By Sue Segar, Associate Editor at Cape Business News
ON 9 August 1956, about 20 000 women marched into Pretoria, to the Union Buildings, to protest against the pass laws which existed in the country at the time.
This historic march – which was also a protest against the patriarchy and racism entrenched through apartheid – brought together women from across South Africa of all races, and across many divides.
The pass laws, one of many measures put in place during apartheid, were internal passports which restricted the movement of black people.
The march was one of the iconic historic events to take place during apartheid. The words addressed to the prime minister at the time, JG Strijdom, at the gathering were, “Strijdom, you have tampered with the women. You have struck a rock.’
The march was dignified and orderly throughout and the women filled the amphitheatre at the Union Buildings, many wearing traditional dress, many with babies on their backs.
The prime minister and his staff were not there to see the women, so the leaders of the protest left bundles of signed petitions outside his office, before standing in silence for half an hour, and then singing Nkosi sikeleli’ Afrika.
Many women who attended described it as one of the most moving days of their life.
The women claimed in their petition that the pass laws not only affected their freedom of movement, but that they caused deep humiliation to them personally. The arrests brought about by these laws were also hugely damaging to families and to the incomes of the women.
The unity displayed as these thousands of women converged on the Union Buildings made headlines worldwide.
South Africa’s first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995. In 2006, a re-enactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with some of the original 1956 marchers taking part.
Every year, in August, South Africa uses women’s month to pay tribute to these women, who, in many ways were trailblazers for women’s rights in the country. August 9 is celebrated as Women’s Day, and commemorated as a national holiday.
It is thus apt to always remember the huge contributions made to South Africa’s democracy, and to women’s rights as a whole. Women’s month poses an opportunity to look at the progress the country has made in transforming unequal power relations between women and men.
Women have many unrecognised skills, and they are regularly undermined, to this day, in various ways, both in the workplace and in the wider community.
Although South Africa’s population comprises mainly women, this is not reflected in leadership positions, salary proportionality, or in general workplace equality.
Women still take a back seat in society, simply because of the fact that they are conditioned by society to believe they exist to run the household and raise the children.
While great strides have been made since the women’s march in 1956, there is still a way to go before equality is reached at all levels of society.
National Women’s Day in South Africa draws attention to many of the important issues that women still face – such as domestic violence, discrimination and harassment in the workplace, equal pay, education for girls and more.
It’s also an opportunity to celebrate all women and girls for the enormous role they play in society and for the battles they’ve fought – and to empower, and inspire them to reach for their dreams and to continue contributing towards the empowerment of all women.
Happy Women’s Day; and happy Women’s Month from all of us at Cape Business News.
