Media Statements

The African National Congress (ANC) joins the people of South Africa in commemorating National Women’s Day, a day that honours the fearless women who, on 9 August 1956, marched to the Union Buildings to demand justice, equality, and an end to apartheid oppression. Led by the heroines of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW), over 20,000 women stood united against the apartheid pass laws. Their courage was not an act of charity, it was a determined assertion of their rights and the rights of generations to come.

Today, we remind all women that they stand on the shoulders of giants, women like Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph, Sophie Williams-de Bruyn, Florence Mophosho, and countless others who claimed their place in history through struggle and sacrifice. In a democratic South Africa, the rights of women are non-negotiable.

Women are entitled, by law, by history, and by the sacrifices of those before them, to equality in political, economic, social, and cultural life. These are not favours to be requested; they are constitutional rights to be exercised, defended, and advanced.

Every woman in this country must know and claim these rights. You have the right to be safe in your home, on the streets, and in your workplace. You have the right to equal pay for equal work. You have the right to own land, to lead companies, to shape policy, and to stand for public office. You have the right to live with dignity, free from fear, free from discrimination, and free from violence.

We call on the women of our country to assert these rights without hesitation, to occupy spaces in leadership, to drive economic activity, to demand safety, to shape policy, and to influence every sector from local communities to global forums. These rights belong to you by virtue of your humanity and citizenship.

The ANC reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the complete emancipation of women, recognising that true freedom will only be achieved when every woman can live, work, and lead without fear, discrimination, or limitation. Malibongwe igama lamakhosikazi!

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