Aug-Sept 2014 K.indd

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AUG/SEPT 2014 • www.cosatu.org.za

The SEXUAL POLITICS of Gender in the Union, The home & community

By Zingiswa Losi

I n this article I will assert the centrality of the organisation as a platform from which the question of the sexual politics of gender in the union, the home and the community cannot only be raised but from which solutions can be generated. I will also look to other revolutionaries in re fl ecting on the importance of an organisation such as Comrade Govan Mbeki who was affectionately known as Oom Gov, writing from Robben Island, in his book “Learning From Robben Island”. Oom Gov begins by reminding all of us that if we have to grapple with concrete socio-economic problems - problems of oppression and exploitation of man by man we have to adopt a more realistic approach to our problems. Oppression and exploitation are man-made by minority interests to the disadvantage of majority interests. What then must the oppressed and exploited majority do to turn things in their favour? He continues to say that our starting point is to direct our attention and efforts to the source of our strength

by saying: ‘Go to the masses of the oppressed and exploited peoples of our land. Work among them; work with them to prepare the way for a take-over of power.’ Expressed brie fl y this is to say: ‘Go. Organise.’ He also says that experience has taught, however, that a lot more requires to be known about organising if the product of our efforts and activities, i.e. organisation, is to be effective. And if the oppressed and exploited are to achieve their end, viz taking over power, they must build effective organisational machinery. And to have such an organisational machinery there is no room for haphazard and half-hearted measures. The task has to be tackled seriously and systematically . Oom Gov incisively penetrated through the central question of why organisations exist by asserting that organisations come into existence fi rstly as a response by a group of people confronted by similar challenges, seeking a solution to those challenges. So organisations exist to answer to a question “how”. He continues to argue that it is the ability and the extent

Gender Agenda