North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Anglican Church Women's Month celebration function to be held at the Tsogong Cathedral in Ikageng outside Potchefstroom on Sunday morning.
MEC Yawa's address on the eve of the 54th anniversary of the women's march commemoration is inspired by the quotation by Washington Irving, dubbed the first American man of the letters that asserts that: "There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity".
In his speech, Yawa will trace the leadership of women from Prophetess Deborah, the spiritual, military leader and only recorded female judge of ancient Israel, through to female dynasties, regents and pre-colonial women to the battle cry "wathin't abafazi, within't imbokodo, usakufa-You strike the women, you strike the rock" of the heroines who led the 9 August 1956 historic march against repressive apartheid pass laws.
Yawa says that the battle cry "wathin’t abafazi, within't imbokodo, should today translate into determination of girl children and women to enter into fields of science, engineering, medicine, commerce, construction ,etc and to succeed in order for them to their rightful positions in society.
The theme for Women's Day and Month as announced by Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya for Women, Children and Persons with disabilities, is "Working together for equal opportunities for all women".
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
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