Pretoria- North West Premier Thandi Modise says her province will ensure that women are equitably treated and are not marginalised or violated.
“As part of our endeavour in honouring the gallant women who marched on the union building to protest against pass laws, we want to ensure that our women who suffered the triple oppression of race, class and gender under apartheid receive the respect they deserve,” said Premier Modise.
Tonight, Premier Modise will bestow an award on ANC stalwart Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati at a gala dinner hosted by the Black Management Forum- North West.
Dr Mompati was one of the leaders of more than 20 000 women of all races who marched on the Union Buildings in Pretoria on August 9, 1956 to protest against the pass laws that restricted them.
Under the banner Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo -You strike a woman, you strike a rock- Mama Mompati joined other courageous women such as Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophie Williams-De Bruyn and Lillian Ngoyi to deliver a memorandum demanding that the pass law be scraped.
Modise said that women should be inspired by the courage and strength of Mama Mompati’s generation to stand up for what they believe is right.
“We want to ensure that women are respected and treated as equals. We are determined to ensure that they are not marginalised, demeaned, abused or violated in any way,” she said. –SAnews.gov.za
