As the call for women to lead intensifies, will it be heeded or lost in a numbers game?
The question of true women empowerment versus tokenism, giving an appearance of equity by using underrepresented group, has taken the forefront. This follows dozens of young women, forming part of the 2024/25 Student Representative Council (SRC) provisional list ahead of the student governance elections.
The initial call for women to lead in student governance at Wits University is usually advertised as being based on governance experience and constituency representation. But in reality, some argue that ‘pretty privilege’ is what some use to their advantage to garner votes.
An example of this is how in the early stages of the SRC elections campaign last year, someone repeatedly told me: “Sit down, don’t worry, Wits’ students are dumb, they will just see a pretty face and vote… o tsene (you’re in) Jack”. That comment still bothers me to this day. It made me question whether I had enough substance, or if my face would do everything my student engagement couldn’t?
A recent instance that stuck with me is Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) member of Parliament, Naledi Chirwa’s apology and fine for missing the budget speech due to her four-month infant falling ill. To many this raised the question of whether the party uses young woman for the portrayal of empowerment while sexist practices inform party practices. Others argued that Chirwa, a mother or not is to be held accountable against the organisation’s disciplinary measures. Her work and contributions doing little to shield her in the moment.
In the Wits context, after nearly six years without a female president, and majority female executives, the 2023/24 SRC elected a female president in Bukisa Boniswa.
Although many applauded with the move, others questioned if women were leading in these spaces genuinely, or whether it was a numbers game to get votes, using charm over policy positions.
Reflecting on presidential candidates in the last six years, the likes of Sthembiso Dabula, Lesego Louw, Tshiamo Chuma come to mind. They were relegated to supporting roles, when they were arguably better candidates.
Looking closely at Louw, the 21/22 SRC deputy president, she launched the period poverty campaign that saw the installation of pad dispensers on campus and made it possible for Wits students to access free pads from the Click’s Foundation. A huge win for women on campus, a presidential win I would argue.
Now, those thinking about the 2024.25 leadership structure are weighing up Boniswa’s failures and successes, using them as a barometer to gauge whether women are “worthy” of another chance to lead. Will merit be trump basic equity markers or not?
And so, lies the issue of being a women in leadership, one is not sure if people support you for your substance, activism, leadership style, or whether you just look pretty enough to be on the ballot.
FEATURED IMAGE: Anganathi Jack,2024 Wits Vuvuzela Journalist. Photo: FilelLeon Sadiki
RELATED ARTICLES:
- Wits Vuvuzela, Call to women: Be gold-diggers, August 2019
- Wits Vuvuzela, Beauty meets activism – Wits Vuvuzela, September 2016
