The march on 9 August 1956 to the Union Buildings in Pretoria was a significant event in South African history. About 20,000 women, primarily black women, protested against the apartheid government’s pass laws. (Photo: Getty Images) 
South Africa’s annual celebration of women on 9 August is not only a tribute to the 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to protest against apartheid’s pass laws, but it is also a chance to honour the “pioneers of the women’s movement in this country”, according to the government.
Yet it’s tricky to gauge the significance of Women’s Day in today’s society, where so many women are still bearing the brunt of social ills.
As Daily Maverick journalists, we have been in courts where there are long lines of women who queue for protection orders against abusive partners. We’ve covered high-profile cases in which young girls were hurt in unspeakable ways, sometimes by the very people they were looking to for protection. And all to the tune of repeated promises and assurances from the government that combating gender-based violence remains a priority.
We have been in shack settlements where women practitioners in the early childhood development sector do their best to nurture children’s growth in centres with leaky roofs and battered walls. They are the backbone of communities, in many ways, providing safe spaces for youngsters while their parents are out seeking work. But many of them are operating with little or no state backing.
Some of us have spoken with workers in the informal sector the same age as our grandmothers who are supporting a number of generations of their families. For them, every day is spent trying to stay just a hair’s breadth above the breadline.
Despite the visible fight for equality in our politics, many of our state structures are still dominated by men, and it’s hard to imagine seeing a woman president in this country anytime soon. To date, we’ve had only one female deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who held the position from 2004 to 2008.
So, what value does Women’s Day really hold for us? Is it just a token marker in our phone calendars, easily passed over and forgotten? If so, it shouldn’t be.
The women who contribute towards holding the fabric of South African society together deserve recognition.
And although the hope is that this doesn’t just happen one day or month every year, sometimes people need a reminder to stop and take stock of the hard-won progress made by the female figures in our lives and communities. Our mothers and grandmothers; the activists and business leaders who give their time to help and uplift others; the unsung heroes in our education and health systems.
Many of us are privileged to have great women role models in our lives, but we don’t always remember to thank them. Sometimes, we never get the chance.
Perhaps Women’s Day is a reminder to be grateful. To say thank you.
But beyond that, to think a little harder about how we could all be contributing more to support and protect the women from all walks of life who face hardships, yet still show up for the people and causes they care about.
For any politicians reading this, that also means putting your money where your mouth is when it comes to keeping promises of alleviating gender-based violence, ensuring economic empowerment and elevating women’s voices in leadership.
After all, “women are the people who are going to relieve us from all this oppression and depression”, as Albertina Sisulu, one of the leaders of the 1965 Women’s March, put it. DM
This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
