Ekurhuleni executive mayor Councillor Mondli Gungubele last week encouraged Ekurhuleni to join the world in paying respect to women.
On March 8, the world commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD).
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually and focuses on women’s achievements throughout history and across nations while calling for greater equality between men and wome.
It is also known as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
This day was initially conceived in 1911 to focus on working women before it was broadened to cater for all sectors of the female community.
“Twenty-one years ago leaders from all over the world committed to a future in which women are equal to their male counterparts. This they did because they understood that without the sacrifice of women in the struggle for supreme human order, the fight would be far from over. Who can forget the historic march by South African women 60 years ago, when they decided that enough is enough with the atrocious pass laws of the time,” Clr Gungubele said.
“These women had had enough of seeing their spouses suffer in the land of their forefathers at the hands of a minority few, and decided to demonstrate their own prowess and anger. Special salute goes to our own Sophia du Bruyne, Bertha Gxowa, Margaret Gazo and Ruth First, who were at the forefront of this historic march.”
He added that even when many were forced to go into exile, leaving their families in a state of uncertainty, it was the grandmothers, mothers, aunts and sisters who remained behind to keep the fires burning and their families intact.
“However, while it is good to always reflect on the past, I wish to encourage all our people to honour the heroines of the past while acknowledging the role of women in the present. Let us learn from the wisdom of those great women of our past and take the lessons learnt forward,” said Clr Gungubele.
This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day was the first within the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“As we head towards the local government elections we must mobilise women to defend and deepen our democracy by ensuring that our children, from 16 years old, are registered to vote. It is also women who can assist us mobilise most South Africans to participate in this democratic process of the local government elections,” he said.
The City of Ekurhuleni will commemorate International Women’s Day on March 19.
