The South African Reserve Bank has launched two commemorative R2 coins celebrating women whose courage and sacrifice helped shape the country’s journey to democracy.

The first coin marks 125 years since Charlotte Maxeke became the first Black South African woman to graduate with a university degree in 1901. The second commemorates 70 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, when more than 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in protest against apartheid pass laws.

Women’s legacy in circulation

The coins form part of the Milestones of Freedom campaign, launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June 2026 to commemorate key moments in South Africa’s democratic journey.

Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga described the launch as a significant moment during a virtual address at the Reserve Bank’s head office in Pretoria on Wednesday.

“For generations, women stood at the forefront of resistance, organised communities, sustained families during periods of oppression and made immeasurable contributions to the liberation struggle. Yet their contributions have too often been overlooked,” Chikunga said.

Breaking barriers through education

The minister said Charlotte Maxeke’s achievement in 1901 went beyond academics, describing it as a declaration that Black women were entitled to knowledge, dignity, leadership and equal participation in society.

“Charlotte Maxeke, at a time when both racial discrimination and gender barriers sought to limit opportunity, shattered expectations and expanded possibilities for generations of women to follow,” Chikunga said.

She noted that Maxeke understood education’s transformative power to equip citizens to challenge injustice and participate meaningfully in the economy.

March that defined citizenship

Reflecting on the 1956 Women’s March, Chikunga highlighted the contributions of leaders including Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Lillian Diedrickse and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.

“Mama Lilian Ngoyi did not become extraordinary because she sought prominence. She became extraordinary because she organised,” the minister said.

She described the march as a defining example of democratic participation and active citizenship, with its legacy continuing to inspire new generations through Williams-De Bruyn’s decades of work.

Call for inclusive future

Chikunga used the occasion to call for continued efforts to build a South Africa where women enjoy equal rights and opportunities, and where vulnerable groups are empowered rather than merely protected.

“As these coins circulate throughout our country, may they inspire reflection on our shared history and our collective future. May they remind us that freedom was won through struggle, that democracy is sustained through participation, and that equality requires action,” she said.

The minister stressed that building an inclusive society requires full involvement of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in governance, decision-making and development.

ALSO READ: New R2 coin honours 1976 Soweto uprising