President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at the National Women’s Day celebrations at Union Buildings in Pretoria on Sunday, 9 August 2026 while South Africa commemorated the 70th anniversary of historic 1956 Women’s March.
In his speech, President Ramaphosa called to boys and men to take initiative and stand against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), stating that the scourge is a collective obstacle that demands men to step up and reject violence against women.
“Gender-based violence and femicide is not a woman’s problem. It is a problem of society. It is a problem of violent men. Overcoming this scourge, therefore, demands that men and boys must step forward and say ‘not in my name’,” stated Ramaphosa.
Additionally, the President reflected on the importance of the 1956 Women’s March, where thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings against apartheid pass laws. He mentioned that women were not merely supporters of the struggle against apartheid, they played a central role in influencing the country’s history and its journey towards democracy.
“It is because the Women’s March of 1956 was not a footnote in our struggle for freedom. That march helped to change the course, the character and the leadership of the struggle for freedom and justice in our country. It demonstrated that women were not merely supporters of our struggle. They were leaders, organizers, and they were its authors,” he said.
Women in law enforcement also marched from Tshwane House to the Union Buildings as part of the National Women’s Day commemorations, in honour of the women who took part in the historic 1956 march. The march also highlighted the improvement and difficulties faced by women working in law enforcement, a traditionally male-dominated field.
Captain Van der Berg-Gumede mentioned that a lot has changed for women in law enforcement since 1956, adding that women today do not face the same challenges they faced in the past.
“A lot has changed. For example, four of the five districts in Gauteng are led by women. Our country will do better with more women on the frontline,” she said while calling for more opportunities to be created for women, particularly in leadership and frontline positions.
The National Women’s Day commemorations therefore served both as a reminder of the contributions women have made to South Africa’s history and as a call for continued action to address the challenges women face, including GBVF and inequality.
Image Credits :
Buhle sibayoni
