Girls are forced to go through the tradition of virginity testing, sometimes they are not comfortable and do not want to do it but the father of the house enforces it because they feel they will be a laughing stock in their communities where the tradition is dominant. The mothers never have a choice or a say because they are being oppressed by their father. The voices of girls and women are not being heard and their opinions do not matter. In most cases peer-pressure also plays a role in these communities because if the child does not go to the virginity testing they are judged and regarded as non-virgins, even if they are. The reed dance are pro-men because that is a space where older men come and choose wives for themselves, in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Swaziland, the reed dance is a chance for the king to choose wives. The fathers never protect their children and allow them to get married because marriage is also seen as an achievement. Women are struggling too much to bear with the difficult situation in their life. This man who are oppressing their child and women must stop now let the woman voice out their voices.
By Puleng Mbali