James Brown wrote the critically acclaimed song, It's a Man's World, but it Wouldn't be Nothing Without a Woman or a Girl, back in 1966. The lyrics are revered worldwide and continue to be part of our everyday conversations. But for some reason society doesn't seem to resonate with, or completely refuses to acknowledge, the second part of the lyrics. For the longest time, women have been disenfranchised in almost all areas of society and the economy. Almost 10 years prior to the release of the song, close to 20,000 South African women, from all races and across all walks of life, marched to the Union Buildings on August 9 1956 to put up a fight against carrying passes - a discriminatory tool whose purpose was ultimately the suppression of freedom of movement.
By limiting movement, you limit the overall potential of human beings. You take away their dreams and sanity. Movement creates opportunities for wealth and prosperity. Sixty-four years later, the movement of women is still restricted, albeit no longer by formal discriminatory legislation or an apartheid government, but by society and business, predominantly under the leadership of men.
Women have long been in lockdown. Women are still restricted from moving up the corporate ladder. Women are still restricted from moving up the rich list. Women are still restricted from moving freely without fear of being harassed and sexually abused.
Apartheid was declared a crime against humanity. Economic oppression was at the heart of this crime - the ultimate purpose was to minimise the chances of economic prosperity for black people.
South African men now live in an apartheid-free society, of course still with its long-lasting effects on all black people, but South African women, who make up the majority (51.1%) of the population, continue to live in an "apartheid-lite" society. That society is still intent on limiting their economic participation through various elaborate techniques, including, but not limited to, gender pay gaps between men and women and lack of women's representation at various levels of corporate organisations. Twenty-six years after the dawn of the new democratic SA, it can no longer be acceptable that women still make up less than 30% of board representation in JSE-listed companies and less than 4% of CEOs, and still earn on average at least 30% less than men.
At what point do we stand up and say enough is enough? Do we wait for these stats to worsen or gradually improve in however many decades, if not centuries, it would take, at the current trajectory?
I have run out of patience and can no longer sit and watch as things get worse for women in this country. I have decided to congregate with other women to voice our dissatisfaction with the (lack of) progress in the state of economics for women and engage with corporate SA to push the Womenomics agenda. An agenda that seeks to see women's economic inclusion at the heart of corporate policies.
So what do we want from corporate SA?
1. Review and take stock of the policies relating to the employment, upskilling and supplier/funding opportunities of women. Take the Womenomics test on www.thewomenomics.com
2. Take account of the shortcomings, internal biases, policy biases and the structural and systemic oppression that have allowed for women to be overlooked for so long. Thoroughly interrogate them and take tangible steps necessary to address them.
3. Take action - define and publish a sustainable plan for how Womenomics will be grown to a desirable level over a realistic timeline. Stay accountable and be transparent throughout the process and journey. Execute the plan.
With that said, dear CEO, CIO, COO, CMO, HR practitioner and all who are pivotal to hiring, funding and giving women business opportunities, what do your Womenomics look like?
• Leshabane is a TV personality and digital media entrepreneur
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