LessonforNationalWomen’sDay       SouthAfricanDemocraticTeachers’Union 

 1  Slide1 

NationalWomen’sDay  CommemoratingWomen’sOrganisation   Formorethanahundredyears,SouthAfricanwomenhaveorganisedthemselvesforthe defenceoftheirbestinterests.TheirmostfrequentcausewasoppositiontothePassLawsthat requiredBlackwomen(andmen)tocarryawrittenpermissiontobeinacertainarea,which,if theydidnothaveit,mightleadtoarrest,punishment,oreventransportationtoanotherplace.  InMarch1912agroupofBlackandColouredwomenfromtheOrangeFreeStatesentapetition againstpasses,signedby5,000people,tothePrimeMinister,LouisBotha.Therewasno response.BytheendofMay1913theyhadresolvednevertocarryPassesagain.Thispassive resistancecampaignwasmetwitharrestsinBloemfontein,JagersfonteinandWinburg,inthe OrangeFreeState.In1914thegovernmenttemporarilyretreatedontheissue. 

 WomenattheUnionBuildings,9August1956  AbolitionofPassLawsforwomenwastheissuearoundwhichthegreatmarchof20,000 womentotheUnionBuildingsinPretoriawasorganisedandtookplaceon9August1956, carryingapetitionsignedbywomenfromalloverthecountry. 

 2  Thismarchof9August1956wasorganisedbythenonͲracialFederationofSouthAfrican Women(FEDSAW,orFSAW).ThisistheeventthatiscommemoratedbyourNationalWomen’s Day,honouredeachyearonthe9thofAugust,andwhichin1994wasdeclared,andhassince beencelebratedeveryyear,asapublicholiday.  ThenamebywhichtheorganisedFreeStatewomenof1912Ͳ1914kneweachotherisnot known,butmanyother,namedorganisationshavebeenfoundedsincethattimeinresponseto thePassLawsandtoothermattersofconcerntowomen.Theyarelistedbelow.  OfthesemanylistedWomen’sOrganisations,threesurvivetoday.TheyaretheANCWomen’s League,foundedin1948;theBlackSash,foundedin1955;andtheProgressiveWomen’s Movement,foundedin2006.   

 CharlotteMaxeke,1874Ͳ1939 

Year Organisation Leaders 1918 BantuWomen'sLeague(BWL) FoundedbyCharlotteMaxeke 1933 NationalCouncilofAfricanWomen(NCAW) FirstPresident:CharlotteMaxeke 1943 TheANCofficiallyadmitswomenmembers President,ABXuma 1947 TransvaalAllͲWomen’sUnion JosieMphama 1948 ANCWomen'sLeague(ANCWL) IdaMntwana,President 1954 FederationofSouthAfricanWomen(FSAW) RayAlexander,DoraTamana,JosieMphama 1955 BlackSash(Women'sDefenceofthe JeanSinclair,RuthFoleyandothers ConstitutionLeague) 1975 BlackWomen'sFederation FatimaMeer,WinnieMandela

 3  1981 TheUnitedWomen'sOrganisation(UWO) DoraTamana,MildredLesia,AmyThornton 1983 NatalOrganisationofWomen(NOW) PhumzileMlambo,NozizweMadlala,Victoria Mxenge 1984 FederationofTransvaalWomen(FEDTRAW) SisterBernardNcube,JessieDuarte 1986 UnitedWomen'sCongress(UWCO) FromUWO 1987 FederationofSouthAfricanWomen(Fedsaw) CherylCarolus,SecretaryͲGeneral reͲlaunch 1987 TheUDFWomen’sCongress FrancesBaard 1991 Women'sNationalCoalition(WNCSA) FreneGinwala,AnneLetsepe,convenors 2006 ProgressiveWomen’sMovement(PWMSA) PhumzileMlamboͲNgcuka,MummyJaphta 

 RaheemaMoosa,LilianNgoyi,HelenJosephandSophiaWilliams,UnionBuildings,9August1956    NationalWomen’sDayisAugusttheNinth

