The Union Buildings in Tshwane went abuzz in celebration of the 68th anniversary of the famous march by about 20 000 women of all races to the selfsame premises on 9 August 1956.
This was in protest against apartheid laws which would compel black women to also carry on them identity documents known as “dompas” just like their black male counterparts.
But this Friday’s march was jubilant as young and old people marched, danced and sang together happily as they reenacted the 1956 march by walking from Lilian Ngoyi Street to the Union Buildings.
Many people came out to the celebrations wearing all kinds of traditional attires that one may think of, including Sepedi, Khoisan, Indian, Zulu, Ndebele and Xhosa outfits.
Though some men were in attendance, women were predominant in the more than 1000-strong crowd that celebrated the women of South Africa past and present.
Ladies from various law-enforcement agencies in Gauteng marched and played their musical instruments all the way from Lilian Ngoyi Street to the Union Buildings.
The ANC Women’s League members were also conspicuous at the Union Buildings in their black and green attires.
Learners from various schools were also in attendance in their respective school uniforms and holding placards with messages of support and appreciation to the woman heroes of the 1956 march.
Various music artists also belted out their songs, much to the delight of the gathered crowd.
The event was organised by the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation under the theme: “Celebrating 30 Years of Democracy Towards Women’s Development.”
City of Tshwane Deputy Mayor Nasiphi Moya welcomed the revelling crowd to the Union Buildings as it is situated in Tshwane.
“This is more than a commemoration but a passing of the baton through memory, and that means today is about your future as young people and nothing should happen without you,” said Moya as she addressed the attendant youth at the Union Buildings.
“We gather in the spirit of the brave women who fought against apartheid, who fought for our democracy, and who today now continue to fight for equality and ours is not a responsibility but an honour as we have picked up the baton passed on to our generation by the late Lilian Ngoyi, Albertina Sisulu, Ellen Khuzwayo, Sally Motlana, Winnie Mandela, Helen Joseph, Fatima Meer, Helen Suzman and our living veteran Sophie de Bruyn,” said Moya much to the appreciation and ululation of the gathered crowd.
“We honour their legacy by continuing their work, their work is far from over as long as we still have women who die at the hands of abusers, girls who fall pregnant before maturity, gender salary disparity, girls dropping out of school and girls not climbing up the corporate ladder solely because they are women, then the struggle for the recognition of women must continue and today’s battle cry is Wathinth’abafazi Wathanth’imbhokodo,” said Moya.
Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Matome Chiloane, who was the guest speaker at the event told Tshwane Talks the following:
“This day highlights and uplifts the struggle of women, and we are here to celebrate with them.”
Referring to the women who were selling their wares at the Union Buildings, Chiloane said women must occupy every space and for the economy to grow women must be involved in all economic activities in the country.
He called upon men who abuse women to start respecting women as all women are mothers to all human beings.
The following attachment is a speech by MEC Matome Chiloane: