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  A reflection on both political and personal power, this memoir from a South African activist ponders the limitations of politics as a tool to create a truly humane democracy. During her years in parliament in the 1990s, Pregs Govender made headlines when she opposed her party's position on arms deals and the AIDS pandemic, and this book offers her insider's look at the battles over these and other issues. At the heart of the discussion, however, are insights about the true source of lasting power, particularly for women, as it reveals that real power cannot be won by wealth, influence, or bullying, but rather from true courage and conviction. Like the writing of Antjie Krog and Mamphela Ramphele, two other outspoken South African feminists, this is an impassioned call for women everywhere to open up the debates, work through many channels, and start speaking truth to power. Pregs Govender was an African National Congress MP in the first South African parliament after the 1994 elections, which mandated a new South African constitution. She grew to prominence through her work on the Women's Budget and as head of the Women's Committee, and she currently works outside the government for women's rights and aid to the poor. |
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