The adoption of affirmative action policies including the quota system has led to a great number of women participating in the country’s democratic institutions including parliament, provincial legislatures and local councils.
This year’s Celebrations happen at the time when the country also celebrates the centenary of one of the great daughters of the African soil Mama Albertina Sisulu, who dedicated her life to fight for the emancipation of women and the liberation of South Africa.
Mama Albertina Sisulu was a fearless champion of democracy and human rights who amongst many is hailed for being a unifying leader during the apartheid era. In 1956, Ma Sisulu was instrumental in leading around 20 000 women from across South Africa to march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria against carrying of passes by women.
In 1958 Ma Sisulu was jailed for taking part in a protest against the Sophiatown removals. She was one of around 2000 protestors who spent three weeks in detention.
Ma Sisulu one of the shining examples of our struggle who dedicated her life to the service of her people. The theme for the centenary is “A Woman of fortitude”.
Ma Sisulu was truly a woman of fortitude. She dedicated herself to nurturing and protecting children. She was committed to good quality education, insisting that the youth put education first even during their quest for a democratic, free, non-sexist and non-violent South Africa.
We will recall the great sacrifices she made and the pioneering role she played in the struggle for the emancipation of women.
During the August month allow me to remind the house that it would be a great mistake in our history to forget great heroes, we remember Charlotte Maxeke, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, Rahima Moosa and Sophie Williams, Bertha Gxowa, Amina Cachalia, Violet Weinberg and many more. We remember Some women carried babies on their backs, Indian women in their colourful saris, rural women and others in their colourful traditional garments, some in the popular black, green and gold colours of the African National Congress while others were in their ordinary outfit.
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