Working Together Towards Equal Opportunities For All Women was the theme for the Women’s Day service at the Cathedral of St Michael and St George on Sunday.
Working Together Towards Equal Opportunities For All Women was the theme for the Women’s Day service at the Cathedral of St Michael and St George on Sunday.
The guest preacher was former Deputy Minister of Local Government and Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ntombazana Botha who spoke of women’s vital role in reflecting on God’s message.
Painting a picture of the women’s march of 1956 against the oppressive pass laws, Botha said, “Over 20 000 women were marching on the streets of Pretoria towards the Union Buildings.
Women of all races, all ages and some women with children on their backs.” All the women were there for one purpose – to protest against the pass laws that restricted their movement and rights as human beings.
These women were determined to fight together against the discriminating laws chanting, “Wathint’ Abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo!” (If you strike a woman, you strike a rock).
Turning to the Book of Judges, Botha spoke of Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth who was a ruler over Israel.
“She had a connection with God and she could then intercede. That era was the era of transition in Israel. It was an era of great leaders such as Moses and Joshua.
She was given an opportunity to lead the Israelites, and the judges and rulers that preceded her were men.” Botha said that Deborah was accepted by the people who looked up to her for leadership and wisdom, despite the fact she was a woman.
“Deborah was regarded as one of the great leaders and she continues to inspire women to this day who are called to take leadership and service others.”
She questioned Christians’ views on empowering women. “In the gospel we see how Jesus honoured women through his resurrection. We wonder why the men were not at the tomb at the early hours of the resurrection. Why only women were there to witness the resurrection.”
She added that they were there from His birth, until the time of His resurrection, “they followed him everywhere and even all the way to Calvary” which demonstrates their consistency, compassion, loyalty and commitment to Jesus Christ.
Botha went on to say that women were awarded a rare opportunity to encounter the risen Christ and to be the first messengers of the Gospel to the disciples of Jesus and others, a message which some of the disciples did not believe.
“Are we, as the church, doing enough to bring about substantial equality between men and women?” asked Botha. “Let us all love one another and support one another, and denounce all forms of discrimination,” reminding the congregation that we are after all, of one body, the body of Christ.
Among Botha’s numerous activities, she is the founding member of the Women’s Development Foundation which is committed to promoting the political empowerment of women.
She said there is a long history of women who have been marginalised and disempowered and the notion of women not being in leadership was not prominent in ancient times, as women were respected then. She said patriarchy crept in because it’s all about power.
“What we are witnessing is a power imbalance. Unless we tackle that, we will not make a difference.” Botha thanked Former President Thabo Mbeki who acknowledged the unequal representation of women in Parliament at the 54th anniversary of the women’s march.
She added that during the 2007 preparations for the ANC the nominations were “so skewed. The thought of having a woman President is remote, which is why I think we need to be equally represented”.
