It takes a village 

16 Days of Activism: What our silence says about us

 

The following questions reveal a lot about our national responses to violence against women and perhaps to violence in general…

 

Where are the thousands who took to the streets to protect President Jacob Zuma when he was facing a barrage of corruption charges?

Where is the voice of Zuma – husband to four women and father to several?

Where is the voice of our country’s most powerful woman, Helen Zille, in speaking out about the trials women face?

What about the Women’s League of our ruling party? Or its Youth League?

Why are our leaders so silent?

 

For me the answer lies in this: we are ruled by people far more interested in power than justice. In fact, it’s becoming clearer that this is what motivated many in the anti-apartheid struggle.

 

The proof is interviews with veterans of that period. ‘We wanted to defeat the enemy,’ you’ll often hear them say.

 

There’s been talk of truth, reconciliation, transformation, reconstruction, development, reform.

But how often has the word justice been used?

 

That’s a weighty concept – justice. It’s not merely an administrative chore. It should not simply be the domain of bureaucratic paper-shuffling.

 

Justice requires some serious contemplation, bold action and often results in unpleasant consequences.

Perhaps most significantly, justice involves a ceding of power – economic, political, moral even.Not to speak of the loss of pride and authority.

This is what we have chosen. This is what we are up against.