Pretoria - Miss South Africa 2016 Ntandoyenkosi Kunene has encouraged young women to pay tribute to the women of 1956 by taking up opportunities available to them.
Speaking at the Take a Girl Child to Work day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Nkosi appealed to girls to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
“I thank the women of 1956. Without them, we would not be enjoying what we have today. To the young women [of] today, we need to take these opportunities and make sure we make the women of 1956 proud,” she told SAnews.
On 9 August 1956, about 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in protest against the carrying of pass books.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women Susan Shabangu on Thursday hosted 60 schoolgirls from across Gauteng to commemorate the day in partnership with cell phone company, Cell C.
The 60 girls are symbolic of the 60th anniversary Women’s March.
“This initiative allows for girls to see what they want to be in the future. It gives them an opportunity to say, ‘this is where I want to be. This is how it looks, this is how it feels like and now I just need to work at it so I can attain it’,” said Kunene.
The initiative -- which is now in its 14th year -- is an annual event initiated by Cell C to give young girls a chance to spend a day in different career environments to see what options are open to them.
Kunene, who was crowned in March, commended Minister Shabangu’s decision to host the girls at the Union Buildings.
“The… girls get an opportunity… to come to the Union Buildings. The Minister opened up her office… welcoming them to talk to her. That does something to a girl’s mind,” she said.
Kunene reinforced Minister Shabangu’s comments that girls can be anything they want to become.
The women of 1956 fought for the opportunities we have now where a woman Minister is opening up her office to say she wants to see young women and she wants to see them do great things in society. For me, it means a great deal,” said Miss SA.
Interacting with the girls in grades 8 to 12, Minister Shabangu emphasised the importance of education and reaching for one’s dreams.
“Education is the key to success. Nothing is impossible,” she said, adding that women can now start their own successful businesses.
The Minister also urged the girls to pick careers that they are passionate about.
Minister Shabangu said while society continues to judge women’s abilities based on the mere fact that they are women, this should not deter women from reaching for their dreams.
“Society judges you first because you’re a woman. Society says you can’t play soccer because you’re a girl but I played soccer,” she told the room full of girls.
One of the girls participating in Thursday’s event said she had gained invaluable insight.
“I’m really excited to be here because I’m willing to learn more… on how I can be a woman and be in career that is male dominated and still be proud of being a woman,” said 15-year-old Nomonde Malaza from Ingqayizivele High School in Tembisa.
Malaza aspires to become a mechatronics engineer one day. – SAnews.gov.za
