Mndeni wakwaGxowa, izihlobo abangani, nomakhelwane
Deputy President of the Republic, Kgalema Motlanthe
Acting Premier of Gauteng, Mandla Nkomfe
Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs, MPs and MPLs
Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Councillor Mondli Gungubele
Comrades and compatriots
On 6 June 1912, about 600 women marched to the municipal offices in Bloemfontein to demonstrate against the carrying of passes.
On 23 September 1913, women again marched against passes, led by the pioneer of the struggle for the emancipation of women, Charlotte Maxeke, also in the then Orange Free State. They burned their passes in front of municipal offices.
In 1918, Charlotte Maxeke led a delegation of the Bantu Women's League to then Prime Minister Louis Botha, also to protest against passes.
Years later, in 1956, Mama Bertha Nonkumbi Gxowa and her comrades organised the courageous march by 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to demonstrate their total rejection of passes and all oppressive apartheid laws.
Given her commitment and fortitude, it is not surprising that she was selected as one of the alternate leaders to present the petition to the apartheid prime minister, Mr Strijdom, should one of the leaders not make it to the Union Buildings.
That was a historic moment that has inspired generations upon generations of women to be in the forefront of struggle.
Today when we look back on the events of that day we stand in admiration at the organisational strength and capacity of the women who were involved.
The magnitude of work that was involved in mobilising and organising such a march in the midst of repression indicates the dedication and determination of women to free themselves from bondage.
Women also played a critical role in other struggles that were taking place all over the country at that time including the Zeerust peasants revolt in 1957 and similar protests in Natal, Witzieshoek and Pondoland.
Other campaigns where women played a critical role included the potato boycott, anti-beerhall protests and the bus boycotts of the late 1950's.
The 1956 march and all the other activities demonstrated the pivotal role of women in the liberation struggle and the quest for a non-racial, democratic and non-sexist South Africa.
These women of South Africa chose to face the might of the apartheid state, rather than live on their knees in the country of their birth. That is the spirit that mama Bertha embodied.
Compatriots,
It is truly remarkable that Mama Bertha sacrificed 59 years of her life to this country and its people.
The fact that as early as 1951, in her youth, she joined the African National Congress and the African National Congress Youth League indicates her advanced political consciousness.
She became one of the best organisers produced by our movement during the fighting fifties, who saw the urgency of freedom as reflected in the 1950's slogan of the ANC "freedom in our lifetime”.
Mama Bertha was also part of all the major historical campaigns in our history, from the Defiance Campaign of Unjust Laws in 1952, the formation of the Federation of South African Women in 1954, the adoption of the Freedom Charter in 1955, the staging of the historic Women's March to the Union Buildings in 1956 and the 1957 Treason Trial.
These events and many others shaped the character of Mama Bertha and those of the women of her generation. They were of historical significance in shaping her thinking and outlook in life.
We need to use these milestones in our history, to make our children, especially girl children, to realise that they have a critical role to play in the public life of this country, and to prepare them adequately for that role.
Fortunately they have several role models to look up to in our country, given the strides made by women.
The increasing numbers of women in politics, business and other fields provide our girl and boy children with a perspective that says South Africa belongs to both men and women in terms of opportunities. In this way we can build the society that mama Bertha fought for.
We owe credit to mama Bertha and women of her stature, that today women in our country lead government in portfolios that were previously considered male domains - such as defence, international relations, science and technology, agriculture, labour, water and environmental affairs, correctional services and others.
Our country has had four successful national general elections, a massive operation that is run by women. And five out of nine premiers are women.
We still have a long way to go, but the struggles of mama Bertha and her generation have surely yielded results.
We also recognise the scores of women in villages, factories and at home, who toil so that their children can go to school. These are the heroines whose working and living conditions drove mama Bertha to continue working until her last days.
Whether as a trade unionist fighting for the rights of garment workers, or as an ANC leader and member of parliament, she made the emancipation of women an integral part of the struggle for freedom in our country. That is why we are yielding benefits today.
Thanks to her contribution, we have a strong foundation on which to build a truly non-sexist society.
A critical instrument of achieving that type of society is education. Together as a nation we should continue the emphasis on education.
We were pleased to report to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit in September that the country was well placed to achieve its target of facilitating universal access to primary education, before the 2015 deadline.
What is more impressive with the achievement of this target is that the proportion of girls attending primary, secondary and tertiary education has improved significantly, with the participation of girls being one of the highest in the world.
This will help us to deal with gender disparities and poverty.
Compatriots, indeed, on this sad occasion, we can only soothe our pain by taking solace in mama Bertha's achievements, and use her life as a book from which to learn.
She has been part of a very exemplary generation of men and women who understood the mission of building a better South Africa, based on tried and tested values enshrined in the Freedom Charter and the Constitution of our country.
Sadly this generation seems to be departing, as stated by President Nelson Mandela when our beloved Comrade Walter Sisulu passed on.
He said, "In the last few years we have walked this road with greater frequency, marching in the procession to bid farewell to the veterans of our movement, paying our last respects to the fallen spears of the nation, from a generation now reaching the end of a long and heroic struggle”.
However, one generation may be reaching the end of a long and heroic struggle as Madiba states, but the generations that remain should ensure that the ideals they lived for are realised.
As we bid farewell to this national hero, living as we do now in a free, thriving non-racial democracy, let us all salute her for her self-less contribution, dedication and commitment to this country and its people.
We salute her for her conviction that a woman's place is everywhere she chooses to be, including the forefront of the struggle for freedom, and the reconstruction and development of our country.
We salute her for going beyond the confines of the ruling party that she belonged to, to lead our people wherever she found them - in the church, stokvels, development associations and cooperatives. She was always willing to share her time and wisdom.
She has now joined the ranks of many other women and men, heroes of our struggle who were trailblazers.
She is going to join her sisters Lillian Ngoyi, Ida Mtwana, Helen Joseph, Florence Mophosho, Ruth First, Dorothy Nyembe, Adelaide Tambo, and many others who laid down the foundation of this democracy we live in.
In their memory, we recall the preamble of our country's Constitution, which reads as follows:
We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past;
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and
Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity”.
Thank you mama Bertha, for giving this country your time, your commitment, dedication and loyalty.
We have to soldier on in our struggle for the creation of a better society for all, against all odds.
You have also given us the huge responsibility, of continuing to work hard, to ensure that your vision of the true emancipation of women is realised.
Thank you to your family for allowing you to do so. They did that for they shared your vision and goals.
Siyabonga kakhulu impela emndenini wonke, sithi duduzekani, akwehlanga lungehli.
Kuhambe iqhawe eliyibekile induku ebandla.
Lala ngoxolo Mpemba, Ntuli!
Siyohlala sikukhumbula njalo.
I thank you.
Source: The Presidency
