovensure thattheir representatives of sex,will makegenderernment, regardless sensitive decisions. from peoplefromNGOs, representatives women councillors and political parties, on and institutions to reflect government forgender around thechallenges strategise inthe period equity leading upto the local GAP andbeyond. was government elections givena mandate to draw upa memorandum the keyconcerns anddebates, summarising which wassubmitted to various parliamentheMinister on Provincial tarycommittees, andLocal andpolitical Government parties. Theunder-representation of menseems to be a recurring characteristic of eventsof wassent thisnature. Although theinvitation to organisations, andpolitical municipalities parties, internal decision-making processes inwomen somehow resulted beingselected to represent their at theevent. organisations our Thisseemsto suggestthatdespite to makegender a collective efforts equity responsibility, manypeoplestillconsider it a 'women's issue'.

Participants challenged political on parties theassumptionthat is a merit genderneutral and concept thata gender quotainsults thecapacity of women

REFERENCES
Commission on Gender Equality (1999) -a Reviewof the 1999generalelections genderperspective, CGE,SouthAfrica. Republic of SouthAfrica (1998) LocalGovernment:Municipal Structures Act,No. 1 7.

FOOTNOTES
intheCGE's 1. The fullpaper is published report, Review - a gender of the1999 elections general perspective.

The Gender Programme (GAP) Advocacy isanNGO-based inCape Town, which seeks to inall increase the participation ofwomen spheres ofdecision-making and advocates the ofpolicy and which development legislation will contribute togender equity For more information regarding the Conference orGAP's election 'Put intheir campaign women contact at ...(OUNCIL!', GAP place please 4650197. (021)

Conclusion
Theconference created a useful spacefor

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