Programme Director
Head of Department of Safety, Security and Liaison
Management and Staff of the Department
Representatives of the South African Human Rights Commission
Representatives of the Government Employees Medical Scheme
Representatives of Khan Optometrists
Representatives of South African National Blood Services
Representatives of Vipro Sports
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning
The Month of August is devoted to the commemorations in celebration of Women of South Africa. The highlight of the Women’s Month commemorations is 9 August, the day set aside by the democratic government to remember the massive women’s march which took place in Pretoria on the same day. On the day, women of all races, classes and ages took to the streets in protest against the apartheid legal requirement for women to carry a dompas all the time and everywhere.
With the dawn of freedom and democracy, 9 August was declared a public holiday to accord South Africans to reflect on the path we have traversed towards women emancipation since the 1956 national women’s march.
Much has been achieved since those humble beginnings of women’s struggles for emancipation. Women have ascended to senior positions in various sectors of society. Today women occupy significant positions in government, private sector and in mass based organisations. We can today identify many women in the legislatures, in the executives and boardrooms of state owned enterprises and mayor private sector entities.
This is the case here and elsewhere in the world. It is indeed a far-cry from the profound declaration by Malcolm X when he described the state of Black Women in America:
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black Woman, the most unprotected person in America is the Black Woman, the most neglected person in America is the Black Woman.”
This was fifty years ago.
Women’s Month accords us the opportunity to walk back in time to 9 August 1956 during the great women’s march which shook the apartheid super-structure to its very foundation. This day changed the cause of history – South Africa would never be the same. The country was set on an irreversible course to freedom and democracy.
Pioneering women of South Africa overnight defied the tyranny of patriarchy and abandoned their aprons for their rightful place in the struggle for freedom and democracy. Women assumed a more conspicuous role in the struggle for freedom and democracy. Women also joined the glorious army of the people, Umkhonto we Sizwe, to fight side by side with men.
When we think of these trailblazers, names that readily come to mind are those of Sophie Williams-De Bruyn, Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph. These are the women who 57 years ago led the iconic march by thousands of South African women against pass laws and other injustices against women.
Let us reflect a bit on South Africa women who are creating waves in Africa and elsewhere in the world: the new head of United Nations Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; the head of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma; the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay and Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi who will shortly take up a major role at the African Development. This is not mentioning women who are Ministers, Premiers, MECs, Mayors, Directors-General, Deputy Directors-General, Heads of Department and Chief Executive Officers in state owned enterprises and in the private sector.
What we have today we owe to these pioneering women. In their time they set the country on an irreversible course to freedom and democracy.
It is our turn to leave a legacy for those who will follow behind us. Let us not live a vacuum behind. Let us live a monument for future generations. This we can do by being the best at what we do and being role models for all the girl children in our spaces. By being role models to others we will ensure that the contributions and sacrifices of Lilian Ngoyi and here generation were not in vain.
Let us use this celebration of Women’s Month to reclaim the legacy of women who set us on the irreversible course to freedom and democracy.
Your Women’s Month celebration is coupled with the wellness of Team Safety, Security and Liaison. Employee Wellness cannot be overemphasized for high productivity in our areas of employment. If we are endowed with a team that is of good physical and mental health, we are guaranteed to live to our constitutional obligations.
Let me add my gratitude to those who have made this celebration possible to ensure we enhance unity and cohesion among members of staff. I also wish to thank external institutions who are here to render employee well-ness services.
Let us make Every Month Women’s Month.
I thank you.
