Do women still belong in the kitchen?

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to that idea” – Robert Heilein

 

Woman- wife, mother, sister, leader, teacher, warrior.

Limiting women, to just the kitchen, in 2013 is not only oppressing but it is discriminatory. Everyone belongs anywhere. Are there male chefs? Male nurses? Male nannies? Yes, there are. We, woman, do not expect men to still hunt. As much as it is expected in most cultures that women be the caregivers and the domestics, it has become a social norm to expect woman to still and only be what our great-grandmothers were i.e. domestic slaves.
 

It has been said that it is a man’s world and woman just live in it. Well, we do not just live, because according to some men, we are here to serve and cater to the male species. Such notions drive feminists crazy.

“Woman is not born fully formed; she is gradually shaped by her upbringing. Biology does not determine what makes a woman a woman- a woman learns her role from man and others in society” – Simone de Beauvoir (http://www.sparknotes.com).

Women have been cocooned to fit into specific roles that do not seem “manly” enough, therefore should be passed down to the opposite sex. Expectations are set for children at birth already. If you are born a boy, you are dresses in blue and are bought car toys and are expected to protect and provide. If you are born a girl, you are dressed in pink and should play with dolls and are taught at a young age how to cook and clean as preparation for your domestic duties as a wife.

Feminist and Literature lecturer at Midrand Graduate Institute, Mary-Anne Potter: “For previous generations, it would have been acceptable to say that a woman’s place is in the kitchen. However, the same cannot be said about our experience of womanhood today. My mother and grandmother were expected to embrace their domestic roles, but, for me, I was raised into a world where what I choose to be is important. For women today, choice has enabled us to embrace a life that is entirely our own. Yes, we choose to be a homemaker, which is a remarkable and often undervalued profession, but we can also choose to be a doctor, a journalist or a lawyer.”

 

“Even as we celebrate Women’s month, gender-specific issues seem to have been overshadowed by what matters most- men and their power struggles. Women are still forced into low-paying, insecure and unskilled jobs, and are often paid less than their male co-workers” Rune (2013).

To this day, women still sacrifice their own advancements in life in so that they can concentrate on looking after their homes, children and husbands. Many women do not know that they are not bound to just being a housekeeper. Women have brains too and as much ability as men. The kitchen is where we prepare meals made of love, not under duress. Women are now breadwinners and sugar-mamas and some men are now stay-at-home-dads or house-husbands and nannies “mannies”.

Moving towards full emancipation of woman in South Africa has not been a smooth progression. We are not there yet.

According to (http://www.timeslive.co.za), a new bill to fully emancipate South African women is fully underway. Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities was quoted in a speech prepared for delivery at the launch of Women’s Month in Freedom Park, Tshwane saying “Women still face injustices. The injustices require us women to form a united front to continue with the struggle for the total emancipation of women. The Woman Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill will provide a number of legislative tools to help achieve gender equality”.

Women do not belong in the kitchen. They belong in every room of every building.

 

 

 

Sources Consulted:

 

Rune, M 2013. “Oppression of women is holding back our democracy”. Sunday World. 18 August, p. 15

Spark Notes. 2013. The Second Sex: Important quotations explained [online]. <Available>http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/secondsex/quotes.html

Times LIVE. 2013. New bill to emancipate South African women- Xingwana [online]. <Available>http://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2013/08/03/new-bill-to-emancipate-south-african-women-xingwana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethics in the work place

Ethics: “a system of moral principles; with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness or badness of the motives and ends of such actions,” (http://dictionary.reference.com).

Ethical principles are important for every organisation because employees need to follow the same standards, regardless of personal values and different cultural backgrounds. Without ethical principles to follow in the workplace, employees make decisions based on their own values, and different values can clash, so management needs ethical principles to set standards for employees (http://everydaylife.globalpost.com).

 Sexual relations between employees are something that is regarded as unethical.  They can be interpreted as sexual harassment and become defamatory, as in the case of Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi:

 

Sexual harassment: “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature,” (http://www.labourprotect.co.za).

According to (http://www.citypress.co.za), Vavi was accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague who then demanded R2 million for the problem to go away.

