National Women’s Day

National Women’s Day (Zulu: Usuku Lwabesifazane, Afrikaans: Nasionale Vrouedag) is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a passbook, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era.^[1] The first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995.^[2] In 2006, a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans. Taken directly from Wikipedia

Today 9^th August, National Women’s Day in South Africa has grown to include all the women of South Africa. We are certainly a courageous and fabulous bunch!

There is no doubt that there is hardships, heartache and strife being experienced by all women around the world! As you read this article, the latest available statistics tell us that in a 21/22 report, 41,739 cases of rape were reported. And we know that this is not a true reflection of the actual amount of rapes that took place, because a great percentage of women who have had to endure this awful experience, do not report it for fear of retaliation, fear of judgement, fear of rejection.

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In another report it states “South Africa has notoriously high levels of violence against women. The latest police figures show that 10,818 rape cases were reported in the first quarter of 2022. The country has among the highest rape incidence in the world.”

What percentage of women are killed by spouse?

The percentage of females murdered by an intimate partner was 5 times higher than for males, in South Africa. Of the estimated 4,970 female victims of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in 2021, data reported by law enforcement agencies indicate that 34% were killed by an intimate partner.

Women’s Shelters

At the time of writing this article, I couldn’t find anywhere on the internet that tells me how many women’s shelters are available in South Africa. I do know however, that just recently I was trying to help someone find a women’s shelter and discovered that there is just one available in the entire Randburg area! That’s a scary thought. Most of the suggestions that I received was for this person to contact a local church who may be able to offer some kind of assistance.

Honouring all Women

Whilst it is not my intention to make this article all about the horrors that women face on a daily basis, I did feel it necessary to bring some of these to light. We live in a country where violence and crime has become part of the norm. People go missing every day. People are robbed every day. Our power is stolen right out from under our noses every single day. Children are reported missing and never found. Adults are reported missing and never found. Or, if they are, it’s always too late.

So I’d like to take a moment here today, to pay homage to all the beautiful women of South Africa, who get up every morning, get their families off to start their days, go off to jobs where they’re not valued, where they have to fight to be recognised. To the women of South Africa, who work a full day, a large majority of them cleaning someone’s home for absolute minimal pay – getting up when it’s dark to make it work on time, and getting home when it’s dark to start seeing to their families. To the women who get up, wipe away their tears, and fight for another day, because they love unconditionally and give of themselves unconditionally.

An Ode to a Woman BY PAAVANI ARORA

She is a woman of faith and integrity, standing confident with her passion and ambitions. Grace and humility cling to her akin to her embracing scent, never failing to turn heads in silent awe.

She is her past and her future held by her body, where she remains poised in spite of the weight it carries. Her back holds the kindness and self-assuredness she uses to fuel her strength; she is utterly indestructible, a mounting holding our mother Earth’s ends. That ‘rose amongst the thorns’ has always been her – a beauty to behold, eyes fierce with a story to be told.

She is her curves and sharp features softly held hands revealing stories of courage in trying times. Her voice is a lasting melody, her words like hymns the world needs to hear. She is all the pieces and fragments she assembled herself – a warrior, a queen, a feared power to appear.

She is music in itself, endless lyrics of pain and joy and hope and survival. She is the heart that plants flowers in desolate terrains, the heart that battles the fight of all, the heart that allows laughter to play abundantly, as it welcomes the smiles of those around her lovingly. She is the heart that feels deeply, that gives freely, that loves fiercely.

She is ethereal and exquisite, silver and gold; the binding force of night and day, the loving force of tomorrow and today. The privilege of her presence, the prayers of despair, the person one would not be able to compare. She is the representation of all the strong women across all cardinals of our world, being the voice of those soon to be heard. She is the power we await, where we would finally see the change of great weight. She is you.