NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

National Women's Day is an annual Public holiday in South Africa on 9 August.

This day commemorates 9 August 1956 when women participating in a national march 

petitioned against pass laws (legislation that required African persons to carry a document 

on them to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a ‘white area’).

On that day, between 20,000 - 50,000 women staged a march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria. 

They left bundles of petitions containing more than 100 000 signatures at prime minister  J.G Strijdom's office doors. 

Outside they stood silently for 30 minutes, many with their children on their backs.

 To conclude the Women's March the women sang freedom songs such as 

Nkosi sikeleli Afrika, 

however, the song that became the anthem of the march was

 "Wathint' abafazi, Strijdom!"

wathint' abafazi,

wathint' imbokodo,

uza kufa!

[When] you strike the women,

you strike a rock,

you will be crushed [you will die]!

In the 54 years since, the phrase 

"you strike a woman, you strike a rock"

 has come to represent women's courage and strength in South Africa.

The Federation of South African Women (FedSAW) organised the March, led by four women; 

Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophy Williams and Lilian Ngoyi. 

The march was a resounding success and the country recognized the bravery of 

these women who 

risked arrest, detention and banning by declaring 9 August National Women’s Day.

CREDITS

1. http://www.sa-venues.com/events/southafrica/national-womens-day/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Women's_Day
3. http://sharbelfaraj.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/11719.gif
4. http://allisonkilkenny.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/feminist-journerys-01-womens-day-b-w-march1.jpg
5. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeS2RR-YY05BUS5tH7AXZWHUozChdexe4KDMKI1OnGbAdeCb9v3BrnkMUj5r1Dpo67fLNY3dViM5odKpfDbIOK0XeBDAuiGzcmGDiOT2n7AtY4tFt0Di0ID-dsqR6APEfgoPI9hrRAW8_a/s1600/womenoftheworldunite.jpg