National Women’s Day Date: August 9
South Africa celebrates National Women’s Day as a public holiday.
The National Women’s day is celebrated on August 9 every year. This day is declared as a public holiday and symbolizes women strength and courage. It reminds us of the bold movement that women embarked on August 9, 1956 and their bold fight back in an era of apartheid. They will never be forgotten for their noble deeds.
South Africa National Women’s Day History
The National Women’s day has a historic significance. It goes as follows. On August 9, 1956 some about 20,000 women gathered outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the amendments passed in the Pass Law. By this law, a black woman was needed to carry a pass for her identification. This law was very much violating the freedom of a woman. It showed heights of condemnation of a woman, who was black. They left 100,000 petitions at the office doors of Prime Minister J.G. Strijdom. They reached the union building and stood outside in silence for 30 minutes. The crowd comprised of women and children. There were also mothers, who died with their baby at the back and had come to raise her voice for justice. Some women, who worked for the white as nannies, had also come with petitions for the white. Anger was one common expression in the visage of one and all. They soon started shouting slogans like ‘Now you have touched a woman, you have struck a rock’. They were completely retaliated and there slogans very much of it. It clearly showed their stamina and their respect for self-respect. Even the legislation could not temper with their rights to equality. The march was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn. Since 1994, August 9 is declared as a public holiday and is celebrated as the Women’s Day in South Africa.
South Africa National Women’s Day Traditions and Activities
In 2006, the 50th Anniversary of the women protest was celebrated by enacting a protest in the manner they had done in 1956. Their protests song of ‘Wathint’ abafazi, Strijdom!”
wathint’ abafazi,
wathint’ imbokodo,
uza kufa!
In other words, this song means ‘When you strike the women, you strike a rock, you will be crushed [you will die]!’ These words are the manifestations of their strength. Thus, they celebrate Women’s day so that it may remind us of the brave woman’s of past. So that, they may be revived by them and be courageous in the face wrong. They will be ever remembered and hats off to their valor.
As a part of honoring all those who took part in the march, the government of South Africa has decide to rename Strijdom Square as Lillian Ngoyi Square. This act was put into action on the 50th Anniversary of Women march since 1956. So the government also respected sentiments of a woman.
Certainly if you denied rights you can only seek the refuge of the government. Women are an embodiment of courage which they very much displayed through the march of 1956. Hence, before you go against this category of society you will think twice. Every year on Women’s day every woman feel proud to be a woman and pay homage to the one who fought for their rights.
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- South Africa Celebrates Human Rights Day
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- Youth Day Commemorated in South Africa
- Commemorating South Africa’s First Multiracial Election
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