SACP Women`s Day Statement
8 August 2014
Tomorrow 9 August 2014 is Women`s Day. The SACP salutes the women of South Africa and the world for the outstanding role they have played in the struggle for freedom and social emancipation. The SACP calls on both women and men to look at each other with mutual respect, and work together in the shared struggle to uproot gender domination and move South Africa forward to a non-exploitative socialist society.
In South Africa at least since 1913 women have played a magnificent role in our struggle. In that year women fought back through passive resistance and refusal to carry passes. Among other outstanding leaders there was Charlotte Maxeke, the first Black woman graduate in South Africa who was to become the first President of the Bantu Women`s League - since 1948 the African National Congress Women`s League (ANCWL). At that time, when the male leadership was still engaged in cap-in-hand diplomacy, the women co-ordinated further resistance culminating in early 1919 in a massive march led by Maxeke. By 1922, the oppressive white minority South African government had agreed not to extend pass laws to women.
Throughout the 1950s women waged gallant struggles against the apartheid regime`s return to pass laws for women and other increasingly repressive laws that restricted freedom of movement and political rights. The SACP dips the Red Banner in recognition of the heroic women who participated in and led these struggles: Dora Tamana, Bertha Mashaba, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Albertina Sisulu, Sophie De Bruyn, and trade unionist Frances Baard who was also involved in the drafting of the `Freedom Charter`. Throughout our struggle women played a major role, Josie Mpama, Cissie Gool, Bettie Du Toit, Ray Alexander, Ruth First, Fatima Meer, Dorothy Nyembe and countless more. Women also swelled the ranks of the people`s army uMkhonto we Sizwe and fought gallantly too in the armed trenches for the freedom of their people.
Since 1994 South Africa has made massive strides in social transformation, clean water and sanitation, electrification, houses, education, have all contributed positively to the improvement in the quality of life for women. In the patriarchal relations that characterised South Africa, women especially have been the ones who carried the responsibility of collecting water and wood fuel and looking after households. We have also made progress in terms of legislation and the participation of women in State institutions, municipal councils, provincial legislatures, parliament and the executives at all the three spheres of government, as well as in other branches of the State.
The private sector however is lagging far behind and social attitudes towards women, though they have improved, are still characterised patriarchal stereotypes. Women, particularly black and working class who historically suffered all the forms of oppression, class, racial and gender, continue to be in the receiving end of capitalist exploitation, including unfair social and labour practices. Temporary employment contracts and labour brokering affect women more than men as does gender based violence.
The SACP calls upon our structures and the progressive movement as a whole and our democratic government to lead efforts to rebuild a strong women`s movement particularly in the rural areas in order to anchor the second radical phase of our transition within the primary rural motive force of our revolution, the rural women.
The SACP says "Wathint` Abafazi Wathint` imbokodo, wena uzokufa"
Issued by the SACP
Enquiries:
National Spokesperson,
Alex Mashilo
Mobile: 082 9200 308
Email: alex@sacp.org.za
Twitter: @2SACP
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| Lillian Ngoyi of the ANC Women's League leading demonstration. |
Tomorrow 9 August 2014 is Women`s Day. The SACP salutes the women of South Africa and the world for the outstanding role they have played in the struggle for freedom and social emancipation. The SACP calls on both women and men to look at each other with mutual respect, and work together in the shared struggle to uproot gender domination and move South Africa forward to a non-exploitative socialist society.
In South Africa at least since 1913 women have played a magnificent role in our struggle. In that year women fought back through passive resistance and refusal to carry passes. Among other outstanding leaders there was Charlotte Maxeke, the first Black woman graduate in South Africa who was to become the first President of the Bantu Women`s League - since 1948 the African National Congress Women`s League (ANCWL). At that time, when the male leadership was still engaged in cap-in-hand diplomacy, the women co-ordinated further resistance culminating in early 1919 in a massive march led by Maxeke. By 1922, the oppressive white minority South African government had agreed not to extend pass laws to women.
Throughout the 1950s women waged gallant struggles against the apartheid regime`s return to pass laws for women and other increasingly repressive laws that restricted freedom of movement and political rights. The SACP dips the Red Banner in recognition of the heroic women who participated in and led these struggles: Dora Tamana, Bertha Mashaba, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Albertina Sisulu, Sophie De Bruyn, and trade unionist Frances Baard who was also involved in the drafting of the `Freedom Charter`. Throughout our struggle women played a major role, Josie Mpama, Cissie Gool, Bettie Du Toit, Ray Alexander, Ruth First, Fatima Meer, Dorothy Nyembe and countless more. Women also swelled the ranks of the people`s army uMkhonto we Sizwe and fought gallantly too in the armed trenches for the freedom of their people.
Since 1994 South Africa has made massive strides in social transformation, clean water and sanitation, electrification, houses, education, have all contributed positively to the improvement in the quality of life for women. In the patriarchal relations that characterised South Africa, women especially have been the ones who carried the responsibility of collecting water and wood fuel and looking after households. We have also made progress in terms of legislation and the participation of women in State institutions, municipal councils, provincial legislatures, parliament and the executives at all the three spheres of government, as well as in other branches of the State.
The private sector however is lagging far behind and social attitudes towards women, though they have improved, are still characterised patriarchal stereotypes. Women, particularly black and working class who historically suffered all the forms of oppression, class, racial and gender, continue to be in the receiving end of capitalist exploitation, including unfair social and labour practices. Temporary employment contracts and labour brokering affect women more than men as does gender based violence.
The SACP calls upon our structures and the progressive movement as a whole and our democratic government to lead efforts to rebuild a strong women`s movement particularly in the rural areas in order to anchor the second radical phase of our transition within the primary rural motive force of our revolution, the rural women.
The SACP says "Wathint` Abafazi Wathint` imbokodo, wena uzokufa"
Issued by the SACP
Enquiries:
National Spokesperson,
Alex Mashilo
Mobile: 082 9200 308
Email: alex@sacp.org.za
Twitter: @2SACP
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