Women: Wise, Optimistic, Motivating, Empowering & Nurturing

Letlhokwa George Mpedi

Synopsis

Women’s Day, celebrated annually on the 9th of August, commemorates the 1956 women’s march against the discriminatory pass laws during the apartheid era. It was on this day that women from across the nation were led by Helen Joseph, Lillian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn to the Union Buildings to protest against the oppressive pass laws. As SA History describes it, “The 1956 Women’s March played a vital role in women becoming more visible participants in the anti-apartheid struggle.” That is not to say that women were not already playing an instrumental role in the struggle.