You strike a woman....

The 9th of August marks a day 55 years ago when 20 000 women took to the streets of Pretoria to petition against pass laws that required African persons to carry a document on them. This day stands to commemorate all those women who participated in that national march. In the forefront of this historical day were Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, Albertina Sisulu, Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph. 

Noticeably, the challenges which these brave women were facing are totally different from those affecting the women in the contemporary South Africa. However, what is vital is the manner in which this day is remembered and celebrated. The English department at Rhodes University celebrates this profound day with a trip to Olive Schreiner’s grave on the 12th to 13th August to celebrate her contribution to literature. The department makes extensive use of Schreiner’s work. Professor S. Walters organizes this tour and takes 20 students to commemorate this outstanding author’s 19th year of reinterment. 

This eventful day has opened many doors for women and showed that women do not merely belong to the kitchen but if granted an opportunity they can also make a contribution in society. In this day and age women hold positions that were previously reserved for men. They are not just housewives and stay home moms but they are now taxpayers, workers and bosses. “I’m grateful that these women took the initiative to break this unwritten rule that women belong in the kitchen,” said the chairperson of the Rhodes University A.N.C Youth League Branch and Deputy Secretary of the ANCYL Makana Sub Region. “Today being a woman is a blessing rather than a curse,” she further adds. 

Humanities Extended Studies Co-coordinator, Judith Reynolds, argues against the act which on this day women get flowers from men. She states that this is not the way to celebrate this dignified day. On this day, she says, “we should remember individual women who have made a difference to our country but we should also remember the power of women acting collectively as happened during the women's march on parliament over 50 years ago.”

The national women’s day means a different thing to different people and by the way it is celebrated shows this difference. To the Assistant Coordinator of Highway Africa, Nqobile Sibisi, this is the day she celebrates being a woman and appreciates all women that have come into her life and molded her to be the strong woman she is today particularly her late mother. 

The Deputy Dean of Humanities and Head of Anthropology department, Professor Rose Boswell says, “On this day, I would appeal to everyone to reflect on the positive contributions of women in our society and to work towards the eradication of discrimination and violence against women.” She further notes that a mere day is not enough to discuss, reflect on and appreciate the work and contribution of women in our society. So she proposes that Rhodes University readily engage with the designation of August as women's month.

Profesor Paul Maylam, Head of History Department, reflects on how in the past, women, particularly black women did not have any legal rights; they could not even vote and the only education they received was on how to clean a house for their masters. They were facing what Gwayi describes as triple oppression: oppressed gender wise, racially and economically. Today, however, women have limitless opportunities even though the country has a long way to go in eradicating women abuse and rape. Women are still subjected to violence, abuse and rape. Despite the fact that it is difficult to get reliable statistics on violence against women in South Africa, the number of cases reported is awfully high while bearing in mind that many cases still go unreported. 

Lack of statistical information on this form of the abuse makes it very hard to measure the extent of the violence but media reports on this issue clearly demonstrate the severity. The Department of Justice estimate that 1 out of every four South African women are survivors of domestic violence. According to POWA, People Opposing Women’s Abuse, 60% of all cases of abuse were committed by partners, lovers or spouses.

Dr. Nomzamo Mvuyelwa Nobandla Winifred Madikizela-Mandela is a female icon in Africa