South African Cinema and Its Depiction of Race, Gender, and Class: Portrayals of Black Women in Post-Apartheid South African Films

This article explores the complexities of gender-based violence in post-apartheid South Africa and interrogates the socio-political issues at the intersection of class, ‘race’ and gender, which impact South African women. Gender equality is up against a powerful enemy in societies with strong patriarchal traditions such as South Africa, where women of all ‘races’ and cultures have been oppressed, exploited and kept in positions of subservience for generations. In South Africa, where sexism and racism intersect, black women as a group have suffered the major brunt of this discrimination and are at the receiving end of extreme violence. South Africa’s gender-based violence is fuelled historically by the ideologies of apartheid (racism) and patriarchy (sexism), which are symbiotically premised on systemic humiliation that devalues and debases whole groups of people and renders them inferior. It is further argued that the current neo-patriarchal backlash in South Africa foments and sustains the subjugation of women and casts them as both victims and perpetuators of pervasive patriarchal values.

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Untangling discrimination in the private sector workplace in South Africa: Paving the way for Black African women progression to managerial positions

International Journal of Discrimination and the Law ◽

10.1177/1358229121990569 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 135822912199056

Author(s):

Motlhatlego Dennis Matotoka ◽

Kolawole Olusola Odeku

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Black Women ◽

Private Sector ◽

South African ◽

African Women ◽

The South ◽

Quota System ◽

Black African ◽

Managerial Positions ◽

Action Measures

Black African women in South Africa are poorly represented at managerial levels in the South African private sector since the advent of democracy. Their exclusion at these occupational levels persists despite the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA) requiring that the private sector must ensure that all occupational levels are equitably represented and reflects the demographics of South Africa. The South African private sector demonstrates its lack of commitment to proliferating black African women into managerial positions by deliberately engaging in race-based recruitment and failing to develop and promote suitably qualified women into managerial positions. As such, the private sector is failing to create upward mobility for black African women to break the glass ceiling. The EEA requires the private sector to apply affirmative action measures in order to achieve equity in the workplace. It is submitted that since 1998, the private sector has been provided with an opportunity to set it own targets in order to achieve equity. However, 22 years later, black African women are still excluded in key managerial positions. However, the EEA does not specifically impose penalties if the private sector fails to achieve the set targets.This approach has failed to increase the representation of black women in managerial positions. However, the EEA does not specifically impose penalties if the private sector fails to achieve the set targets. Whilst this approach seeks to afford the private sector importunity to set its own target, this approach has failed to increase the representation of black women in managerial positions. Employing black African women in managerial levels enhances their skills and increases their prospects to promotions and assuming further leadership roles in the private sector. This paper seeks to show that the progression of black African women requires South Africa to adopt a quota system without flexibility that will result in the private sector being compelled to appoint suitably qualified black African women in managerial levels.

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The physical activity and health status of two generations of Black South African professional women

Health SA Gesondheid ◽

10.4102/hsag.v16i1.538 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Cheryl M. Walter ◽

Rosa Du Randt ◽

Daniel J.L. Venter

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Status ◽

Black Women ◽

South African ◽

Age Groups ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Professional Women ◽

Female Population ◽

Two Generations ◽

Health Promoting

Increased health risks associated with physical inactivity in the Black population have been reported in recent years. Black women, suffering the highest levels of inactivity, overweight and obesity, are at greatest risk of developing chronic diseases of lifestyle. This explorativedescriptive study investigated the physical activity patterns and health status of two generations of Black professional women, reflecting pre-democracy and post-democracy age groups. Quantitative measures were used, including the ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer, the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. Sample groups comprised teachers, nurses, social workers and public sector managers. Participants aged between 35 and 45 years were allocated to the older generation group (n = 111), whilst those aged between 18 and 21 years (students in the mentioned professional fields) were allocated to the younger generation group (n = 69). The results indicated that these women displayed lower levels of health-promoting behavioural practices than expected, significantly lower levels of physical activity and significantly higher levels of overweight and obesity than the South African norms. The observation that the younger group appeared to be replicating the patterns of the older women is a cause of concern. Greater compliance to health-promoting behaviours was expected in this group owing to participants’ professional involvement in health, education and social development fields. Wide-ranging initiatives are necessary to promote physical activity and health amongst the Black female population in South Africa.Opsomming Gedurende die afgelope jare het navorsing onder die Swart bevolking ŉ toename in gesondheidsrisiko’s wat met fisieke onaktiwiteit geassosieer is, getoon. Swart vroue, wat die hoogste vlakke van onaktiwiteit, oorgewig en obesiteit toon, blyk ook die grootste risiko te loop om leefstylverwante chroniese siektes te ontwikkel. Hierdie ondersoekendbeskrywende studie het die fisieke aktiwiteitspatrone en gesondheidstatus van twee generasies van Swart professionele vroue ondersoek. Die tweegenerasiesteekproef verteenwoordig voor- en na-demokrasie-ouderdomsgroepe. Kwantitatiewe meetinstrumente, naamlik die ActiGraph GT1M versnellingsmeter, Globale Fisieke Aktiwiteitsvraelys en die Gesondheidsbevorderende Leefstylprofiel is gebruik. Die steekproef het onderwysers, verpleegkundiges, maatskaplike werkers en bestuurders in die openbare sektor ingesluit. Deelnemers tussen 35 en 45 jaar is aan die ouergenerasie-toetsgroep toegewys (n = 111), terwyl dié tussen 18 en 21 jaar (studente in bogenoemde studierigtings) aan die jongergenerasietoetsgroep toegewys is (n = 69). Die resultate het gewys dat die Swart professionele vroue laer as verwagte gesondheidsbevorderende gedrag, betekenisvol laer vlakke van fisieke aktiwiteit en betekenisvol hoër vlakke van oorgewig en obesiteit toon as die Suid-Afrikaanse norme. Die waarneming dat die jonger groep dieselfde gedragspatrone as die ouer vroue getoon het, is ŉ bron van kommer. ŉ Groter nakoming van gesondheidsbevorderende gedrag is onder die jonger groep vroue verwag, aangesien hulle hul opleiding in die professionele sektor van gesondheid, onderwys en maatskaplike werk ontvang. ŉ Holistiese benadering is nodig om fisieke aktiwiteit en gesondheid onder Swart Suid-Afrikaanse vrouens te bevorder.