 4  Slide2:  TheFoundingoftheWomen’sFederation 

 FlorenceMatomelaaddressestheFEDSAWConference,1954 TheotherwomeninthepictureappeartobeHettieSeptember,RayAlexander,andDoraTamana  On17April1954,fourteenmonthsbeforetheCongressofthePeople,thefoundingconference ofFEDSAWadoptedTheWomen’sCharter.HereisthePreamble:  “We,thewomenofSouthAfrica,wivesandmothers,workingwomenandhousewives, African, Indians, European and Coloured, hereby declare our aim of striving for the removalofalllaws,regulations,conventionsandcustomsthatdiscriminateagainstusas women, and that deprive us in any way of our inherent right to the advantages, responsibilities and opportunities that society offers to any one section of the population.”  Amongotherthings,itsays:  “Wewomendonotformasocietyseparatefromthemen.Thereisonlyonesociety,and itismadeupofbothwomenandmen.Aswomenwesharetheproblemsandanxietiesof ourmen,andjoinhandswiththemtoremovesocialevilsandobstaclestoprogress.”  TheWomen’sCharterplacedthequestionofwomeninthemainstream.Itwentontosay:  “Itis our intention to carry outa nationͲwide programme ofeducationthat will bring hometothemenandwomenofallnationalgroupstherealisationthatfreedomcannot bewonforanyonesectionorforthepeopleasawholeaslongaswewomenarekeptin bondage.”  TheFreedomCharterwasadoptedon26June1955.Onwomen,itsaid:  x thatonlyademocraticstate,basedonthewillofallthepeople,cansecuretoalltheir birthrightwithoutdistinctionofcolour,race,sexorbelief;  5  x Everymanandwomanshallhavetherighttovoteforandtostandasacandidateforall bodieswhichmakelaws; x Therightsofthepeopleshallbethesame,regardlessofrace,colourorsex; x Menandwomenofallracesshallreceiveequalpayforequalwork;  AdmissionofwomenintotheranksoftheANChappenedonly12yearspriortotheadoptionof theFreedomCharter.Ifthathadnothappened,andiftheWomen’sCharterhadnotpreceded theFreedomCharter,thentheFreedomCharterwouldnothaveachievedthestatusthatitdid achieve.    TheAimsoftheWomen’sFederation:  Havetheybeenachieved?   In1954,FEDSAWdeclared:  Thisorganisationisformedforthepurposeofunitingwomenincommonactionfortheremoval ofallpolitical,legal,economicandsocialdisabilities.Weshallstriveforwomentoobtain:  1. TherighttovoteandtobeelectedtoallStatebodies,withoutrestrictionor discrimination.  2. Therighttofullopportunitiesforemploymentwithequalpayandpossibilitiesof promotioninallspheresofwork.  3. Equalrightswithmeninrelationtoproperty,marriageandchildren,andfortheremoval ofalllawsandcustomsthatdenywomensuchequalrights.  4. Forthedevelopmentofeverychildthroughfreecompulsoryeducationforall;forthe protectionofmotherandchildthroughmaternityhomes,welfareclinics,crèchesand nurseryschools,incountrysideandtowns;throughproperhomesforall,andthroughthe provisionofwater,light,transport,sanitation,andotheramenitiesofmoderncivilisation.  5. Fortheremovalofalllawsthatrestrictfreemovement,thatpreventorhindertheright offreeassociationandactivityindemocraticorganisations,andtherighttoparticipatein theworkoftheseorganisations.  6. Tobuildandstrengthenwomen'ssectionsintheNationalLiberatorymovements,the organisationofwomenintradeunions,andthroughthepeoples'variedorganisation.  7. TocooperatewithallotherorganisationsthathavesimilaraimsinSouthAfricaaswellas throughouttheworld.  8. Tostriveforpermanentpeacethroughouttheworld.

 6  Slide3  WomenMakingHistory   The9August1956Women’sMarchtotheUnionBuildingsinPretoriawasademonstration.  Thepetition,ordemand,tothePrimeMinister,Strijdom,washeaded:  "TheDemandoftheWomenofSouthAfricafortheWithdrawalof PassesforWomenandtheRepealofthePassLaws"  Itconcludeswiththesedeclaratorywords:  We shall not rest until ALL pass laws and all forms of permits restricting our freedom havebeenabolished.  Weshallnotrestuntilwehavewonforourchildrentheirfundamentalrightsoffreedom, justice,andsecurity.  ThewomencouldnotforcethePrimeMinister,whowasoneofthemostintransigentofthe NationalPartypoliticians,andhewasnotforced.Verylittlechangedintermsofwhatthe governmentwasdoingthen,orlater.  Butthewomenmadehistory. 

 CarryingthepetitionstoStrijdom’soffice

 7   WewillinduecourseexaminefurtherwhatthewomenofSouthAfricahavegained,and whattheyhavenotyetgained.  Beforethat,sincethisisabouthistory,wecanlookatwhatitisandwhatitmeanstocreate ahistoricalmark,deliberately.  Therecordisnoteasytofind,andthephotographsthatarepubliclyavailablearemostly small,lowͲresolutionones.  Butthesewomenmadeamarkthatwasneverrubbedout. 

  AstheFederationofSouthAfricanWomen,theyorganisedfortheirpetitiontobesignedall overthecountry.Theybroughtthepetitionstogetherandwithalargecrowd,tookthemto Pretoria.Didtheyusebuses,ortrains?Wecanassumethatveryfewofthese20,000 womenhadtheirownprivatecars.  Thiswasundoubtedlya“stageͲmanaged”,or“orchestrated”event.Itwaspropaganda,and itwasgoodpropaganda,thatcontinuestoworkwell,uptothisday. 



