THE WOMEN OF 1956 BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Celebrating the 1956
Women’s March O
n 9 August 1956, more than 20 000 women of all backgrounds and cultures, some of them with infants on their backs, gathered to protest against unjust apartheid laws, in a moment South Africans commemorate annually.
The march marked a critical moment in the liberation struggle, ensuring that women were seen as visible participants in the fight against apartheid.
34 | Public Sector Leaders | August 2024
During Women’s month, celebrated in August in South Africa, we pay tribute to the women who marched to the Union Buildings in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women. But the month is also an opportunity to reflect on those women who shaped the liberation struggle through their strong leadership.