Ginwala honours FS women’s contribution to the struggle

Former parliamentary Speaker, Frene Ginwala, has paid tribute to the Free State women who made a valuable contribution in the fight against the former oppressive and callous apartheid system, which met its demise at the advent of the democratic dispensation in 1994.

Ginwala honoured these women and the illustrious ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) stalwart, Charlotte Maxeke, at the annual Charlotte Maxeke lecture, which took place at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein on Monday.

Maxeke was a South African religious leader, social worker and political activist, who lead several campaigns against the oppressive South African regime. She is best remembered as one of the first female members of the ANC who was also very active in the movement.

She was also an outspoken supporter of human rights and dignity, who devoted herself to gender issues.  She was the president of National Council of African Women (NCAW) between 1935 and 1937; an organisation that was born out of the struggle in 1933 in Kimberley, after the Bantu Women’s League waned.

The highly celebrated Maxeke was also the first women to appear before the Native Pass Law Commission and also testified before other government commissions on matters concerning African education and African women’s issues in particular.

She is also remembered as the first black South African to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree from United States and despite her academic successes, she never desisted from advocating for the needs of the poor marginalised black South Africans.

Maxeke established herself as a loyal representative of her people and served as a bridge between the white and black people divide.  Taking all of this into consideration, it can be rationally argued that she was indeed the mother of the nation in her time; who offered her expertise in a difficult struggle to achieve better life for all.

Ginwala said today’s women can draw vital lessons from Maxeke. She said Maxeke embodied courage, dedication and being able to “live amongst her people”.  According to Ginwala, these qualities are certainly desirable, because they helped Maxeke to never separate her work as a social worker, teacher and preacher from her political life.

“The fact that she was a Mosotho woman, Free State women can relate to her easily. Nothing deterred her if a decision had to be taken. Just before 1956 women were warned by ANC leaders that they would be shot at, beaten and imprisoned, but Maxeke said women are brave they will elect other leaders.”

Recorded history indicates that Maxeke was born near Fort Beaufort in the then Cape Colony on April 7, 1874.  Her parents were devoted Christian converts who saw to it that she received the best early education available. During primary school she excelled in languages, mathematics and music. Maxeke completed her schooling in Kimberley, where she began working as a teacher.

Ginwala further highlighted that Free State women were the first ones to fight for economic freedom during the protests of 1913. African and coloured women in the Free State came together to form a political party called the African Native Party.

According to Ginwala, history has downplayed the role played by the women in the Free State in the struggle against apartheid and gender oppression.

Although many women have taken a lead in the fight against racial discrimination and oppression, a few are mentioned while the majority have gone unrecognised and unknown.

The ANC celebrated 100 years of struggle last year, but Ginwala felt that little was said about women who fought alongside prominent male ANC leaders during the centenary celebrations.

“If we say a particular day is a Women’s Day who are we giving the rest of the remaining days to? It is not good to hear little about women resistance in this country because this is not going to help us.

For instance, the 1956 march has overshadowed other important things. This was the first time Africans in numbers went to Pretoria to demonstrate and these were women who took this first step.”

Mamantse Nkosi was one of the women who attended the lecture. She shared the lessons she learned from Maxeke and Free State women of the time.

“I discovered that there is a lot that we do not know about women who played important roles in achieving freedom in our country. I learned that Maxeke was more like a social worker, concerned about the welfare of poor people. Another discovery was that Free State women fought for economic freedom. And here we were, thinking they were fighting against carrying passes.”

Nkosi’s grandmother was also one of the women who worked hard to ensure that poor black people were provided with basic needs. She told The Weekly that her grandmother participated in welfare organisations such as the NCAW in the 1970’s.

“While growing up in the 1970’s I saw these women of the National Council of African Women working hard to help others who were in need. This was a welfare organisation not a political party.

These women used to knit and sell clothes to make money. In Free State, Winkie Direko the former premier of the province was its leader,” said Nkosi.