August 9 celebrates women’s role in South African society

Women’s Day in South Africa marks the day that thousands of women from across the country took part in a mass march against apartheid pass laws in 1956. It also honours the role of women in society. 

While there has been progress in terms of women representation in almost every field from commerce to aviation, sport and government, millions more are still living in extreme poverty and face daily struggles of unemployment, gender based violence and abuse. 

2023 Women’s Day | August 9, 1956 celebrates women’s role in South African society

Gender equity and justice

Numerous laws aimed at gender equity and justice are in place, but some academics say the problem lies with its implementation. 

The SARChI Chair in Gender Politics at Stellenbosch University, Prof Amanda Gouws says, “The struggle during the transition was a very important struggle with the women’s national coalition, so that was an umbrella body of about 80 womens organisations, the ANC Women’s league, and so on that came together and formed the coalition and to fight to get women’s issues included into the constitution.”

“So they wrote a women’s charter after contacting about a million women on grassroots level so that was a big moment, the feminist activists and scholars involved created a national gender machinery which was the structure in the state to create gender equality. We were so hopeful and that first five years that we made many pieces of legislation really promoting gender equality to today, with the commission that;s completely dysfunctional so we need to understand todays struggles in the light of the failures that we had over about 30 years.”

Gouws says with femicide in South Afrika, five times the global average, its imperative that chapter nine institutions, especially the Commission for Gender Equality fulfill its oversight mandate and to promote gender equality.

Women in especially previously disadvantaged and poor communities continue to bear the brunt of poverty, crime, unemployment, and gender-based violence. 

Nonceba Family Counselling Centre Trust’s Nozuko Conjwa says, “Yes we have come a long way since the abolishment of the pass laws and there have been programmes that have been happening, but the women that we are working with which are disadvantaged are the ones that are still vulnerable. We have women that are still victims of gender-based violence, and femicide that are still affected, even after the 1994 elections where everyone was given a right and responsibilities towards the making of the new South Africa, but at the end of the day we are still fighting the issues of gender based violence.”

South African Women’s Day commemorates 1956 apartheid march

‘I don’t see anything free’ 

Florence Nonzame Sili from Abigail women’s movement, khayelitsha says, “Being free as a country, I don’t see anything free because it’s as if we are in a slavery time, because women cannot walk free, we cannot get jobs and with not getting jobs people are depending on men to support them and now they become dependent on the men so they can not see for themselves to move forward so its a big problem.” 

In Mfuleni, a township close to khayelitsha, poverty and safety are also cited as challenges facing women.  Informal businesses, for some, the only way of making a living. 

Food vendor, Asiphe Mboyiya says, “I think for women to be able to empower themselves and uplift themselves they can wake up in the morning and stock things and they can sell. For example, they can sell chicken feet, like me, that’s what can help women because there are no jobs. Sometimes women get killed because they depend on a man and they spend their money…” 

At the nearby Nobantu Centre in the township, the NGO, women for peace runs a number of projects.  These include sewing classes to empower women to become entrepreneurs. 

18-year-old Sinelitha Mbusi finished matric last year, but is unable to get into university, she decided to take up a sewing course.

 Mbusi says, ” They can take more programmes like this so that they can create their own businesses because I feel like people need to realise that they need to create things for themselves instead of waiting for things to come to them….” 

Forty-year old, Nonzukiso Klaas,  who lives in nearby Eersteriver says she is tired of being unemployed, she too registered for the sewing course. 

“I was unemployed for more than 10 years, I was at home looking after my children so I decided no I’m tired, and its depressing to stay at home and do nothing and do the same thing because cleaning, doing the same thing over and over so I’ve decided to do something for myself.” 

The Centre’s management says women in Mfuleni, like in most townships across the country are still facing extreme hardship. 

Thandeka Tofu from Women for Peace says, “We are facing a lot of gender-based violence around Mfuleni, a lot of crime, lots of unemployment….We would love the president to employ more security around our communities, especially the police and law enforcement so that we can feel free around because there is a lot that is happening around Mfuleni.” 

VIDEO:  Entrepreneur and founder of Tjantjello Training Solution, Puleng Pelembe speaks  about the economic importance of Women’s Month: