African Journals Online
Review of Southern African Studies

A Multidisciplinary Journal of Arts, Social and Behavioural Sciences
Volume 4 No. 1 June 2000

The Impact of The Second World War on Basotho Women: Agricultural Subsistence and the War Effort

Mary Nombulelo Ntabeni
Department of History
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma 180
Lesotho
E-mail: [email protected] 

Abstract

This is a study of the agricultural aspect of a historical account of Lesotho’s “sacrifice” on the homefront focussing on the lives of Basotho women during the Second World War (1939-1945). The central argument is that wartime Lesotho is a classic case of a colonial labour reserve forced into war by its dependent status, a war that was none of its making. The impact of the conflict is presented as a chapter in the country’s overall underdevelopment under British rule, and as a paradox of an “unprotected” protectorate being forced to aid a belligerent colonial power and neglectful peacetime protector. Most of all, the crux of the study is that it was Basotho women, young and old, who were “left behind” to assume the main burden of the war effort amidst the harsh daily reality of life under wartime conditions.

Gender, Succession and Dynastic Politics: The Saga of Senate and her son Motšoene Molapo Moshoeshoe, 1858 - 1930

L. B. B. J. Machobane
Department of History
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma 180

Abstract

This is a history of a Lesotho Princess of the nineteenth century named Senate. This Princess was represented by her grandfather Moshoeshoe I as a man and duly married to another woman by the marriage custom of Basotho. At another stage she was caused to enter a union without marriage to Prince of a rival district, from which a son named Motšoene was born. That son was declared heir to throne of the Lesotho kingdom.

The saga depicts the web of marriage alliances used in the nineteenth century. Similarly it depicts the multiple of feuds within the Lesotho Kingdom. Indeed the story provides many other glimpses into the period of Senate’s life. In the process Motšoene, who was meant to weld the nation together, became instead a cruel victim of the chimeric social experiment by Moshoeshoe I, founder of the nation and political genius.

Status and Upward Mobility of Female Agricultural Professionals in Swaziland

M.M.Keregero, K.Simelane and K.J.B.Keregero
University of Swaziland
Faculty of Agriculture
Luyengo Campus
Swaziland

A study sought to examine the status and upward mobility of female agricultural professionals in the public agricultural sector in Swaziland. The specific objectives were to describe the distribution of agricultural employees by sex; the perceived factors influencing women’s occupation of high profile positions in agriculture; and the relationship between selected demographic characteristics of respondents and their opinions on factors influencing upward mobility of women. The study utilized primary and secondary sources of data and in the case of the latter, a mailed questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire was checked for validity and reliability and found to be suitable. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 67 female and 22 male agricultural professionals as respondents. The findings revealed that the visibility of female agricultural professionals was very limited. The market for all positions, including high profile ones, in the public agricultural sector was overwhelmingly dominated by men. There were relatively more women in low and middle profile positions than in high profile positions. There was unanimous agreement among respondents with regard to factors associated with attitudes of male colleagues, and overwhelming agreement regarding factors associated with employment policies, which influenced the upward mobility of agricultural professionals. There was agreement regarding the majority of the items pertaining to factors associated with educational opportunities and family and society. However, opinion was more or less divided with regard to factors associated with female professionals. The opinions of respondents varied with age with respect to two factors, and with length of service with respect to three factors. Statistically significant differences, based on sex, were detected in the opinions of respondents regarding factors in three out of five domains. The need for a gender and women’s policy to address imbalances arising from the male-female dichotomy in employment was recommended.

Accessing Housing, Constraints and Coping Strategies by Female-headed Households in Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa
Social Anthropology/Sociology Department
National University of Lesotho
E-mail [email protected] 

Abstract

This article seeks to project the constraints faced by female-headed households in accessing housing, and the strategies, which they adopt to solve this, in a provincial town of Masvingo in southern Zimbabwe. Female-heads of households' relative disadvantage, in gaining access to housing and how they developed coping strategies to deal with this disadvantage is the main focus of the article. A qualitative research design was adopted as the main methodological approach in the study on female heads of households. Multiple research techniques were employed during the data-gathering phase. Informal interviews, observations, documentary sources as well as in-depth interviews were utilized. The main argument presented in the paper is that despite their disadvantaged position in the housing markets, female-heads of households have managed to develop strategies to cope with the inequitable system of housing access. There are however, many challenges and obstacles the women have to overcome in accessing housing for themselves and in some cases their dependents as well. Moser's (1993) concepts of 'practical needs' aimed at improvements in women's everyday life experiences and 'strategic needs' having the capacity to transform gender relations, are useful to an understanding of the strategizing behaviour by the women in relation to accessing housing.

Gender and Sustainable Development in Lesotho: Some Critical Observations

Vusi Mashinini
Department of Geography
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma 180
Lesotho

Abstract

Research on development in Lesotho reveals that the bulk of sustainability of development initiatives was borne by women, primarily due to the absence of men on migrant work in South Africa. However, since the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, tens of thousands of Basotho men have been retrenched and are now back at home. A million dollar question is what will they do to promote Lesotho's sustainable development into the 21st century?

This paper uses rural development experiences in Lesotho to reflect on this question. Section one introduces the debates on gender and development. Section two provides a historical overview of gender and development in Lesotho. Section three makes some contemporary reflections on gender and sustainable development in Lesotho; whilst section four draws some conclusions.

