SOUTH AFRICA: Woman Still Fighting For the Right to Own their Own Homes

JOHANNESBURG (All Africa.com), April 4, 2006: Johannesburg bureau chief Ofeibea Quist-Arcton with AllAfrica President Amadou Mahtar Ba. African women risk losing independence as they retire to the countryside. As African retire to the countryside, they risk losing the independence they gained in post-apartheid society. Rural communities and ownership rules discriminate against women. Though land is being redistributed, women are rarely involved in the process. In reaction, many women decide to stay in the towns and fight for their ownership rights in urban areas. African women faced being marginalised as they retire to rural areas. After years of toil under the Apartheid system, many women risk losing the independence they gained as wage-earners. Often women stop working in the cities and decide to move back to the rural areas when they retire. According to a report by Oslo's Institute of woman's law, it is difficult for woman to own land in the African countryside. The law which states that 40% of traditional councils should be elected and 30% should be women, is being met with great resistance. Customary law often discriminates against women. Land redistribution is under way and is encouraged by the post-apartheid government. Yet only 3% of commercial land was redistributed in 2004. In February 2004, only 11.9% of households which had received land were headed by a woman. In reaction to these trends, many women are organising protests and demanded greater access to land ownership. One option envisaged by many women close to retirement, is to resist the push to return to rural areas. In the cities, women rarely own their homes. Presently they are organising protests to secure ownership of their town houses.