President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the 1956 Women’s March as a defining turning point in South Africa’s (SA) struggle for freedom, stating that it proved women were not merely supporters, but leaders, organisers and authors of the liberation movement.
Delivering the keynote address at the National Women’s Day commemorations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Ramaphosa reflected on the historic day when 20 000 women marched to the seat of apartheid power.
He recalled how the women delivered petitions containing over 100 000 signatures before standing in disciplined silence for 30 minutes.
“That march helped to change the course, the character & the leadership of the struggle for freedom and justice in our country,” Ramaphosa said during his address. “Seventy years ago, 20 000 women from across our country gathered here at the Union Buildings. They came to the very seat of apartheid power.”
Ramaphosa also highlighted SA’s progress since 1956, noting that the country now ranks highly on global indices measuring women’s empowerment, particularly regarding gender parity, educational outcomes, financial inclusion, political representation, & decision-making roles.
–ChannelAfrica/SABC–
