Women's Day - What it is all about.

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Women's Day on the 9th August 

in South Africa? 

It has nothing to do with honouring women just because we need another “Mother’s Day”, this day commemorates the 9 August 1956 when women from all walks of life participated in a National March to petition against *pass laws …

On the 9^th August 1956, over 20 000 women of all races and ages from every corner of South Africa marched together towards the Union Buildings in Pretoria.  These brave women were marching in protest against the pass laws that proposed even further restrictions on the movements of women.

Organised by the Federation of South African Women (FSAW), the March was led by four brave women who came from the Indian, Coloured, Black and White communities. These women; Rahima Moosa, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and Sophie Williams delivered the petitions to Prime Minister JG Strijdom’s office within the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Women throughout South Africa had put their names to these petitions indicating their anger and frustration at having their freedom of movement restricted by the hated official passes.

To conclude the Women’s March, the women sang freedom songs such as Nkosi sikeleli Afrika, however, the song that became the anthem of the March was “Wathint’ abafazi, Strijdom!”

wathint’abafazi,

wathint’imbokodo,

uza kufa!

when you strike the women

you strike a rock

you will be crushed!

(From left) Rahima Moosa, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and Sophie Williams

The March was a resounding success and proved that the stereotype of women as politically inept and immature, tied to the home, was outdated and inaccurate. South Africa recognises the bravery of these women who risked arrest, detention and banning by declaring 9 August National Women’s Day.

*Pass Laws

Legislation that required African persons to carry a document on them to “prove” that they were allowed to enter a “white area” during the Apartheid regime.