This part alone raises the question whether these allegations have weight at all. Why would she blackmail him if she was raped?

City Press also stated that Vavi admitted to having to having consensual sex with the complainant in a Cosatu office in January this year. “I have to be truthful to the public, I have to deal with my family for not being faithful and it is a difficult matter. I apologise to everyone for having had an affair while I have a perfect marriage. I shouldn’t have done that, it was a bad error on my side, I shouldn’t have had a relationship at all,” Vavi told City Press.

This is exactly why Sexual relations with a colleague are a bad idea. It seems exciting at the time, maybe even beneficial in terms of getting a promotion or recognition of some sort, but in the end someone is bound to find out or get hurt. Such relationships are hard to manage, especially if one is a well-known figure in society. Maintaining a good reputation should be paramount.

Although the development of interpersonal relations is inevitable, they can result in extra-marital affairs which could destroy families and marriages. Some companies have developed consensual office relationship policies which allow consensual romances. The policies stipulate boundaries and provide processes for co-workers to complain or express concerns (http://www.slop.org).

I say NO to sexual relations in the workplace. Making it “okay” would be like adding oil to fire.

 

Sources consulted

City Press. 2013. Vavi in ‘rape, blackmail’ scandal [online]. <Available>http://www.citypress.co.za/politics/vavi-in-rape-blackmail-scandal/

Dictionary.com. 2013. Ethics [online]. <Availabe>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics

Globalpost. 2013. Ethical principles in the workplace [online]. <Available>http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/ethical-principles-workplace-2657.html

  Labour Protect. 2013. Code of good practice- sexual harassment [online]. <Available>http://www.labourprotect.co.za/sexual_harassement.htm

 

Society For Industrial & Organisational Psychology. 2013. Romance in the office is common [online]. <Available>http://www.slop.org/Media/News/office_romance.aspx

 

 

Customer service standards in South Africa

 

 

 

Many will agree with me when I say that the service standards in South Africa leave much to be desired.

Have you ever got to a pay-point and greeted the cashier and not be greeted back? Or the cashier responds with an “hmm…”. Or you overhear the receptionist curse at the client in a different language. Do you confront the situation or do you walk away?

Sadly, most people walk away from bad service and do not complain. Unfortunately, people are more likely to share a bad experience than a good one. Whether it is a rude cashier or non-delivery of goods, bad customer service reflects badly on the company as a whole.

“The customer can make or break a business. It is important that employees are trained well on good customer service and are monitored regularly” (www.coursepark.com).  It should become company protocol that potential employees should attend a customer service skills training course before being hired permanently.

 

However, customers do not have to grind their teeth and bear with bad customer service. Those that cannot speak for themselves can be spoken for. The rights of South African consumers are protected by law. The Consumer Protection Act (Act 68 of 2008) was put in place to protect consumers (www.southafrica.info).

There are also organisations that aim at evaluating customer service in South Africa. Active Service Excellent South Africa (ASESA) is one such organisation. ASESA has been operating as a toll free hotline service provider since 1999. The hotline is designed to gather valuable intelligence, concerning service related deviations that impact negatively on business operations. Service related deviations include poor customer service (www.asesa.co.za).

According to (www.skills-universe.com), South Africa launched Tourism Service Excellence Campaign in 2012, which aimed at supporting South Africa’s tourism strategies and policies. In the same article, CEO of SABS, Boni Mehlomakulu was quoted as saying that the South African Tourism Industry is currently growing three times faster than the global average, and, if we are to maintain this growth rate, there must be a collective effort to ensure that all tourism establishments maintain the highest standards to guarantee guest satisfaction. Clearly, making customer service a priority to the tourism industry is working in its favour. The same can be done in all industries across the board.

