Feminist Policies and Practices in Africa

The Welfare State

In most economies, including African economies like South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, among many others, there is a ‘modern-day welfare state’ that caters for the poor and the vulnerable like the disabled, single mothers and the elderly. Although the modern-day capitalist welfare state has come with some free packages and grants for these disadvantaged groups, it failed to make them self-reliant and thus, failed to empower these disadvantaged groups, including women in Africa. Therein lies the difference between this contemporary capitalist welfare state and the traditional African welfare state as in the zunde ramambo welfare state in Zimbabwe discussed below. Zunde ramambo would not kill the original, curious, innovative and initiative person within the recipients or beneficiaries of zunde ramambo.