Durban — Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) member and Struggle activist Sumboornam (Sam) Moodley has called for more literature to be made available to the youth on the role that women played in the struggle for freedom.
Moodley gave a guided tour of the exhibition on the role of women titled the “Freedom Struggle exhibition” at the 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban.
Moodley said only some of the women in the Struggle were known, yet there were hundreds on the fringes who remain unknown and who played myriad roles. Moodley said the anti-pass campaign charted the women’s cause to march against economic exploitation.
In 1973, Moodley was banned and put under house arrest for five years. She said in the early formation of the BCM (1968-1972) they did not articulate or make gender issues a priority.
“The quest in seeking our physical and psychological liberation took centre stage. We also did not stand by. We were outspoken when challenging the status quo of men and their patriarchal control and power,” Moodley said.
When talking about struggles, Moodley said, we must understand that it is not just the past that matters.
“Let us look at our position now. With globalisation, there is not a homogenous group of people. There seems to be different types of freedom for different strata of society,” she said.
Moodley said the deepened wounds of yesteryear are vented in the wrong direction – brother killing brother, lack of respect for women and children, blaming and shaming each other.
“This self-blame has turned to self-hate and has manifested itself in the violence we see around us. It is time to look inward, a time to become more conscious of the ills and ensure that consciousness results in action for justice and socio-political change.
“We need to reclaim our past that has been distorted and abused for personal greed and power mongering. Put aside political divisions, destroy the scourge of mistrust, suspicion and fear that is sweeping our country today.
“Bring back the pride and dignity in our communities and build a foundation of human consciousness to realise our vision for unity in our country and to realise the dream of an Africa that is determined by its own self-dependence,” she said.
Daily News