Heroines let courage rise to fight present struggles

BLOEMFONTEIN: As we celebrate achievements by South African women, reflecting on the historic 1956 Women’s March against the apartheid dompas laws on 9 August, it is critical to do some soul searching. More than 20 000 women embarked on a peaceful protest march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to deliver a petition to then prime minister, Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, highlighting their opposition to these discriminatory laws.
Corresponding to this significant women’s event, it is important to know our origin − “Nizalwa Ngobani?” or “Who birthed you?” This calls for reflection and introspection to fight the hostility women face daily. It is deeply rooted in a song, “Nizalwa Ngobani”, released in 2006 by Thandiswa Mazwai, one of South Africa’s accomplished women singers of her generation. She released this song 12 years into the democratic dispensation. South Africans still hoped for a better life and freedom for all at that time.
It was in that year that former Pres. Thabo Mbeki emphasised the importance of national unity, economic freedom, and South Africa’s participation in global affairs. The lyrics of this song and the year of its release clearly show that Mazwai foresaw the challenges ahead. One could strongly argue that she was ahead of her time. This is a prophetic song describing the current events in our country. Through her messaging in this inspiring song, Mazwai reminds us that society evolves and that notable activists of the liberation struggle would one day not be in our midst to retell the painful history that led to freedom.
South Africans dreamed of better living conditions; hence, Mazwai refers to our dreams of liberty as being valuable and embedded in abundance. She also alludes to the loss of integrity and the revolutionary spirit that has become the norm. Additionally, she foresaw that the children of the soil would one day forget about those who birthed freedom for all, and some would not be concerned about preserving liberty for all.
Mazwai sings about the grief women experience daily due to the systemic and patriarchal violations that women continue to experience. This is an awakening song for us to remember that fierce heroines birthed democracy. This song calls South Africans to action, to fight the hostility women face daily − the struggle of our time.
May we not forget Amaqhawe, heroines who were instrumental in the fight for freedom of movement and freedom for all, since South African women do not have the privilege of freedom. She rightfully reminds us that we are the offspring of great heroines − including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Charlotte Makgomo Maxeke, Fatima Meer, Albertina Sisulu, Bertha Gxowa, Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Sophia Williams-De Bruyn and Frances Baard.
South Africa’s current climate does not allow women a peaceful celebratory moment of their achievements, but rather one to remember those who fought for us. Mazwai inspires us − women of the present generation − to take courage from the legacy of our predecessors: the women who participated in the 1956 Women’s March, which was led by the Federation of South African Women (Fedsaw). It is noteworthy to mention that their anti-pass laws march culminated in the Sharpeville Massacre on March 21, 1960, where police opened fire on a crowd of unarmed protesters, killing 69 people and injuring many others.
Furthermore, the women’s anti-pass laws protest has historically proven significant, as the pass laws were eventually dismantled in 1986, along with other apartheid legislation. Mazwai inspires us to draw courage from these brave heroines to face head-on the struggles of our era, which are centred on at least three elements: economic inequality, the rampant social ill of gender-based violence (GBV) and vulnerability to unemployment. Aluta Continua − the struggle continues!
■ Dr Nontombi Velelo is a lecturer and director in the Department of Sociology at the University of the Free State (UFS).