Thousands of people are expected to converge at the Vryburg showgrounds in North West, in commemoration of National Women’s Day.
The event will be commemorated under the theme “Growing South Africa Together for Women’s Emancipation”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, will give a keynote address.
The event will be hosted at the town where the late struggle icon, Dr Ruth Mompati and the current National Assembly speaker, Thandi Modise hailed from.
On this day in 1956, over 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws.
Over 10 000 people from North West and across the country are expected to attend this year’s Women’s Day event.
Struggle icon Sophie De Bruyn, who was part of the organisers during the women’s march, is also expected to address the crowd.
President Ramaphosa is scheduled to give his keynote address around 12 o’clock midday.
Different political leaders will honour the contribution of women as the country celebrates National Women’s Day.
EFF leader Julius Malema will be the keynote speaker at the women’s event at Springbok in the Northern Cape, while the leader of the DA Women’s Network Dr Nomafrench Mbombo will address the official opposition’s event at the Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape.
Memorial walk in Pretoria
The Gauteng provincial government will join the rest of South Africans in celebrating and honouring struggle heroines on Friday with a memorial walk from Lillian Ngoyi Square to the Union Buildings.
Some streets in the Pretoria CBD will be closed for traffic.
The walk will commence with a 2.3km walk from the Women’s Living Monument at Lillian Ngoyi Square, formerly known as Sammy Marks Square.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura will lead the walk. Makhura will be joined by scores of women to mark the 63rd anniversary of the 1956 bravery demonstration by the women of South Africa.
Security plan
The South African Police Service says the security cluster of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has put together a security plan to ensure safety and security, during the celebrations at Vryburg.
SAPS Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel, Katlego Mogale, explains, “Members of the South African Police Service and other government departments will be deployed to ensure that route security and security around the venue is very tied. The plan will ensure that the law abiding citizens of South Africa are safe during the event; and therefore we employ that the people who are attending will not be allowing firearms, alcohol or drugs in the event.”
Mogale says several streets in and around Vryburg, will be closed. “Members of the community in and around Vryburg are notified that the following streets will be closed. The streets are the corner of Voortrekker and Van Niekerk Street. Corner of Voortreker and Kerk Street, corner of Voortreker and De Kock streets. Therefore all the motorists and members of the community are advised to use alternative routes and work together with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the general safety and the safety of the event takes place.”
