On 9 August 1956, 20 000 women marched through the streets of Pretoria with a simple yet powerful message: Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo — you strike a woman, you strike a rock.

This happened long before I was born. I was fortunate enough to be raised by another remarkable woman: my own mother. She taught me resilience, compassion and quiet strength, not through speeches, but through the example she set every single day. Women like her, and the thousands who marched before her, helped shape the world we have the privilege of living in today.

I say this without taking anything away from the brave men and fathers who also have a special place in our lives. But today belongs to the women who have carried families, communities, businesses and our country forward, often without fanfare and always with extraordinary courage.

To the women of 1956 who marched and refused to be silenced, and to the women of today who continue to embody that same spirit: thank you. You are the rock upon which so much is built, and you continue to shape our world for the better.

I see that strength every day.

The journalists chasing stories before dawn. The sales teams opening doors and building trusted relationships. The editors shaping narratives with precision and heart. The digital teams growing audiences across the country. So many of them are women, and so much of our success rests on their talent, resilience, leadership and unwavering commitment.

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As we navigate constant change in our industry and in the world around us, it is often the women in our business who remind me what courage truly looks like. They don’t simply adapt to change; they help all of us navigate it with wisdom, empathy and determination.

To every woman in our organisation, our industry and across South Africa: thank you. You are not simply part of the story. You are the story. 

Stories of hope. Of heart. Of perseverance. Of inspiration. Of purpose.

I see those stories in extraordinary women doing seemingly ordinary things every day: showing up, lifting others, solving problems, leading with grace and doing what needs to be done.

Today, and every day, I salute you.

• Esmé Smit is General Manager of Novus Media.

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