In African culture, people chosen by ancestors to follow a calling have no choice but to accept it because failure to do so leads to misfortune.
That was a key theme at an inaugural joint public lecture held at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) on Thursday to honour two late activists, author Phyllis Ntantala and Prudence Mabele, who played a significant role in the fight against gender-based violence.
The Dr Phyllis Ntantala and Prudence Mabele Public Lecture was a collaboration between NMU, through the NRF/SARChI Chair in African Feminist Imagination and the Centre for Women and Gender Studies, and the University of Fort Hare, through the NRF/SARChI Chair in Genders, Sexualities and Queer Studies.
Ntantala, who was born in Gqubeni, Idutywa, in 1920, was a political activist and writer who interrogated the systematic oppression of black people with a strong focus on women.
She was a black feminist at a time when women’s rights were not at the forefront of the struggle and authored several books, including An African Tragedy: The Black Woman Under Apartheid.
Ntantala and literary historian Archibald Campbell Jordan were the parents of Pallo Jordan.
She died aged 96 in 2016.
Mabele, who hailed from Wattville, Benoni, was an activist who advocated for the rights of women and children living with HIV/Aids, and against gender-based violence.
She was diagnosed with HIV/Aids in 1990, publicly disclosed her status two years later, and set up the Positive Women’s Network in 1996.
Mabele died aged 46 in 2017.
Delivering the keynote address, ReimagineSA co-founder Mamphela Ramphele said the two women had been the spears at the forefront of challenging patriarchy and social injustice in SA.
“We are here to honour these two ancestors by letting them speak through our actions and fearlessly challenge the social injustices to lead the call to free women and men,” she said.
She said the patriarchal system from apartheid was still alive in SA and gender-based violence would not end until it was dismantled.
“We need a human revolution and to go back to the basics of teaching African history and practising ubuntu.
“The wisdom of our ancestors lies on those fundamentals and what they expressed with umntu ngumntu ngabantu (a person is a person through other people).”
Ramphele said the higher education sector must enforce a stance of zero tolerance for sexism, sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
The other keynote speaker, Oxfam executive director Lebogang Ramafoko, said for a better society to take shape it was important for women in power to stand firm and support those who had been victimised.
She said society needed to follow in the footsteps of Ntantala and Mabele, who had fearlessly stood up against what was wrong.
NMU vice-chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa said it was imperative to prompt behavioural change.
“This is something we are committed to growing. We are excited about the partnership.”
She said NMU had a great deal to learn from the University of Fort Hare.
Speaking on behalf of the Ntantala family, Yolisa Nzo Balfour expressed gratitude that their late relative had been honoured.
“This marks the beginning of an era that will see unsilenced voices heard clearly by the whole world.”
Musa Mabele said he had been humbled by the honour bestowed on the late activist.
“We watched her with pride ... how she rose above all odds.”
HeraldLIVE