2oceansvibe News | South African and international news

Sponsored by RSAWeb rss
2ov Radio
  • Home
  • About
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Seth Rotherham
  • du Cap Collection
  • Café du Cap
  • Cabine du Cap
  • Media Packs / Advertising
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Anonymous Tips
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
Seth Rotherham
  • Staff Call Zuma’s Wife Madam

    08 Jul 2014 by Jasmine Stone in Culture, Politics
    Related Posts
    • Cape Town’s Derelict Strandfontein Pavilion & Surrounds To Be Developed [Video]
    • The New York Times Wrote A Massive Piece On South Africa And How Economic Apartheid Has Not Ended

    Times Live were recently lucky enough to conduct an interview with first lady, Tobeka Madiba Zuma. Although the focus of the interview was on her weight loss and her foundation – dealing primarily with women’s health issues – they slipped in a little detail which certainly did not go unnoticed.

    President Jacob Zuma’s fifth wife was welcoming and hospitable, but first there was a security check at John Dube House in Morningside and a meeting with her personal assistant, Khanyisile Maphumulo, who assured us that “Madam Zuma”, as the staff call her, would not be long.

    Ok, great, women’s health and obesity are important issues to tackle and they do need more attention and understanding in a South African context, but just for a moment let us put that to one side and look at the madness of how the first lady has her staff address her… Madam? Really? We thought this title was reserved for Malema v.s. Zille mocking wars these days.

    We all know that this is not an innocuous title and while it may be formal and polite in certain settings, in the domestic sphere it has such strong undertones of colonial oppression and inequality it is almost surreal that staff in the supposedly traditional Zuma household would do this.

    There are a number of reasons this is bothersome but the first and foremost would be the political affiliations of the Zuma family, Zuma’s portrayal of himself as such a strongly ‘traditional’ African man and having a ‘traditional’ family. There is surely NOTHING ‘traditional’ about staff calling ‘the lady of the house’ “madam”… or do we misunderstand which tradition it is you are from, el Presidente?

    While it must be said that there are certainly titles of respect and hierarchy in almost all traditions, and certainly many African traditions, we find it extremely unlikely that the ‘traditional’ address for a more senior woman who is your employer stems from colonial, marginalising origins.

    Taking a deep breath and calming ourselves before we enter into a wild political rant, it must be noted that it is not clear whether they address Tobeka as “madam” when they are talking to her in private or whether this title was more of a formality for the interview is unclear.

    Nonetheless, it is definitely not something we can simply glass over and pretend didn’t happen. If the first lady – and the presidency for that matter – want to be redressing inequalities of the past, you would imagine they would begin in their own homes… SURELY?

    It leaves a bit of a disingenuous glow around the Zuma household and by proxy around the ANC itself.

    If you would like to read more about the first lady’s weight loss and the admittedly amazing work she is aiming to do through her foundation, check out Times Live.

     

    • ← Napster’s Sean Parker Bought Ellen DeGeneres’ House For R600 Million – Check It Out Here
    • The CIA Is Awesome – This Is Why →
    • Tweet
    • Tags:
    • apartheid legacy
    • domestic servants
    • power inequality
    • tradition v.s. modernism
    • Zuma household

    Latest News

    • Supposedly Impotent Frenchman Convicted For Ploughing 17 Guests With Wine, Opening Up Their “Chakras”, And Sexually Assaulting Them

      [imagesource:Department of Justice] Supposedly impotent, 77-year-old Frenchman Gilbert ...

    • Doctors Shocked To Find Man With A ‘Tummy Ache’ Has Sixty Household Items In His Stomach

      [imagesource:flickr] A man suffering from a two-year stomach ache shocked doctors who d...

    • ‘The Creator’ Dubbed An “Original” And “Exhilarating Sci-Fi” That Takes A Stand For AI [Trailer&Review]

      [imagesource:20thcenturyfox] Is artificial intelligence really our enemy or is our fe...

    • London’s Cold War-Era Spy Tunnels May Be Turned Into a High-End Tourist Attraction [Video]

      [imagesource:x/thesun] When London’s mile-long Kingsway Exchange Tunnels were built i...

    • Something Called ‘Functional Mocktails’ Is The New Thing On The Scene

      [imagesource:flickr] With sober curiosity on the rise and a hard no for hard liquor com...


    • 2oceansvibe Partners

    • CONTACT US
    • GOT A HOT STORY?
    • 2oceansvibe Radio
    • 2oceansvibe Media
    • Media Pack
    • Seth Rotherham
    • Café du Cap
    • Cabine du Cap
    • Cape Town City Accommodation
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Business
    • Media
    • Entertainment
    • Tech/Sci
    • World
    • Travel
    • Lifestyle
    • Sport
    • Politics
  • Follow

    2oceansvibe.com is part of the 2oceansVibe Media Group

    DMMA Logo