 8  Slide4  TheDayandTheInscription  InthetimeoftheUDF(1983Ͳ92)NationalWomen’sDaywasnotrecognised,butitwas demanded: 

 1984posterfor“NationalWomen’sDay”  Afterthedemocraticbreakthroughof1994,andtheANC’s62%victoryintheApril27election, August9thwasmadebythenew,fullydemocraticParliamentintooneofaveryfewnewannual nationalholidays,ofwhich,togetherwithMayDay(Workers’Day),itisoneofonlytwothat celebratesomethingoriginatedbytheliberationalliance,priorto1994.  FreedomDay(April27th)istheanniversaryofthefirstuniversalͲfranchiseelectionitself;March 21stistheanniversaryoftheSharpevillemassacreofademonstrationorganisedbythePAC, whichwasusedasapretexttobantheANC;June16thcommemoratestheyouthuprisingthat wasalsonotdirectlyorganisedbytheANC;andHeritageDayinSeptemberwasmadeaholiday attherequestoftheIFP.Theremainderofourpublicholidayswerealreadyholidaysunderthe oldregime.  HowhasWomen’sDaybeenkeptsince1994?Hereisoneexample.  AttheUnionBuildings,aninstallationwasputinplace,intheyear2000,thatincludedsound andlightfeaturesthathavesincebeenswitchedoff,andagrindingstonethatisoutofsight,

 9  butmostprominently,onthestairsatthecentreandapexoftheapproachtotheunion buildings,brasslettershavebeenplacedontheuprightparts,forminganinscription.  ThewordingoftheinscriptionistakenfromtheDemandthatthewomentooktoJGStrijdom.  Theletteringisinthe2000ͲyearͲoldRoman“CapitalisMonumentalis”style.Thishasendured morethanthemodernmechanicalsoundandlighteffectsthatwereinstalledatthesametime.  ThearchitectoftheUnionBuildings(HerbertBaker,aprotégéofCecilRhodes)appropriated RomanclassicaldesignfortheprojectsoftheoldEmpire.ThewomenhavenoweffectivelyreͲ appropriatedthesameRomanclassicalstyle,andsuccessfullyusedittooverlaytheirclaimon thefaceofthemonumentalstructure,inawaythatiselegant,butcan’tbemissed. 

 Photographoftheinscriptiononthestairs    

  DrawingforWomen’sMarchinscriptionatUnionBuildings. ArtistWilmaCruise,architectMarcusHolmes 

 10  WE ARE THE WOMEN FROM EVERY PART OF SOUTH AFRICA

WE ARE WOMEN OF EVERY RACE

WE COME from THE CITIES AND THE TOWNS from THE RESERVES AND THE VILLAGES as WOMEN UNITED IN OUR PURPOSE

TO SAVE THE AFRICAN WOMEN FROM THE DEGRADATION OF PASSES

IN THE NAME OF THE WOMEN OF SOUTH AFRICA

WE SAY TO YOU – EACH ONE OF US

THAT WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE PASS SYSTEM

WE SHALL NOT REST until ALL PASS LAWS ANS ALL FORMS OF PERMITS RESTRICTING OUR FREEDOM HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED

WE SHALL NOT REST until WE HAVE WON FOR OUR CHILDREN their FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS of FREEDOM JUSTICE and SECURITY  [Theinscription,transcribedherein“TimesNewRoman”]

 11  

 PresidentsKhamaofBotswanandZumaofSouthAfricawalkdownthestairs(2010).  PartsoftheWomen’sMarchinscriptioncanbeclearlyseen.     

 

 12  Slide5 

   WomenWerePartoftheLiberationMovement   Becauseoftheircampaignsasorganisedwomen,andbecauseoftheirdirectparticipationin otherformationsoftheliberationmovement,womenwerefullparticipantsintheliberation movementofSouthAfricathatachievedthebreakthroughsof1990and1994.  Forthesamereasons,thegainsthatthewomenofSouthAfricahavemadeinthesameperiod arenotalwaysdistinguishablefromthegainsoftheliberationmovementasawhole. 

 NelsonandWinnieMandelaleavingprisonon11February1990

 13   Thefirstamongthesegainsisthevote.Womeningeneralgainedthevotewhenthefirst universalͲfranchisegeneralelectiontookplaceon27April1994.Manywomenwereelectedto parliamentandlater,tobecouncillorsintheirlocalities.  Thefullcitizenshipofwomenthatcomeswiththevotealsomeansthefinalendofthe apartheidpasslaws,forwomenaswellasformen.  ThedemandthatSouthAfricashouldbe“nonͲsexist”aswellas“nonͲracist”,free,democratic, prosperousanda“unitarystate”,wasaddedinthe1980sandtheearly1990s.Exactlywhen “nonͲsexism”becameafixedpartoftheANC’sdemandsishardtodiscover,butbynowitisa permanentpartoftheANC’sconstitution,andoftheconstitutionofthecountry. 

