On 9th August 1956 over 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest against the extension of the pass laws to women. This struggle was a decisive turning point of a long drawn out war. Today, we celebrate 9th August as South African Women's Day.
I stand before you this evening, in the name of these many sung and unsung heroines such as Umama Lillian Ngoyi, Amina Cachalia, Dora Tamana, Charlotte Maxeke, mamTolo Mgabela, Helen Joseph, Dorothy Nyembe, Sophie de Bruyn, Florence 'Mam Flo' Mkhize, Victoria Mxenge and many others, who fought tirelessly in the past for the emancipation of women in our country. It is these South African women on whose shoulders we stand today.  This historical background is important in order to prepare us in facing our future.
Programme Director, this evening we recognise and acknowledge the gallant strides that were made by these pathfinders in pursuit of a democratic South Africa. A new democracy free of racial, class and gender discrimination that our people have endured, not over decades, but over centuries of colonial and apartheid rule.
This evening we also honour Free State Women Struggle Veterans who have worked alongside the above mentioned veterans. In the same breath, we also honour the former political and traditional leadership champions who have consistently supported the Summit for the past six years. Nkonde nezinkondekazi, we thank the role each of you has played in this event.
During apartheid, the majority of women were disenfranchised, alienated, disengaged and treated as less of human beings.  It was a fierce struggle for them to even fight for recognition in the place of work and families.
Today women are still part of the majority that remains exposed to societal challenges like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, social exclusion, environmental decay and sexual harassment in the workplace.
They are economically marginalised and have no right to own land, especially those in rural areas where the women's right is appreciated.  Given the fact that we are fifteen years into our democracy and yet women are still experiencing these disadvantages, we as a society, need to be ashamed of ourselves.
It remains my considered view that women's struggle is not for women alone.  It is one in which women and men must join together, each helping and encouraging the other as circumstances require.  This partnership must be a 365 days activity.
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