National Women’s Day is celebrated every year on the 9th of August in South Africa to commemorate an estimated 20 000 women of all races who on August 1956 marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest an end to the apartheid pass laws defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act. A Law that required non-whites in South Africa to carry passbook sanctioning their presence in restricted areas.
This year we take a moment to cherish, value, appreciate, admire, celebrate and applaud all women who are and have conquered the world against all odds.
In the Arts and Entertainment industry we give many praises to the young and old, alive or passed on brave and talented women who gave us and will continue to craft and create incredible memorable and everlasting soul empowering work.
How can we forget the great music of Merriam Makeba, Sibongile Khumalo, and Gloria Bosman? Is your cup of tea Rebecca Malope or HLE? Zonke or Lira? Tyla or Dj Waffles?
The canvas is bigger than life, in jazz we have the likes of Thandi Ntuli to the ever-innovative Thandiswa Mazwai.
The likes of Boity Thulo, Fifi Cooper, and Rouge to Sho Madjozi have made our hips to hop in the Hip Hop industry.
We celebrate artist such as Amanda Black, Mango Grooves Claire Johnston, Zoe Modiga to the late Brenda Fassi and Lebo Mathosa.
Theatrically we have seen jaw dropping plays directed or and written by women such as Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni, Qondiswa James, Napo Masheane, Khujo Green and the legendary Warona Seane. While we mesmerize talent, we witness on our screens daily from iconic idols such as Leleti Khumalo, Lillian Dube, Connie Ferguson and being thrilled by the beautiful Nomzamo Mbatha, Katlego Danke, and Pearl Thusi to Terry Pheto.
Moving to the businesswomen with the art of making money, in fashion and beauty, science, healthcare and research, mining, engineering, construction and education, social development, sisters in corporate world, banking sector, financial services to legal department we honor your hard-working ethics, talents, passion, resilience, your grace and beauty. Your determination to independence and to succeed in life, to leave a mark and make an impact in all of our lives will forever be cherish with warm hearts.
LET IT BE KNOWN TO ALL THAT SONS, BROTHERS, UNCLES, FATHERS AND ALL MEN OF VAAL OBSERVER CONDEMN ANY FORM OF GBV IN THE STRONGEST TERMS POSSIBLE.
1 Comment
Saw this on women’s day and only getting a chance to comment now.
Firstly, Thank you, Vaal Observer, for taking the time to acknowledge National Women’s Day and for providing a platform to celebrate women. The existence of this paper is important, especially in serving our communities and highlighting issues that matter.
However, this article is a prime example of the hollow platitudes that do nothing to truly honour or uplift women. It reeks of superficial praise, the kind that rings empty because it lacks any meaningful engagement with the real, lived experiences of everyday women. It’s clear that this was written by someone who has no deep understanding of women’s struggles—likely a man who has reduced Women’s Day to nothing more than a checklist of famous names and industries, with no regard for the daily battles women face.
By exceptionalising a select few women, the author ignores the realities faced by regular women, those who are not celebrities or business moguls but are still fighting against systemic inequalities every day.
There is no mention of the pervasive issues that plague the lives of everyday women— like the persistent wage gap, the lack of economic justice that continues to keep women, especially those in marginalised communities like ours, in cycles of poverty, like the heavy burden of unpaid labour and deadbeat fathers who abandon their responsibilities, leaving women to carry the crushing burden of childcare alone.
This kind of omission is not just careless; it’s a glaring reminder of how deeply entrenched patriarchy is in our society.
It’s not enough to celebrate women’s achievements without addressing the systemic barriers that still hold so many back. Words on a page are meaningless if they are not backed by action and a true commitment to change.
As a community newspaper, the Vaal Observer has a responsibility to write something useful, something that speaks to the real issues women in the community face. Your platform has the potential to be a powerful voice for change, and I encourage you to use it to write pieces that not only celebrate but also advocate for and uplift all women—especially those whose stories often go untold.
To the women reading this: your struggles are real, your work is valued, and you deserve more than just words. Keep fighting, keep striving, and know that your worth is not determined by the recognition of those who fail to see your daily victories.