Council of women hold 101st AGM
PARKTOWN NORTH – The National Council of Women of South Africa held their 101st annual general meeting at the Parktown North Methodist Church.
Main speaker at the event was Financial Mail assistant editor and CEO of the South African Institute of Race Relations, John Kane-Berman.
He spoke about the importance and value of non-governmental organisations towards the betterment of South Africa.
Kane-Berman spoke about government interference in non-profit organisations.
“If you look back at history, NGOs in South Africa have got a history second to none,” he said. “Many organisations played a key role in breaking down the aparthied system. Partly by providing engagement opportunities across the colour line.”
The council has affiliated to the international Council of Women since 1913 and subscribes to the motto: “We, women of all nations, sincerely believe that the good of humanity will be best advanced by greater unity of thought, sympathy and purpose.”
Kane-Berman also spoke about how women organised themselves to boycott against slave-produced sugar in the UK.
“This campaign by civil society to get rid of slavery took 51 years. Any civil society organisation that is confronting an authoritarian system, there is a very proud history…,” he said.
