South African CEO Receives Wife As Gift From Traditional Rulers - Faces Probe

South African Broadcasting Corporation CEO Hlaudi Motsoeneng was given a wife, a cow, and a calf as gifts by Traditional Venda chiefs during his visit to their area.

About 10 bare-breasted women were lined up in Tho hoyandou, Limpopo, last Wednesday, and Motsoeneng was asked to choose one. He picked 22-year-old Vanessa Mutswari, a human resources management student shown smiling and standing bare-breasted in above picture, next to her new husband and the cow and calf.

Motsoeneng told the Sowetan he received the gifts because he was “committed to his job and understands the strategic objectives of the SABC”.

However, Motsoeneng is now the subject of a complaint lodged with the Commission for Gender Equality under the women’s ministry. Spokeswoman Kenosi Machepa for the ministry said the complaint was welcome, and the gift of the wife, under the guise of tradition and culture by a lobby group called Mudzi wa Vhurereli ha Vhavenda, was regrettable.

“As the department responsible for the championing of the rights of women, we cannot sit back and allow women to be treated like secondary citizens with no acclaim to human rights. The use of women as gifts as if they were livestock is a serious regress and an insult to the gains of 20 years of democracy and freedom, particularly the contribution of wo men. Cultural and traditional practices are part of South Africa’s rich heritage, but should not be abused to advance personal interests.” 

This kind of news has me scratching my head. The young lady looks so happy and fulfilled, so I ask myself why I should be vexing. But seriously, how can this be happening in 2014?