There is enough evidence that suggest that, sexist and misogynist arguments are always used by the South African mainstream media against women leaders in the African National Congress(ANC), who are perceived as a threat to the Presidency of Ramaphosa.

A typical example of this perception engineering that seeks to create mistrust and lack of confidence towards female leaders in the ANC is the recent article published by the Times Newspaper titled "Part-time Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu's attendance of MK event".

There is no body of evidence in the article that gives enough collaboration that Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is an absent  Minister who is sleeping on the job, however the intention of the article is to characterize her as an irresponsible Minister whom society should not have confidence in.

How do South Africans have confidence in female leaders in particular black female leaders when the media is used as a tool to demonize anything that is black whilst preserving White supremacy and Patriarchy?

Chauvinistic tactics by the mainstream media are certainly not new, they became the order of the day  towards the 54th National Conference of the ANC in 2017, were the media was given carte blanche to run an all-out patriarchal onslaught against Minister Nkosazane Dlamini-Zuma.

The Minister became a persona non grata in a country that she sacrificed and dedicate her life for by a media that was bend to elevate a male Presidential candidate who is a blue eyed boy of capital by any means necessary. Even if it meant destroying the legacy of one of the most accomplished and decorated female leaders.

The lack of standards and ethics by the South African media is laid bare by award winning veteran journalist Sandile Memela who opines the following;

Few people must know that journalism is not a science but a trade. It is not even a profession but we must present it as such. The chief aim of embedded journalists is to promote, protect and preserve a supremacist, patriarchal and exploitative capitalist system. And much as journalists have eyes, they must remain blind to the economic inequality, land dispossession, rampant prejudice and racism.

This is the sorry state of  South African journalism which sees no wrong and hears no wrong hence journalists have turned a blind eye on White power but spend all their resources and effort demonizing one woman simply because she poses as a threat to dismantle White privilege and Patriarchy.

The South African media is clearly beyond redemption and their propensity to disregard dissenting views has not worked in their favour as ordinary citizens have seen through their shenenigans and deceit.

Instead of the media using its powerful platform to promote some of the  constitutional ideals such as equality and transformation, the media remains an apartheid enclave and bastion of draconian reportage which character assassinates female leaders who choose to speak out about the world most unequal country.

No industry can hold such unfasted power without any checks and balances and perhaps it's time that journalists and media houses who set the agenda and define reality as we know it, are held to the same ethical standards of other professions if our objective is to create a non-sexist society?

However, with all its unwarranted powers, the media is loosing all credibility. A few years ago, to character assassinate brave female leaders such as Lindiwe Sisulu will have manufactured consent but society is wiser now. They now understand the media is not a profession but a trade.

The black majority also yearns for brave leaders such as Minister Lindiwe Sisulu who are prepared to stand up to question and confront the status quo that sees Africans landless, without economic power and in abject poverty.

If not now when?

Politics is not kind to women, so is the ever powerful and omnipotent White Monopoly Owned media that preys on the most vulnerable and female leaders such as Minister Sisulu.

Written by Phaphano Phasha. She is a Communication Specialist and Social Commentator