SANDF marks Women’s Month with female-led parade

Scores of women soldiers marched in honour of those who went before them, at a base outside Pretoria.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops were participating in a palaeolithic military tradition where only women were involved, on Wednesday.

Women honoured in history

The Defence Works Training School in Elandsfontein saw the parade and speeches from high-ranking female officers that commemorated the contribution of women in the SANDF.

The parade was in the form of half guard honour, consisting of phenomenal women from Defence Works Formation, Works Training School, Regional Works Unit Gauteng and Defence Works Construction Unit, Major Tshomoko Mabula explained in a statement.

Chaplain ML Mutshekwane shared a reading and prayer as proceedings got started on the sunny day.

Chaplain ML Mutshekwane encourages women soldiers on the day. Picture: Supplied

South Africa commemorates Women’s Month throughout August and Women’s Day on 9 August annually.

The main functionary was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Defence Works Formation unit, Major General David Nyangasya.

In his keynote address, he reminded spectators about the significance of Women’s Day to South Africans.

“The campaign began on 9 August 1956 when 20 000 women marched to Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest pass laws, Urban Areas Act of 1950,” the Major General said.

“The brave women were led by Sophia Williams De Bruyn, Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph”.

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Women’s parade could become a regular event

Nyangasya hinted that parades where only women participate will be a norm in the Defence Works Formation going forward.

National Women’s Day was instituted in 1994 and now takes place annually.

The 50th anniversary of the march in 2006 involved a re-enactment by those who were in the original march, Mabula added.

“The day is held in high esteem in South Africa as a reminder of the important contribution women make to society, as well as a time to ponder the advances in women’s rights.”