New political party putting “Women Forward”
Date: January 1, 1970
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A new women’s party has entered the fray of South African politics, hoping to give a voice to the nation’s women. Using next Wednesday’s election as a trial run for local government elections down the line, they may not be in it to win it, but they are providing a much needed platform for issues some say have been left off national agendas for far too long.
Nana Ngobese-Nxumalo, a long-time gender advocate and granddaughter of Chief Albert Luthuli, former African National Congress (ANC) president and Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner, launched women Forward (WF) in 2007. With a burgeoning membership of more than 30,000 and strongholds in some of the country’s poorest areas, the party is looking to break the current mould of male-dominated South African politics and provide women with a channel to communicate their needs to government.