Happy Women’s Day to our ‘imbokodo’s – the ‘rocks’ of the Western Cape
Recently I had the privilege of attending an all-women’s roadblock on the N2, just past Cape Town International Airport. The roadblock was arranged by the Western Cape Mobility Department, South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town.
Approximately 80 women from Mobility’s road safety management and traffic law enforcement; City traffic services and metro police; and SAPS managed and executed the roadblock.
The courage of the woman at the roadblock was so tangible that I felt their spirit and commitment to serve people on our roads but also across our province.
‘Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo’ means when you strike a woman, you strike a rock, and this is still very true for all women in the South Africa and here in the Western Cape.
On 9 August 1956, women in South Africa united, across all cultures, to march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, to protest the Pass Laws and the carrying of passbooks by black South Africans.
Prime Minister JG Strijdom refused to meet with the women or to accept their petition. The women would not be silenced and started to sing a song with the words: ‘Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo’.
These words filled Pretoria and spread to all corners of South Africa including this province and showed that the courage and strength of South African women would never again be supressed.
This moment in history confirmed that the struggle for gender equality for women would continue till all people in our country, men and women, are equal in all aspects in life.
From that day in Pretoria, women in South Africa started a ‘movement’ to become equal in the world of work, as political leaders, as community social enhancers, and in all other sectors.
Today I celebrate the push for freedom for all women. I, with men, across this province, commit myself to fight, alongside all women, for real freedom for our wives, daughters, mothers, grandmothers and all other women.
Today, on Women’s day, I again commit myself to all initiatives to support all women against Gender Based Violence in the Western Cape.
Today I congratulate the women of our country with Women’s day.
You deserve to celebrate Pretoria 1956 and the freedom you have today.
You deserve to look forward to a country and Western Cape Province without gender inequality.
You deserve to look forward to a life without Gender Based Violence.
You deserve to look forward to a life of equality and real economic and social freedom.
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MEDIA QUERIES:
Hugo Geldenhuys
Spokesperson for Minister Isaac Mbulelo Sileku
+27 82 659 1058
