A 21-gun salute at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday signaled the 60th anniversary of the historic women’s march to the headquarters of the Apartheid-era government to demand an end to the hated race laws.
Statues of Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Sophia Williams-de Bruyn and Helen Joseph who led the march were unveiled in the city centre. Addressing thousands of people, African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma urged them to follow in the footsteps of those martyrs.
In his address, South African President Jacob Zuma saluted the role women played in liberating the country.
“It is because of their historic achievements that today government continues to work at improving the living conditions of households including those headed by women. They wanted a better life, the extension of basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity, education, health and other benefits,” he said.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of the official opposition Democratic Alliance, addressed a separate gathering in Pretoria, saying that 20,000 women from diverse backgrounds walked side-by-side with the common purpose of altering the trajectory of South Africa, so that generations to come would live in a better country.
“Their march towards change and a better South Africa is far from over. At a time when women hold households together, are locked out of economic opportunities and face the all too common prospect of violence, we need to ensure that our communities work in a way that both empowers and protects women,” he said.
Photo credit: Ann 7
