Seventy years after thousands of women marched on the Union Buildings, South Africa paused this week to measure how far their daughters and granddaughters have come, and the numbers tell a remarkable story.
Speaking at the National Women’s Day Commemoration at Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley, Northern Cape, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga celebrated the gains women have made since the adoption of the Women’s Charter in 1954 and the historic 1956 Women’s March, as reported by SAnews.
The numbers that tell the story
The event, hosted by Parliament under the theme “70 Years of Resistance, 72 Years of Vision – Advancing Gender Justice, Equality and Resilient Economies for All”, heard that South African women today make up:
- 43.5% of the National Assembly;
- 45% of the country’s judges;
- More than 60% of university graduates;
- Recipients of 58% of the nearly 3.4 million housing subsidies approved since 1994.
“Let us celebrate the domestic worker, who is now protected by law; the farm worker, who now has a minimum wage, and the girl in Galeshewe, who will finish matric this year, in a country where in 1996, less than 16% of women had done so,” Chikunga said.
From Kimberley to the stars
The Minister reflected on the symbolism of hosting the commemoration at a university named after Sol Plaatje, in a province where opportunity is expanding for young women.
“Let us celebrate that this commemoration is hosted at a university carrying the name of Sol Plaatje, in a province where a young woman can now study astronomy and work at the largest radio telescope on earth for free through the National Students Financial Aid Scheme.”
Looking ahead, Chikunga said the Northern Cape’s renewable energy boom is another frontier for women. The province has the largest concentration of solar and wind generation in South Africa, and she called for young women from Upington, De Aar and Springbok to be actively included in the sector’s growth.
Building the next generation
Chikunga championed structured and sustained mentorship for young women, creating deliberate pathways into mining, logistics, energy and leadership, from geology and exploration through to corporate boardrooms. Government is also developing a care economy strategy so that the work which sustains households and communities is recognised, supported and paid.
The commemoration forms part of the year-long Milestones of Freedom campaign launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June, honouring, among other anniversaries, 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March.
The message from Kimberley was clear: the story of South African women is one of extraordinary progress, and the next chapter is already being written.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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