Mme Lydia Komape-Ngwenya (1935 – 2023) Founder of Rural Women's Movement & National Movement of Rural Movement.
TRIBUTE TO
MME LYDIA KOMAPE - NGWENYA
THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF RURAL WOMEN (NMRW)
REMEMBERS THE LEGACY OF ITS FOUNDER,
MME LYDIA NGWENYA – KOMAPE (1935-2023).
Mme Lydia Ngwenya - Komape founded the Rural Women’s Movement (RWM) in 1986 which later formally became the National Movement of Rural Women (NMRW) in 1998. She identified the circumstances which led to the inception of RWM as parallel to the emergence of forced removals and forced incorporations. The exclusion of rural women in resisting forced removals and forced incorporations became the basis for advancing a social justice cause.
She was employed by the Transvaal Rural Action Committee (TRAC) in 1986, to organise a series of resistance to forced removals and incorporations across the Transvaal. She mobilised rural women to unite with their male counterparts, with an understanding that a successful resistance against oppression required a united front. Having grown up in the rural areas herself, Mme Lydia’s intimate knowledge of rural life and the patriarchal culture that often perpetuated inequality resonated with the emancipation of rural women. Through her wise counsel, these women not only became politically empowered but also found liberation in expressing themselves within the confines of their homes and tactfully confronted power
relations.
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Using her experience and credentials gleaned in the unions from 1977 - 1985 in mobilising women against gender discrimination in male dominated industries, proved invaluable to the foundations of the movement. With her strategic vision and organisational skills, Mme Lydia was able to broker negotiations with tribal authorities to allow socio – political participation of women in decision making structures.
Under Mme Lydia’s guidance, the National Movement of Rural Women went from strength to strength. The movement has successfully embarked on initiatives such as community education workshop programmes, advocacy campaigns for the recognition of African customary marriages, ensuring that rural women enjoy equal legal protection and rights within these marriages. The organisation has also led noteworthy protests for basic living resources. The NMRW made significant strides in uplifting the lives of rural women and challenging systemic oppression to bring about equal opportunities, fairness, and inclusivity.
Her zeal to start and continue the NMRW was borne out of her experiences as a rural woman, a trade unionist, and a parliamentarian at Provincial (Limpopo) and National level post democracy.
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By 1991, the organisation had gained traction and built strong networks across 16 founding groups throughout different rural regions. With an understanding that constituents cannot be politicised while continuing to be economically marginalised, Mme Lydia and NMRW devised an ingenious idea of creating income-generating projects with an objective to assist rural women to secure food for their families and communities. The logic was to ensure that the war waged by women against injustices for their communities was not on an empty stomach.
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Infused with Mme Lydia’s enduring spirit, the NMRW has outlived the woes of apartheid while adapting to the ever-changing social settings and broadening its impact. In its 37th year since Mme Lydia answered the altruistic call to serve her countrymen in rural communities, the NMRW has created full- time employment for just over 40 professionals, of which 99 percent are black women.​
The NMRW assists rural communities in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Kwa – Zulu Natal and Northwest because of demarcations of government of national unity. Currently the NMRW supports 490 rural based micro-businesses. Each cooperative comprises of a minimum of 5 members, resulting in an estimated 2500 direct beneficiaries responsible for an average of 8 dependents per family.
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Amongst many accolades that attest to Mme Lydia’s impact, the government has honoured her with the prestigious order of Luthuli award in March 2009, for her commitment to worker’s rights, rural women, and liberation of black people. Wits university has also honoured her with an honorary MA in Social Sciences in 2002, for her contribution to society in empowering rural people and their struggles.
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The National Movement of Rural Women (NMRW) will remember Mme Lydia Ngwenya - Komape, as a trailblazing human rights activist who sparked a movement that continues to transform lives and champion socio - economic justice.
Robala ka Kgotso Mothokwa a maseboko!
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