‘We salute all the heroines of our democracy’
JOBURG – The Gauteng Department of Social Development salutes the role played by women in the liberation of the country.
Lawrence Mashabela of the Gauteng Department of Social Development writes:
In this august month of women, we take stock of the role that South African women played to liberate our nation from all different forms of servility.
We celebrate and salute all unsung heroines of our democracy who boldly marched to the Union Building against the pass laws.
Our mothers and grandmothers, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Adelaide Tambo, Fatima Meer, Lilian Ngoyi, Ruth Mompati, Mamphela Ramphele, Ruth First, Meriam Makeba, Ellen Khuzwayo and Sophie de Bruyn.
We Salute Cecilia Makiwane who was the first African professional nurse in South Africa. We cannot ignore Patricia Jobodwana who was the youngest black woman to enrol at a university doing a BSc in medicine at the tender age of 14.
We must always remember Charlotte Maxeke who became the first South African black woman to receive a bachelor’s degree; as well as Mary Malahlela-Xakana who became the first female black doctor in South Africa.
We salute the princess of Africa, Mama Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who continues to fly the South African flag high at the United Nations as the ambassador for women.
Women are the soul of our society. We celebrate all the South African women who continue to excel in various fields of the corporate world. Wathint’abafazi, wathint’imbokodo, which means you strike a woman, you strike a rock.
