Vilified Then, Vilified Now: How Media Repeats Apartheid-Era Tactics Against Women Leaders

In August 1956, over 20,000 South African women protested against pass laws at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The march, led by figures such as Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, and Rahima Moosa, was met with scorn from the mainstream press, which labeled the women as "agitators", "communist-inspired troublemakers", and "defiant natives".

Their actions were often portrayed as threats to law and order, rather than a valiant fight for dignity and justice. Fast forward to post-1994 South Africa, and these women are now celebrated as icons of resistance, particularly during Women's Month. The 1956 march slogan, "Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo," has become a rallying cry, despite the media's earlier vilification of its creators.

Today, however, history is repeating itself. Women leaders Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Princy Mthombeni are being vilified by the current government and its media for speaking out on uncomfortable truths. Accused of being vigilantes, xenophobes, and afrophobes, they are falsely portrayed as violent individuals who bring chaos to the lives of undocumented immigrants and those who seek to reform the constitution.

The parallels between these incidents are undeniable, with apartheid-era press working hand in glove with the state to silence the women's voices. The media's tactics mirror those used during apartheid, with accusations of false narratives and funding from foreign sources. Despite these accusations, Ngobese-Zuma and Mthombeni's struggles are rooted in the need for fairness and fairness in service provision for all South Africans, regardless of their status.

The media's hypocrisy is staggering, as it quickly shifts from vilifying these women to honoring them as icons of resistance. It remains to be seen how long it will take for the nation to acknowledge and learn from its past, and to support those who are fighting for meaningful change.