The silent resilience and unwavering spirit of the women who came before us have shaped the path we walk today. Their courage ensured that the quality of life for women in South Africa could steadily improve, paving the way for greater freedom, opportunity, and equality.

On 9 August 1956, an estimated 20,000 women from across the country gathered in Pretoria to march to the Union Buildings. Their mission was to protest against the apartheid government’s pass laws, which restricted the movement of Black South Africans and other marginalised groups. These laws were designed to control where people could live, work, and travel, stripping them of basic human dignity.

The march was led by four remarkable women: Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, and Sophie Williams-De Bruyn. They represented the strength and unity of women from all walks of life. Together, they organised a peaceful but powerful protest. In complete silence, the women stood outside the Union Buildings, delivering petitions to Prime Minister J.G. Strijdom, making it clear that they would not accept laws that undermined their rights and the rights of their families.

In the decades since, South Africa has seen meaningful changes, many of which can be traced back to the bravery of those women. They laid the foundation for progress, ensuring that each generation could stand taller and live freer than the last.

Today, we honour the women of 1956 and the countless others who have fought for our rights. We celebrate their strength, their vision, and their determination because without their resilience, we would not be where we are.