 ElectionQueue,Katlehong,22April2009.ThemajorityofSouthAfricanvotersarewomen.  Thematerialdemandsofthewomenthathadformedthesubstanceoftheirearliercampaigns becamenormaltothegeneraldemandsforthewelfareofthepeople.  Wheretonow?  Whatarethewomen’sdemandsoftodayandofthefuture?  Womenstillhavetodefinetheplaceofwomenwithinsociety.Onewaytodoso,aswiththe liberationmovement,istobecomepartofthegeneralstrugglesofthepeople,whichare strugglesforthebirthofthefullyͲdeveloped,democraticSouthAfricannation,culturallyaswell aspolitically.  Thegeneralstrugglesofthepeoplearealsoclassstruggles,fromwhichwomenarenotexempt.  Aswomen,therearestruggleshavingtodowiththeirunderstandingofthemselves,andthe assertionoftheirparticularroleinsociety.Thesearethestrugglesagainstpatriarchyand againstsociallyͲimposedgenderprejudice. 

 14  Slide6  Gainsandnewexpectations   Whenyouputademand,andyougetwhatyoudemanded,itisavictory.Youmayneverknow ifthedemandwasthecauseoftheeffect,butyoucelebrateavictory,andyourightlyso.  Themaindemandof1956–nopasslaws–iswon.  Oftheotherdemandsof1954,wecansaythat,asrights,ifnotalwaysinpractice:  yTherighttovoteandtobeelected,iswon.  yEqualrightswithmeninrelationtoproperty,marriageandchildren,andtheremovalof lawsandcustomsthatdenywomensuchequalrights,arewon.  yThedevelopmentofeverychildthroughfreecompulsoryeducationforall,iswon.  yTheprotectionofmotherandchildthroughmaternityhomes,welfareclinics,crèchesand nurseryschools,incountrysideandtowns,iswon.  yEqualopportunitiesforemploymentwithequalpayandpossibilitiesofpromotioninall spheresofwork,iswonasaright.  Inpractice,  yProperhomesforall,andthroughtheprovisionofwater,light,transport,sanitation,and otheramenitiesofmoderncivilisation,arebeingwon.  yBuildingandstrengtheningwomen'ssectionsintheNationalLiberatorymovements,the organisationofwomenintradeunions,andthroughthepeoples'variedorganisation,is workinprogress.  yCooperationwithallotherorganisationsthathavesimilaraimsinSouthAfricaaswellas throughouttheworldishappening.   Permanentpeacethroughouttheworldisfarfrombeingachieved.    Nowwehavedemandsthatwerenevervoicedinthe1950s:Fortheendofpatriarchy,andfor thebeginningofgenderbalance. 

 15  NationalWomen’sDayLinks:  Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Women's_Day  SAHO:http://www.sahistory.org.za/datedͲevent/20Ͳ000ͲwomenͲmarchͲunionͲbuildingsͲprotestͲ passͲlaws   Demandofthewomen:http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=2583&t=ES  Reportofopeningofmonument,9August2000:http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/MbekiͲ unveilsͲwomensͲmonumentͲ20000809  Artist’spage:http://www.art.co.za/wilmacruise/groupG.htm  PresidentsZumaandKhamawalkingdownthesteps,andarticle, http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/ZumaͲnotͲdisappointedͲatͲBotswanaͲ20101005  In1956,agroupofwomen20,000strong,marchedtothedoorsoftheUnionBuilding,chanting “Wathint’Abafazi,wathint’imbokodo!”whichmeans“strikethewomen,striketherock”.When WilmaCruiseandMarcusHolmeswereapproachedtodesignamemorialtocommemoratethe Women’sMarch,theymadeuseofthe“imbokodo”.Theimbokodoisagrindingstoneusedby thewomentogrindmaize.CruiseandHolmes,restedtheimbokodo,representingnurturingand sustenance,onbronzeplates,representingtheearthandfire.Therearetwosetsofstairs leadingtothememorial,andoneachstep,raisedinbronzedlettersarethewordsfrom‘The DemandoftheWomenofSouthAfricafortheWithdrawalofPassesforWomenandRepealof thePassLaws.’Onapproachingtheimbokodo,youwilltriggerinfraredbeams,whichactivates history’s“whisperedvoices”,echoedinallelevenofficiallanguages,therallycry,repeatedsoftly. http://www.southafrica.com/gauteng/pretoria/unionͲbuilding/  UnionBuildings:http://www.ibiblio.org/istudio/03pretoria/research/UNION_BUILDING.htm  

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