INTRODUCTION

South Africa's President, Mr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), said, "Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. To this end, we have acknowledged that the objectives of our reconstruction and development will not be realised unless we see in visible and practical terms that the condition of women in our country has radically changed for the better, and that women at every level have been empowered to intervene in all aspects of life as equals with any other member of society. My government is committed to a reallocation of resources to ensure the achievement of this objective."

South Africa still reflects many characteristics of a patriarchal society. Although women constitute the majority of the population, they are still inadequately represented in political, economic, social and cultural structures of society, except on the lower echelons. If government and state departments are considered, women are not sufficiently represented among cabinet ministers, there is only one female director-general, only two deputy directors-general and no provincial premiers, only four ambassadors and a few chief directors.

Internationally, in the armed forces itself, it took a long time before women were accepted as soldiers. Although it is a historical fact that women played a vital role in the war effort during World War I and II, they lost the positions they held once the war was over and the men returned from the front-line.

This tradition of general discrimination is slowly disappearing in the SANDF. Opportunities for women in the National Defence Force are definitely increasing at all levels, at various rates. However, women in the SANDF still do not have enough decision-making power to effect important changes. For instance, in the SANDF there are no female generals, but there are five brigadiers, 23 colonels, 205 lieutenant colonels, 873 majors, among others. In spite of this, the rights of women will be advanced increasingly through policies designed to eradicate all forms of discrimination in the organisation.

In examining the role of women in the SANDF, this article will consider the environment and its enabling qualities, the nature of defence forces, policy formulation, opportunities in the SANDF, and the equal opportunities forum.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

The changes in South Africa have major implications for women's lives and open new opportunities and challenges in the quest for women's equality and empowerment. Women in the SANDF have welcomed the Equality Clause in the Interim Constitution (1993) and other instruments that create an enabling environment that can overcome obstacles in the pursuit of gender objectives and equal opportunities. They are tools to be used to achieve representation of women in the defence force, particularly in decision-making bodies.

The South African Government has demonstrated its political will and commitment to change the lives of women in this country, among others through signing important international conventions regarding the rights of women, in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Government is to set up an office that will deal with the status of women under the direct supervision of the President's Office. A gender commission will be put in place, once parliamentary approval for its formation has been secured.

NATURE OF DEFENCE FORCES

Historically, defence forces throughout the world have been monopolised by males and ruled by gender stereotyping. There is a perception that matters of defence and security are the prerogative of men. However, women have proved their mettle in battle and are increasingly recognised as equals in matters of defence and security.

The deployment of women in combat by the United States Army in the Gulf War and during the conflict in Haiti, has resulted in reconsidering the utilisation of women in combat. An observation made during Operation Desert Storm has been that future wars and battles will increasingly depend on technology, rather than mere muscle power.

However, in South Africa the utilisation of women for combat roles is still an issue which has not been widely canvassed. It remains topical and controversial. The Institute for Defence Policy reported in 1995 on a survey conducted to ascertain the public's response to women in combat. According to the survey, there was strong opposition to it, but at the same time, respondents did not wish women to be relegated to positions of inferiority.

Prior to the April 1994 elections, the military formations that had to form the SANDF through integration, embarked on a process of planning and policy formulation that was to shape the nature of the country's new defence force. This occurred under the auspices of the Transitional Executive Council's (TEC) Sub-Council on Defence and the Joint Military Co-ordinating Council (JMCC).

There were a number of work groups dealing with different aspects of defence. One group dealt with the utilisation of women in the SANDF, and consisted of female representatives from the statutory and non-statutory forces. The aim of the work group was to influence policy in the SANDF to be gender sensitive in all aspects and to ensure that it was free of discrimination based on gender.

The most difficult issue that had to be negotiated was to allow women to do combat duty. It was argued that women's participation in all forms of military service, and in combat in particular, was as crucial as their involvement in other spheres of society. It was important to seize the moment and open all doors of opportunity for women in the defence force. After all, the process was meant to shape SANDF policy for at least the next ten years. Combat, as it is known today, will definitely change radically within the next decade. In a highly technological world, complex and sophisticated weapon systems are being developed which will impact on the roles of women involved in combat, as the weapons of the future will no doubt require a high level of general efficiency, rather than the mainly physical application of combat forces.

