Women’s Day Message
This is the day in 1956, on which the women of South Africa, united by their commitment to justice and dignity for all, marched to the Union Buildings in their thousands to confront the seat of power and drew line on the sand. For generations to come, they will continue to inspire with their song, “Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! (Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock.)”
Today, twenty years into democracy, we have reason to celebrate the tangible fruit of their sacrifice. We are celebrating progress already made for women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality in our country since 1994. We celebrate that in our Parliament women are a voice that cannot be ignored. They hold parliament and it’s institutions to account with dignity. We celebrate those South African womenwho have distinguished themselves as exceptional global leaders, achievers and workers. We celebrate women at all levels within the Thebe Group who encourage us to do better. We’ve witnessed womenwithin the Thebe Group making an extraordinary contribution to the growth of our business. We have seen at Thebe, women taking the reins at Companies that were loss making and have transformed those companies into gems. When the story of the builders and architects who built Thebe is told, amongst them will be women who had boundless energy and ingenuity that they brought to Thebe in their capacities as CEO’s and other executive roles, long before South Africa discovered the BEE points for having black women executives.
Today, we remember the 1956 women’s message as we re-assess our current position. Many of our companies within the Thebe Group have women stars that enhance our boardrooms with their intellect, laced with compassion. A question can be asked whether we do enough at Thebe to make it possible for many women to break through the “glass ceiling”. Though we have seen women doing amazing things, I believe that we need to do more to help women realize their potential in our businessesto empower women as a collective. Yes, we can pinpoint some individual success, but how can we spread the benefits of empowerment to reach all corners of our country?
Let us pay tribute to the Women of 1956 by bringing their aspirations to fruition. It is phenomenal when women decide to do something together. Much could be achieved for a greater society if we gave women more support and to foster affirming and respectful communication with women in our homes, andin the workplace. We can strengthen our co-existence as partners, parents, colleagues, and the community and leadership structures. Let us support women achieve their full potential through education, resources and employment opportunities without discrimination.
Today, we celebrate their courage, and face our challenges with the courage of the Women of 1956 who rose above the power of apartheid without fear. May we take courageous steps to advance forward the improvement of the conditions of our women and children to eradicate poverty. In our country the majority of women are still fighting daily for survival after being left to raise children as single parents. Their courage alone cannot heal the pain of deprivation.
Today, let us be inspired by the Women of 1956 and the women in our lives who direct our homes with tough love and soft hugs. Let’s admireand cherish the women of our country who have so much to contribute to our society. Let us show our gratitude to the women who honour us with their love, whether they adorn our homes with warmth, or are on the shop-floor, or in the boardroom. Let us reciprocate with the women who carried us on their backsand bless us with their prayers. Let us provide for the women who feed us with their charity and polish our manners with their reprimands. Let us hear women’s voices when they cry or whenthey criticize our deeds. And we are strong as men because the women, who gave birth to us, our beloved mothers, are strong. And we are strong as men because the women in our lives are strong. Let us embrace and recognize their greatness so that we can benefit from it.
Much remains to be done to ensure enduring and transformative justice and dignity to everyone, especially the vulnerable in society. Though women are prominent in our government, in business they still trail far behind in leadership positions. We have the power to ensure that woman play an equal part in decision making throughout all spheres of our society. So we can benefit from their intelligence, talents, perspectives and their capacity to nurture.
Let’s applaud young women who have seized the opportunities opened up by the Women of 1956 by studying, qualifying in fields that were prohibited in the past. Their achievements are elevating our nation higher. They demonstrate that with perseverance we can transform the landscape of our country into the future the Women of 1956 strove for.
We are fortunate and grateful to have a legacy of the Women of 1956. May we have the grace to honour them by extending that campaign and recommit ourselves to gender equality in our personal and public spheres with our actions and voices.
Have a blessed women’s day!
Vusi Khanyile