Do you still believe in change, standing up and fighting for what is right or do you believe that people in government positions are the ones responsible for the “CHANGE”?. I still remember as a child, reading a trending story about a woman being abused or treated differently at a workplace because of their gender and not given an opportunity to prove themselves because “women should stay at home and take care of the children and the house.” My mother would yell “have they forgotten who we are? Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’ Imbokodo!”. At that time this term was always used, I was familiar with it but I was not aware of the story behind it.

As I was growing up, I learnt about a powerful and inspiring movement that took place on the 9^th of August 1956, which was formed by the African National Congress Women’s League and Federation of South African Women (an anti-Apartheid organisation for women of different races with the purpose of reinforcing female voices in the struggle). Women marched to the Union Building in Pretoria, protesting against the pass law (Urban Areas Act 1950). This Act promoted inequality among people in South Africa. The movement was led by the mothers of the nation, activists and inspiring women, namely, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams Bruyn. These women were able to stand up and say enough is enough and it is time for  change. They fought for the rights we have as women today. I feel privileged as I am writing this blog because if they did not take the stand, I would not be given the opportunity to write it. I am truly grateful for them risking their lives for us and our future. These strong, inspiring and driven women shook the deep grounds of South Africa and initiated the change we are still fighting for by doing two significant things. Firstly, they generated 14,000 petitions – which were created by the Federation of South African Women and printed by the Indian Youth Congress –  and left them at the office doors of Prime Minister J. G Strijdom. The content of the petitions includes the following:

 “We, the women of South Africa, have come here today. We, African women, know too well the effect upon our homes, our children. We, who are not African, know how our sisters suffer. For to us, an insult to African women is an insult to all women. That homes will be broken up when women are arrested under the pass laws. That women and young girls will be exposed to humiliation and degradation at the hands of searching policemen. That women will lose their right to move freely from one place to another. We, voters and votees, call upon your government not to issue passes to African women. We shall not resist until we have won for our children their fundamental rights of freedom, justice and security”. – Legoabe and Lerato (2006)

Lastly, the women stood silent for half an hour before singing our National Anthem “Nkosi sikelel’ IAfrica” and started singing what we call in the townships ‘IGWIJO’ a protest song: “Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo!”. Which means “you strike a woman, you strike a rock”. This term represents the strength and courage we have as women. If we could be united, we can change Africa. We have to be GAME CHANGERS. I look up to these women as they were part of the struggle. They took an opportunity and fought for our nation. It does not matter whether you are back, white, orange, red or yellow, if we could be united and be one, we can make a change in our rainbow nation. Due to this public holiday, we have women in government positions. There is a quote by the father of freedom in South Africa, Tata Nelson Mandela that says that “freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from a form of oppression”.

Being driven, strong-minded, being able to overcome obstacles, and being mothers to nations and giving birth to change is womanhood to me. Ladies, this month is ours! Let’s be leaders of tomorrow and put our rainbow nation on the map. Let’s fix our crowns and put on our big girl pants and carry our legacy that we inherited from the mothers of the struggle. This year marks twenty-six years since the change was initiated, let’s keep on fighting till we are all equal no matter what skin colour you are.

Remember, “Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’Imbokodo!”