There are some companies that are giving excellent customer service and they are being rewarded for it. Launched in 2011, South African Service Awards are premier customer driven service awards in South Africa. According to (www.saservice.co.za) companies are rated by their actual customers and stand a chance to win prices. Companies that are above 80% satisfactory level are:

v  FNB

v  Tempest Car Hire

v  Vodacom

v  MTN

v  @Home

v  Queenspark

v  Edgars

v  Europe car

v  Absa

v  Clicks

v  Outdoor Warehouse

v  Builders Warehouse

v  Checkers and Checkers Hyper

v  Hyundai

v  PG Glass

v  Outsurance and

v  Kulula.com

With the right people who have the skills and the passion for working with people, more companies will be on this list. My Marketing lecturer once said that the main reason we still dealing with bad customer service is because we South Africans do not complain enough. I have to agree with her.

Bibliography

ASESA. 2013. Welcome to ASESA [online]. <Available>http://www.asesa.co.za [Accessed: 13 July 2013]

 

Course Park. 2013. 4 Reasons why consumer service is important for your business [online]. <Available>http://www.coursepark.com/blog/2012/07/4-reasons-why-consumer-service-is-important-for-your- [Accessed: 13 July]

 

Skills-Universe. 2013. South Africa Launches Tourism Service Excellence Campaign and Standards [online]. <Available>http://www.skills-universe.com/m/blogpost?id=2671568%3A184914 [Accessed: 13 July 2013]

 

SouthAfrica.info. 2013. South African Consumer Bodies [online]. <Available>http://www.southafrica.info/service/consumers/consumer.htm [Accessed: 13 July]

 

The South African Service Awards. 2012. The South African Service Awards [online]. <Available>http://www.saservice.co.za [Accessed: 13 July 2013]

The impact of the digital divide on the democracy and government of South Africa

 

 

“Digital divide describes the fact that the world can be divided into people who do and people who do not have access to – and the capability to use- modern information technology, such as the telephone, television and the internet. The digital divide exists between those in cities and those in rural areas, the educated and the uneducated and economic classes” (http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com).

 

 There are several contributing factors to the digital divide in South Africa, which include; gender, physical disability, physical access, lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills and support, racial segregation, and the apartheid legacy that promoted separate development, which provided inferior education and language barriers (www.commit.com).

People used to write letters to newspapers hoping they would be published so they can get their messages across to government. Now they can also blog. Contacting an elected representative has become as simple as sending an email (www.economist.com).

This is what makes e-democracy and e-governance so relevant. E-democracy can be defined as the use of technology to deliver greater participation. E—governance involves providing government services on an electronic platform, reaching people via internet, cell phones at anytime. This enhances citizen participation in political matters (www.tgis.co.za).

National parties campaign on the internet and on social media. Technology has become a big advantage, intensifying the democratic process.

According to (www.sabc.co.za), The African National Congress (ANC) wants to bridge the digital divide in South Africa. They have been going on an intensive social media campaign in a bid to capture young people.

As technology advances daily, many people are left behind. The navigation of the cyber world can be daunting for those who cannot read in any other language but their own. However, (www.translate.org.za) has been set up to translate computer software’s into various languages of South Africa. (google.co.za) is also offered in Afrikaans, Sesotho, IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Setswana and Northern Sotho.

Although the gap in the network society in remote areas is closing in, the government of South Africa should first make sure that the citizens of this country are literate before going all out on online information and campaigns. The most important voters are in remote areas, that is where the focus should be first.

 

 

Sources Consulted

 

Democracy and Governance. 2013. Digital divide or digital exclusion? [online]. <Available>http://www.commit.com/?q=democracy-governance/node/221092 [accessed 20 April 2013]

Linux Journal. 2013. Bridging the digital divide in South Africa [online]. <Available>http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5966 [accessed 20 April 2013]

 

SABC NEWS. 2012. ANC wants to bridge digital divide in SA [online]. <Available>http://www.sabc.co.za/news/f1/190798004bcaa2ce9dbefd251f96d6cc/ANC-wants-to-bridge-digital-divide [accessed 20 April 2013]

 

searchCIO – Midmarket. 2013. What is a digital divide? [online]. <Available>http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/digital-divide [accessed 20 April 2013]

 

TGIS. 2013. E-Governance [online]. <Available>http://www.tgis.co.za/getting_started/E-governance [accessed 21 April 2013]

 

The Economist. 2013. The road to e-democracy [online]. <Available>http://www.economist.com/node/10638222 [accessed 20 April 2013]

World e-Parliament Conference 2010. 2010. Mind the gap: the impact of the digital divide on parliament and democracy [online]. <Available>http://www.ictparliament.org/es/node/1497 [accessed 20 April 2013]

 

The Network Society

 “Mobile and wireless technology will spread the network society to the most remote places and the deepest pores of the world” (van Dijk 2006: 59)

 

 

Based on my findings, I highly agree with van Dijk’s statement. The network society is well underway and is already reaching many places, connecting people even in the most remote areas.

