POLOKWANE – South Africans are commemorating the 1956 march of 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws today in the form of Women’s Day.
For some, the day is more than just another public holiday while for others it is a day to spend with friends and family.
The Polokwane Observer asked residents if the essence of celebrating Women’s Day is lost or not?
Nkheasani Khoza: I think celebrating Women’s Day is still significant because we are not only highlighting the importance of women in society, but remember the action that women took against oppression. Today women enjoy equal rights, we are educated and we are appreciated by communities.Parry Nkoana: I dont think it is important to celebrate Women’s Day because we celebrate our women every day.Lize Botha: I am torn between the two sides of this question. If you go back in history and see what women did for our freedom, the day should be celebrated because their actions gave us a voice and equal rights. But then I also feel women and men should be celebrated every day. I love the history of womens day, but it is just another holiday for me.Tshego Tladi: I think this day is still relevant because I see many of women around me celebrating Women’s Day either with their partners, families or even alone. I still celebrate it because it is a day in which women should be celebrated for who they are and for what they’ve done.Jana Taylor: I see this day as just another holiday. The women of today are just as equal as the men, even though some do not believe it. There are many women in jobs that were only reserved for men in earlier years. Some women are mommy and daddy at the same time. Women are stronger than we believe, we should just believe in ourselves.Christelle Botha: I believe that the history of Women’s Day is still relevant. If we do not focus on a cause, it will fade into oblivion. Those 20 000 women did not march for nothing. Women are the backbone of any family. They keep them united, loved and protected. We work harder emotionally because we are on call 24/7. There are women and children who are punching bags and are raped and tortured every day. We need to bring these issues into the open. We do this by celebrating Woman’s Day.For more breaking news follow us on FacebookTwitter Instagram or join our WhatsApp group
Raeesa Sempe is a Caxton Award-winning Digital Editor with nine years’ experience in the industry. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand and started her journey as a community journalist for the Polokwane Review in 2015. She then became the online journalist for the Review in 2016 where she excelled in solidifying the Review’s digital footprint through Facebook lives, content creation and marketing campaigns. Raeesa then moved on to become the News Editor of the Bonus Review in 2019 and scooped up the Editorial Employee of the Year award in the same year. She is the current Digital Editor of the Polokwane Review-Observer, a position she takes pride in. Raeesa is married with one child and enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music and baking – when she has the time. “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon. – Tom Stoppard
