1956 march stalwart challenges young women
JOBURG – As the City of Joburg unveiled a monument to democracy on Beyers Naude Square, Sophie De Bruyn, the only surviving stalwart of the 1956 Women’s March, and other guests challenged young women of the country to emulate the old guard.
The new monument depicts the universal figure of an ordinary female demonstrator asserting the right to human dignity and to be heard.
In her one hand, she holds a placard, and in the other a candle lighting her way to the future.
It was unveiled for Women’s Month at the Library Theatre at Joburg City Library on the corner of Albertina Sisulu and Fraser streets in Johannesburg. It was followed by a march to celebrate the re-naming of four main streets in the Johannesburg CBD in recognition of the leaders of the historic Freedom March on the Union Buildings.
The streets that are renamed are President Street to Helen Joseph Street, Bree Street to Lilian Ngoyi Street, Jeppe Street to Rahima Moosa Street and Noord Street to Sophie de Bruyn Street.
Speaking at the event, a grateful De Bruyn said when they marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria they didn’t expected to be rewarded, but on behalf of all leadership and the women who were part of the march she was honoured by the City’s gesture of appreciation.
When she took to the stage, the audience, mostly women, burst into song with Wathinta abafazi usenkathazweni – You touch a woman you are in trouble.
The Port Elizabeth-born stalwart and member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature said, “I was the youngest in the leadership and I always represent them, and I am happy for the honour of renaming the streets after us, I thank you.
“For all the things we did together, the campaigns including the Freedom Charter, Congress Movement, we played our roles as women with full responsibility and effectively, and we never expected that we will be rewarded today.”
De Bruyn said she was overwhelmed by the progress made in the emancipation of women since her arrival in 1994 from exile.
“Today things have changed for the better in the emancipation of women. Now they are sitting in higher positions and that overwhelms my heart. Mam Ngoyi, Mam Joseph, Mam Moosa, I am sure they are smiling, wherever they are, they are full of joy,” she said.
She added that the quality of today is not different from that of the women of 1956. She said today’s women could do more to change their lives.
Meanwhile, Jansie Niehaus, a friend of Helen Joseph said, “Women of 1956 had taught us that when a woman is angry she can fight and that women and children’s lives are in danger everywhere.”
Mayor Parks Tau said the sculpture by Lawrence Lemaoana illustrated the role played by women, especially that of ordinary women in the liberation struggle.
“Hopefully, this statue will inspire many women to engage in public life and to even campaign for political office,” Tau said.
