Fogohlela seropeng: exploring the Sepedi proverbs and women’s abuse within marriages in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Sections 10 and 12 of Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantee every person with right to dignity and freedom from all forms of violence including marital abuse, while Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 provide with extreme protection from domestic violence with purpose of curbing Gender based-violence and femicide. Despite the efforts of these legislations, marital abuse still persists. In Sepedi culture, the proverb fogohlela seropeng which translated into “brush your thigh”, figuratively meaning “endure in the marriage”, continues to influence women to remain in abusive relationships in order to preserve family dignity. Limited research exists on how this proverb is interpreted by married women and how it shapes their experiences of abuse, as well as family and institutional responses.

This qualitative study explored how Sepedi proverbs, particularly fogohlela seropeng are interpreted by 22 women aged 32 to 65 years in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, Limpopo Province, and how it inform their decisions to remain in abusive marriages. Semi-structured interviews in Sepedi language were conducted. Purposive and snowballing samplings were used. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that fogohlela seropeng is interpreted as a cultural mandate to endure abuse and prioritise family reputation over safety. The study recommended community education to challenge harmful cultural norms, training of frontline officials on victimcentred approaches and economic empowerment programmes for women.