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Health system experiences of breast cancer survivors in urban South Africa

Women s Health ◽

10.1177/1745506520949419 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 174550652094941

Author(s):

Madeleine Lambert ◽

Emily Mendenhall ◽

Andrew Wooyoung Kim ◽

Herbert Cubasch ◽

Maureen Joffe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

South Africa ◽

Black Women ◽

Health System ◽

South African ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Radiation Treatment ◽

African Women ◽

Total Mastectomy ◽

South African Women

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally and among South African women. Women from socioeconomically disadvantaged South African communities more often present later and receive total mastectomy compared to those from more affluent communities who have more breast conserving surgery (which is less invasive but requires mandatory radiation treatment post-operatively). Standard chemotherapy and total mastectomy treatments are known to cause traumatizing side effects and emotional suffering among South African women; moreover, many women face limited communication with physicians and psychological support. Objective: This article investigates the experiences of women seeking breast cancer treatment at the largest public hospital in South Africa. Methods We interviewed 50 Black women enrolled in the South African Breast Cancer Study to learn more about their health system experiences with detection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care for breast cancer. Each interview was between 2–3 hours, addressing perceptions, experiences, and concerns associated with breast cancer and comorbidities such as HIV and hypertension. Results: We found most women feared diagnosis, in part, because of the experience of chemotherapy and physical mutilation related to mastectomy. The importance of social support from family, religion, and clinical staff was fundamental for women coping with their condition and adhering to treatment and medication. Conclusions: These findings exemplify how interventions might promote early detection of breast cancer and better adherence to treatment. Addressing community perceptions of breast cancer, patient needs and desires for treatment, structural barriers to intensive therapies, and the burden of invasive treatments are imperative next steps for delivering better breast cancer care in Soweto and other resource-constrained settings.

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THE FEMINIST AGENDA, A FALL OF HIERARCHAL REDRESS OR AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISHING AN ‘EQUAL’ SOCIETY GONE WRONG: AN INTERNAL CRITIQUE TO FEMINIST THEORIES

Pretoria Student Law Review ◽

10.29053/pslr.v13i.1871 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Motshweni

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Black Women ◽

Gender Equality ◽

South African ◽

Legal Reform ◽

Theoretical Point ◽

Critical Race ◽

Critical Race Feminism ◽

Feminist Theories ◽

Point Of Departure

The aim of this paper is to interrogate the post-1994 feminist approaches to jurisprudential discourse. This interrogation will include a consideration as to whether critical instead of ‘traditional’ feminist theories contribute in transforming or decolonising South African law and jurisprudence. It is my suggestion that the inquiry to address ‘gender equality’ before and without addressing issues of racism and racial classism simultaneously in South Africa contributes effectively to the continued marginalisation of black women. As such, my position attempts to engage with the critical feminist approaches in order to address the prejudices that traditional feminist approaches impose on black women. The focal theoretical point of departure for this interrogation is critical race feminism.2 Critical race feminism proposes a progressive initiative for addressing the inconsistencies embodied within the traditional feminist approaches and is thus suitable for the South African post-apartheid context as it may trigger ‘transformative possibilities’.3 It is my contention that in order to address the marginalisation of black women, the traditional feminist approaches (such as the dominant feminist approaches) must be done away with for they are a hindrance to legal reform, as they prejudice the very structure they claim to protect.

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“Oh Schuks!” Is This the New South African Cinema?

Projecting Nation ◽

10.14321/j.ctv114c7cm.8 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 107-152

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

New South ◽

African Cinema

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Jungian Reflections on South African Cinema

Exploring the Collective Unconscious in the Age of Digital Media - Advances in Psychology, Mental Health, and Behavioral Studies ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9891-8.ch008 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 197-213

Author(s):

Chris Broodryk

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Film Studies ◽

White Male ◽

African Cinema ◽

James Hillman ◽

Individuation Process ◽

Male Subjectivity ◽

Healing Fiction ◽

Cultural Amnesia

This chapter explores how, in the aftermath of apartheid, Oliver Hermanus' film Skoonheid (2011) can serve as a healing fiction by inviting an engagement with present and past political and personal conflicts and resisting a type of cultural amnesia. In particular, this chapter draws on Jungian film studies to explore key scenes in Skoonheid that demonstrate the effects of a frustrated individuation process that nonetheless offers possibilities for the viewer to consider ways of healing. To position Skoonheid as healing fiction, the chapter utilises the work of James Hillman, amongst others, to conceptualise notions of healing. The chapter also locates the film against the historical backdrop of an Afrikaans-language cinema that traditionally privileged an inflexible white male subjectivity. In contrast, Skoonheid shows the Afrikaans-speaking white male as inhabiting a space of perceived disempowerment and loss, where the soul should still strive towards meaningful acts within a collective, within a community.

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