10 August 2011
The SACP salutes and send its best wishes to all women on this very special calendar month rightfully reserved for their honour. In many ways this symbolizes triumph of human spirit over evil.
In celebrating women`s month the SACP deems it appropriate to pay tribute to esteemed women who were prepared regardless of cost, to sacrifice most, to give of their best and to face the greatest dangers in the struggles that gave rise to the democracy we all enjoy today.
Throughout its years of active mass mobilization the SACP led struggles around local working class grievances. These struggles were to include amongst many others campaigns against prohibition of female hawkers, police violence against residents, municipal passes for women, campaigns against food shortages and campaigns against housing shortages and the banning of brewing.
The everyday struggles that bugged local township dwellers, rural people, women and youth were responsible in bringing into the Party ranks many outstanding revolutionaries. Foremost amongst those who were in the forefront of these struggles were gallant and militant women such as Dora Tamana, the first African Woman to start the crèche movement, Hilda Bernstein the first Communist to win an all-white municipal seat in Hillbrow, Ruth First, the first female communist to be assassinated by apartheid regime, Betty Radford and many others who were ready to pay the ultimate price for freedom.
Whilst dedicating and celebrating women`s month the Party is quite aware that women emancipation has not been fully realised, that women are still marginalized at workplaces, women are still faced with threats of evictions where they live, many families are starving in a country whose economy has been growing since 1994. Economic hardship hit women the most because the larger burden of bringing up children remains with them up to this day.
The SACP is quite aware that these conditions of human suffering are as a result of the crisis-ridden capitalist system. The Party is confident however, that through its tasks and programs it will continue to fight side by side with working class women against capitalism to emancipate women from class exploitation, from patriarchal power and social relations and for greater unity in their common struggles.
"Wa thintha`bafazi, Wa nthith`imbokodo"
Issued by the SACP Head office
For more information, please contact Mhlekwa Nxumalo SACP Acting Spokesperson
011 339 3621/2 or 072 517 7761