Pregs Govender's 'Love and Insubordination' podcast series draws its listeners into intimate yet globally resonant conversations, curated around deeply mindful questions. Episode 1, ' What do I do with my heart?' dances with feminist, teacher, writer and poet Sipho Mthathi. Sipho has led local and international organisations and movements, including the Treatment Action Campaign, Oxfam and currently Tekano. Pregs' and Sipho's personal stories invite us to navigate complex political contexts that are governed by unjust economic, military and ideological power. They reflect on battles against their own government, greedy corporations, powerful states, unequal trade systems, and the struggle for universal healthcare, specifically affordable life-saving medication for all. They share what sustains their hearts in moments of individual and collective fear, grief and trauma. They celebrate social movements they became part of and those who shaped their feminist activism, including memories of beloved ancestors and teachers who affirmed their inherent dignity, equality, freedom, and connection to humanity and the earth. Episode 1 begins with Pregs' poem 'Fragments' and ends with Sipho's poem 'Geography'. Sipho rarely shares her poetry in public, so this is a moment of grace and gratitude for her, Pregs, and podcast listeners. Pregs concludes by inviting listeners to creatively reflect on and continue their own conversations about love and insubordination, wherever they are.
Pregs Govender is the author of Love and Courage, A Story of Insubordination, which has been used locally and internationally to teach the power of love and insubordination against injustice (https://www.pregsgovender.com/books). As part of the South African Human Rights Delegation, she witnessed Israel's Apartheid system that is perpetuating a genocide against Palestinian people, especially children. She is currently a Senior Affiliate at the African Gender Institute (AGI), where she is creating this podcast, to invoke critical and creative thinking and action. It draws on archival material from her long herstory of feminist political organising, including her experiences of being a writer, teacher, trade union educator and feminist organiser against the patriarchal, capitalist Apartheid state. In SA's first Democracy, as a member of parliament (MP) and Chair of Parliament's Committee on Women, she initiated South Africa's globally influential gender-responsive budgets and ensured wide-ranging legislative changes for women. Pregs was the only MP to register opposition to South Africa's arms deal in Parliament's Defence Budget Vote. She chaired public hearings when Government denialism and the greed of the pharmaceutical industry resulted in tragic, preventable deaths of people who were HIV positive. She was later elected as Commissioner and Deputy Chair of South Africa's Human Rights Commission. Her report on water and sanitation was widely used by civil society, government and human rights commissions in other countries. She advocates that the global war economy be replaced with an economic system that values life, the earth and humanity, so the rights of all human beings, including socio-economic rights, equality, dignity, justice, peace and freedom can be realised.
Acknowledgements:
Fatima Seedat and Yaliwe Clarke at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town (UCT)
Fatimah Oriola, Student Intern, AGI
Hugh Dudley, Centre for Film and Media Studies, UCT
Seredeal Scheepers, Sound Engineer
Rayne Moses, Music
Gary van Wyk, Photograph