It will take time for women to be effectively employed in combat in this country. There are a number of logistical obstacles that will have to be overcome. The SANDF, however, are adapting to handle large numbers of women. The lessons learned during the integration process will further equip the SANDF to develop strategies for handling such intakes efficiently.

The result of this policy formulation exercise was a policy document on the utilisation of women in the SANDF which was accepted by the Command Council of the newly formed SANDF. In many ways, it is a positive step forward for women, as it opens up opportunities that have hitherto been closed to women in the defence fraternity.

POLICY

The main assumption that formed the basis of the new SANDF policy, was that the changes that were taking place in the country were profound and were to develop into a general social change in the way society understood the role of women. It was impossible for the SANDF to escape this change. It would have been a great disservice to women and to the country as a whole, if the SANDF missed the opportunity to ensure that, as a state department, it would be governed by the principles of non-racism and non-sexism in all its endeavours.

Today, it is policy that there should be broad representation of women at all levels of the command and staff hierarchy, and that the SANDF should be sensitised regarding gender issues.

The following are some of the objectives of the new policy for women in the SANDF:

the gradual breakdown of male dominated structures and trends in the SANDF, by ensuring that women are involved in every structure at all levels of command, including strategic planning and decision-making;



advancement of women at all levels through the provision of equal opportunities, training, development and utilisation; and



gender education is to be introduced and recruitment and promotion procedures will be reviewed with the aim of making them gender sensitive.

The policy also deals with inequality created by statutory discrimination in terms of salary scales, income tax, functional housing, military medical aid, pensions and group insurance. The policy has also recommended that the following discriminatory practices are discarded:

In the past, former SADF women wore smaller insignia on their shoulders.



Pregnancy in unmarried women constituted grounds for dismissal.



Normal promotion could not be considered while on maternity leave for a period of a year.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE SANDF

The situation at present is that the SANDF prohibits any form of discrimination against women employed either in the permanent or part-time components of the SANDF. Women are offered the same career opportunities and scope as men, and enjoy exactly the same service benefits. Women are free to choose whether they want to be employed in infrastructure posts, support services such as administration, personnel, finance, logistics, signals, catering, training as instructors, in combat positions, or to undertake foreign affairs duties as military attachés.

Women undergo basic training, junior leadership and/or formative training, and thereafter specialist career or corps training. At present, for basic and junior leadership training, women are separated from men. All career training thereafter is done jointly with the same academic and physical requirements expected of both men and women.

Sexual harassment, abuse of power and victimisation are regarded as offences and are punishable under the Military Disciplinary Code (MDC).

The SANDF is a large institution with career opportunities for young women who have reached either Standard 8 or Matric level, as well as university graduates and professionals. The only way it differs from the corporate world is that female staff are in uniform and have a regimented way of operation. While other women are involved in economic activities, the women in the SANDF have to deliver the peace and stability which will make it possible for all to function effectively.

The task of corporate appraisal of the implementation of gender policy, affirmative action and equal opportunities lies with the Director of Equal Opportunities (DEO) at SANDF level. She is the chairperson of the equal opportunity forum which comprises representatives from all four arms of the SANDF, namely the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Medical Services. The aim of the forum is to assist the DEO in the execution of the above task.

The SANDF is therefore already moving ahead in actually implementing its empowerment policies to improve the position of women in the organisation in practice there are now 5 830 women in the SANDF. Apart from women that have been doing jobs such as air traffic control, mission control and fire fighting for some time, the first woman flight engineer working on fixed wing aircraft has been appointed. The first six women selected as potential pilots have also commenced training.

CONCLUSION

Women in the SANDF contend that their empowerment and their full participation in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making processes and access to power, are fundamental to the achievement of equality, development and peace.

Women will participate when gender sensitive policies and programmes are designed, implemented and monitored to ensure that they result in true empowerment and advancement of women in uniform. South Africa is fortunate to have a government in power that has the political will to improve the conditions of women radically.

Despite the military environment and participation in the defence and security field, masculinisation is not an attraction for women in uniform. They acknowledge with pride the full spectrum of their traditional domestic, as well as their professional roles.

ENDNOTES

Edited version of a paper presented to the Pace Ladies Club, Holiday Inn Garden Court, Johannesburg, 24 February 1996. The views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily the official viewpoint of the South African National Defence Force.