Gender-typing, Performance and Achievement-related Behaviour in Mathematics by Secondary School Students in Lesotho ¹

H. Johnson Nenty
Institute of Education
National University of Lesotho
Roma 180
Lesotho
E-mail: [email protected] 

Abstract

Gender-related equity and quality in mathematics, science and technology (MST) education is concerned with creating equal opportunity for both sexes to access quality education in these areas. But the level of equity and quality in MST education are both group as well as individual variables. In other words, even if they are made equally available to every learner, there are some individual characteristics and perceptions that tend to limit such access for individual learners. One of such individual variables is the gender-typing of mathematics. That is, through the nature of his or her gender-related perception of mathematics, each student creates a unique psycho-academic environment which influences his or her mathematics-related behaviour. A few studies with other populations have shown that gender-typing has significant influence on several achievement-related behaviour among learners.

This exploratory study was designed to determine the influence of gender-typing of mathematics by secondary school students in Lesotho on their achievement-related behaviour and performance in the subject. Survey data from, as well as Junior Certificate (JC) examination results for 716 randomly sampled Form D students in high schools in Lesotho were analysed using chi-square (x ²), and two-way ANOVA statistics. The results showed that there is a significant (p<.02) sex influence on gender-typing of mathematics, but much more than sex, gender-typing among secondary school students in Lesotho has significant influence on almost all the eight mathematics achievement-related variables under study as well as on their performance in the subject. These findings are discussed, and recommendations drawn in an attempt to contribute solutions to related problems.

Gender and Household Resource Management in Lesotho

Thope Matobo and Mokhantšo Makoae
Social Anthropology/Sociology Department
National University of Lesotho
E-mail: [email protected] 

Abstract

Household resource management in Lesotho is governed by the cultural practices that place members of the different gender at extremes, with the wife managing the domestic intra-familial activities, while the husband, since he is the household head, managing the inter-household activities. Decision-making and implementation are determined by the nature of activity and who according to cultural practices should be responsible. Level of education of the wife at intra-household level tends not to be a major determining factor of how decisions would be implemented. The level of education of the husband shapes the level at which decisions take place. A highly educated husband to a large extent may decide with his wife on what activities should be implemented and by whom. However, if the level of education of the wife is below that of the husband there seems to be a highly skewed nature of relationships regarding planning and implementation of household activities. The paper discusses management of land, labour, water, livestock, finances and firewood by both men and women in the rural and urban areas. The argument is that management of resources could be influenced by residential area whether in the rural or urban areas. In addition to this, the prolonged absence from home of the household head would also affect decisions as well as their implementation on time. The delay on the part of one of the decision-makers could constitute a take-over by the other household member. Such an action could constitute family problems, as the other party could personally feel undermined, or be viewed as being inefficient.

Women's Rights and Unesco's "Manifesto 2000: For A Culture of Peace and Non-violence"

Kenneth Asamoa Acheampong
Faculty of Law
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma 180
Lesotho
E-mail: [email protected] 

Abstract

This paper analyses women’s rights in the context of UNESCO’s “Manifesto 2000: For a Culture of Peace and Non-violence”. This Manifesto seeks to win the support of all men and women for the campaign to transform the world from a culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and non-violence. In this respect, it discusses the United Nations concern for peace and how this concern is linked to women’s rights. It also discusses the traditional attitude towards women’s rights and how this attitude has negatively impacted upon women’s enjoyment of human rights, including the right to peace that the Manifesto seeks to entrench. It also analyses the six pledges of the Manifesto and shows how they are linked to respect for women’s rights. Hence, it enjoins UNESCO to ensure that women are neither consigned to the periphery of this campaign nor merely allowed token participation therein as is usually the case. It contends that the fundamental human rights principle of equality and non-discrimination demands the active and equal participation of both men and women in all matters of human rights. Without such participation, the noble aim of Manifesto 2000 will remain largely in the realm of rhetoric.

Book Review

Richard Weisfelder, 1999. Political Contention in Lesotho: 1952-1965. The Institute of Southern African Studies, Lesotho.

Peter Sanders

In the political meetings of the pre-independence election campaigns and in the post-election meetings and demonstrations a single white observer could often be seen, listening intently to what was being said, sometimes straining to get a better view. Dick Weisfelder was carrying out his fieldwork for his Harvard doctorate. He was also a frequent and welcome visitors to my office. As Chief Electoral Officer I took a particular interest in what he was doing and waited expectantly for the publication of his book. Now, more than 30 years later, it has appeared.

His 600-page thesis has been available in the meantime. Submitted in 1974, it deals at greater length than the book with the historical background and moves beyond it to the conflicts following independence. The book is in effect three chapters of the thesis with no serious revision or updating. Little attention is paid to Leeman and Machobane, whose work, appeared after Weisfelder’s research was completed. Breytenbach’s Crocodiles and Commoners in Lesotho is not mentioned. Nor is Monyane Moleleki’s biography of Mokhehle.

Weisfelder justifies publishing at this late stage by his realisation, when asked to teach at the NUL, that no equivalent work had been produced in the intervening period. Khaketla’s Lesotho 1970 is ‘polemical and partisan’, Leeman’s three volumes try to ‘justify a particular political perspective’, while Machobane’s Government and Change in Lesotho 1800-1966 concentrated on political institutions. Weisfelder ‘emphasizes the processes of domestic political debate and personal interaction which created Lesotho’s political parties, caused realignments among them, and led to the victory of Chief Jonathan’s Basotho National Party in the 1965 pre-independence elections’.

Political Contention in Lesotho is essential reading for anyone interested in Lesotho’s political history. It is thoroughly researched, clearly written and on the whole well argued. It provides a powerful analysis of the policies and personalities of the various parties, a lucid account of the election campaigns, and a detailed and revealing examination of the election results.

Weisfelder rightly points out that the general expectation, at least in the early 1960s, that the BCP would win an easy victory rested on shaky.