A network society is according to (http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu), “a society where the key social structures and activities are organised around electronically processed information networks. (https://globalsociology.pbworks.com) states that the network society consists of networks which construct a culture of virtuality in the global flows that transcend time and space. Through electronic communication networks, human experience becomes detached from time and place. Individuals can communicate instantly across the globe.

Over the years, the use of mobile devices has grown tremendously. Connectivity makes it easier for people in remote areas to get access to information.

“Information and communication technology (ICT) contributes to the development of countries, and more specifically in rural Areas, reaching population with low levels of income and literacy” (http://live.wordbank.org).

 

In the near future, mobile and wireless technology will be used throughout the most remote of places through Energy Harvesting Drives. They provide power in many elements of the telecom network, saving costs in electricity supply. “Powering mobile phone based stations with wind or solar power allows telecom networks to expand beyond the limits of the power grid. Energy harvesting is also being used to charge the phone handsets, using power and even kinetic energy from a bicycle” (www.digikey.com).

Through my findings, I’ve come up with the conclusion that through the use of Energy Harvesting techniques, spreading the network society to the most remote places has already been proven possible.

 

 

Sources Consulted

Digi-Key Corporation. 2013. Energy Harvesting drives mobile technology in remote areas [online]. <Available>http://www.digikey.com/us/es/techzone/energy-harveting/resources/articles/energy-harvesting [accessed: 16 April 2013]

Global Sociology. 2013. Network Society or Surveillance Society [online]. <Available>https://globalsociology.pbworks.com/w/page/14711234/Network%20Society%or%20Surveillance% [accessed: 16 April 2013]

Globe Trotter. 2013. The network society and organisational change [online]. <Available>http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Castells/castells-con4.html [accessed: 16 April 2013]

World Bank Live. 2013. Information communication technology for development [online]. <Available>http://live.worldbank.org/information-communication-technology-devolpment [accessed: 16 April 2013]

More than just words

Lethabo Ndebele spent most of his life around the deaf. For some it’s a choice, for him it has been his life.

Lethabo, 27, is a sign language interpreter for Tshwane Deaf Association (TDA). Both his parents are deaf, “My mom is a darling. She is a loving and caring person. A typical mom. Unlike my dad, she can speak a little,” Lethabo says.

Lethabo recalls the day he got a beating of his life from his mother, “I was about eight years old,” he says. “Straight from school, my friends and I went fishing of which we were lucky to catch fish. Excited, we flocked to my house to go show my mom who congratulated us. As soon as my friends disappeared, an umbrella was on my bum for having gone fishing in my school uniform,” he adds with laughter.

His father was a carpenter at a furniture store for 30years. “I grew up being terrified of my father. I would ask him for things through my mother,” he says.

His childhood wasn’t easy for him as he grew up different from his peers who were not deaf. Often Lethabo was teased, “I remember being told that I would also become deaf and that my kids will be deaf,” he shares.

Inspired mainly by his sister Mpho, Lethabo says that even though she has been through a lot with him, she is his pillar of strength. “She is always there to pick me up,” he adds. Lethabo got his big break through his sister who was one of the first sign language interpreters in South Africa. Mpho recommended Lethabo, who was then 18years old, to a friend who was looking for interpreters for the Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA). That was when his career took off. Although he already knew basic signs from communicating with his parents, when he started working for DeafSA, he did the in-house training there.

