By Leanne Raymond
The women's struggle song "When you strike a woman, you strike a rock" resonated from gatherings around the Western Cape as women took part in marches, imbizos, mountain climbing, and even a Harley-Davidson Rally in honour of Women's Day.
The words were first penned 49 years ago when 20 000 women from across the country marched on the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956 to protest the extension of apartheid pass laws on black women.
Premier Ebrahim Rasool and Minerals and Energy Minister Lindiwe Hendricks, addressed delegates at the Technology Women in Business conference at the Cape Town Convention Centre on Tuesday morning.
Rasool said because women had been ignored in the work place for many years, half the world's brain power had been wasted.
Rasool later addressed the Breede Valley Women's Day Imbizo in Worcester and another in Hermanus at the Zwelihle Community Hall.
"In the Western Cape women must play a central part in the economy, our social, cultural and political life," he said.
Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo attended a breakfast with senior citizens in Parow, organised by Die Tyger Lions Club, before addressing an African National Congress Women's League gathering in Gugulethu Civic Centre.
"Women should hold hands and help with the building of the city and the country. Uniting women in society to build a better future for children, a better life for all" she said.
Some residents of the peninsula had to block their ears when more than 70 women on Harley-Davidson motorbikes held a rally to celebrate Women's Day. According to Mariska Kriek, this was the first run for women bikers only, and "it was stunning".
In Atlantis, 15 representatives from NGOs in the area hosted Women's Day celebrations by marching in T-shirts they had made, and discussing solutions for community problems.
The ceremony was a culmination of a 10-day workshop hosted by the Southern African Media and Gender Institute (Samgi). The workshops aimed to develop a gender communications strategy to highlight issues affecting women in the community, said Aniela Gella from Samgi.
In the city, 76 women and children braved wintry weather to climb Table Mountain in an event organised by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.