A typical day at work for Lethabo entails interpreting at government workshops as well as community based functions amongst others. “I get to the venue, wait to meet my client and wait for the client to choose a spot for me to stand. From there on I interpret,” he says. “My greatest challenge has been voicing-over when the client wants to speak. But I have slowly overcome that with experience,” Lethabo adds.

To his parents, Lethabo is a gem. His parents describe him as a “clever but shy” child who, like other, was naughty when growing up. His friends though, know him as a “Crazy and outgoing” somebody.

Off the clock, Lethabo reigns as the champion of his X-box console. He has managed to scoop cash prizes as well as more games to add to his collection through his hobby. Lethabo takes part in MainGaiming competitions which are annually held throughout the country.

So how does the future look like for Lethabo? “ I would like to work in a lab,” he says. This sparked by his profound love for chemistry. Lethabo would also like to have two or three kids, “That would be awesome!” he concludes.

Should companies hold their employees responsible for what they post on social media?

“We are the generation of Social Media; our biggest revolution is a Tweet of 140 characters.” – Sandra charmi Kassis

“New media is a term used to define all that is related to the internet and the interplay between technology, images and sound. The definition for New media changes daily and will continue to change” (http://www.newmedia.org). With all these new technologies available to us, we have access to the internet 24 hours 7 days a week. There are many platforms created on the internet for us to share information, interact with other people and to vent our frustrations as well.

Ever since Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook, social media has grown to just being a “dorm room toy to a boardroom tool”. HR departments of various companies are now using social media to connect with jobseekers. Sales departments are also using this tool to draw in clients. Social media has become a serious business tool (http://www.forbes.com).

“There is a question of productivity of employees that access Facebook and other social networking sites during office hours. Companies are concerned about the reputation of business, the employer, as well as its employees, as a result of the information published on these sites” (http://www.labourguide.co.za).

 

 

The United States of Americas National Labour Relations Act of 1993 determined that employees who use social media to criticize their employer or a co-worker are protected under the law if more than one employee participates.” National Labour Relations Act of 1993 also states that: - “Sec. 7.  Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an agreement requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment.” (http://socialmediatoday.com)

It was reported on (http://jobsearch.about.com), that an employee of an unnamed company had been suspended and the fired for her Facebook postings because she went against the company’s internet policy. Although she had posted those negative comments about her boss on her own personal page, on personal time, the company prohibits its employees from depicting the company in any way on the internet without permission.

It is in the best interest of every company to create a Social Media Policy. Employees should also realise that following company policy is of outmost importance. I believe that as long as employees represent the company, their employer has the right to hold the employee responsible for what they post on social sites. The individual could misrepresent the company. It is important for the employee to not share confidential company information as well as industry rumours. The PR department should be incharge of handling such matters.

However, if the employee posts comments (personal views/ opinions) about matters that have nothing to do with the company, after working hours, on a person page, then it should not be any of the company’s concern.

What are your thoughts on this topic?

 

Video: fired over Facebook comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCH33TgK8Mw&feature=share&list=PL19CEC5E12963FC63

Sources Consulted

 

About.com.jobsearch. 2012. Fired for Facebook [online]. <Available>http://jobsearch.about.com/od/employeerights/a/fired-for-facebook.htm [accessed: 09 March 2013]

 

Forbes. 2013. 5 ways social media will change the way you work in 2013 [online]. <Available>http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/12/11/5-ways-social-media-will-change-the-way-you-work-in [accessed: 10 march 2013]

 

Good reads. 2012. Quotes about social media (27 quotes) [online]. <Available>http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/social-media [accessed: 08 March 2013]

 

Newmedia.org. 2013. What is new media? [Online]. <Available>http://www.newmedia.org/what-is-new-media.html [accessed: 08 March 2013]

 

Social Media today. 2013. Why you can’t fire employees for complaining on Facebook [online]. <Available>http://socialmedia.com/mike--alton/1247406/why-you-cant-fire-employees- [accessed: 08 March 2013]

 

The South African Labour Guide. 2013. Social Media: Guidelines on the policy for employees using social media for business purposes [online]. <Available>http://www.labourguide.co.za/most-recent-publications/social-media [accessed: 10 March 2013]