General

"The revolution and women's liberation go together. We do not talk of women's emancipation as an act of charity or out of a surge of human compassion. It is a basic necessity for the revolution to triumph." Thomas Sankara, African revolutionary.

NEHAWU pays homage to all women during this women's month and especially during upcoming ,National Women's Day, 09 August 2013, in recognition of the role they played in fighting and defeating the evil tyranny of Apartheid.

This year, we commemorate 57 years since 20 000 of this country's fearless heroines organized a historic march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act {pass laws} of 1950.These women were lead by struggle stalwarts including ,Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.

They made a stand against the humiliating "pass laws" and denounced the exploitative and oppressive apartheid system. The gains that have been made and the rights currently enjoyed by women in this country today are as a result of that courageous action.

Since 1994, our successive ANC administrations have made strides in creating an environment that makes it attainable the goal of total women emancipation. This includes the establishment of the Ministry of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities.

Unfortunately these efforts have not eliminated the patriarchal attitudes that have dominated our society since time immemorial. Women are still subjected to frightening levels of abuse at home, at work and in our communities.

Recently, we have witnessed a rise in the number of women who are victims of sexual abuse inside and outside the workplace. There is no occupation that is immune from sexual harassment but the workers like domestic workers and farm workers and blue collar workers in general are more vulnerable than most.

Workers should know that they have a right to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace, and they do not have to tolerate harassment by employers.Our union calls on South Africans of all races and sexual orientation should make sure that they stand up against women oppression, abuse and exploitation at all times. We must all ensure that this struggle continues well beyond the women's month.

We remain adamant that poverty alleviation will not happen while women are still not free from patriarchy, economic exploitation and overall discrimination. There can be no meaningful social transformation in this country without the active support and participation of women.

During our congress, we resolved to lead the process of developing, a radical and effective women's movement that will be truly revolutionary in waging women emancipation struggles, including bourgeois oppression of women and also locate those struggles in the context of South Africa's National Democratic Revolution (NDR) and the struggle against colonialism of a special type (CST).

NEHAWU commits to promoting and deepening the revolutionary class analysis of the challenges facing women under the capitalist mode of production in today's conditions. We will sustain and deepen the class orientation of the progressive women's movement in taking up issues of maternity protection, the basic needs of women including proper housing, nutrition, healthcare, education, sanitation, water and energy.

We will take up gender struggles in the workplace and also campaign and articulate the interests of the working class women in the broader society at all times. Our union also endorses the Johannesburg declaration of the WFTU on maternity protection.

NEHAWU will celebrate this year's women's day by distributing bed covers and nightwear to the H2 and female oncology wards patients at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital tomorrow, 08 August 2013.

The celebrations are scheduled as follows:

Date: 08 August 2013

Time: 9h00

Venue: Main Kitchen, Dining Hall (opposite NEHAWU branch offices)

Members of the media are hereby invited to attend and report. "Wathint' Abafazi Wathint' imbokodo!" Malibongwe igama Lamakhosikazi!

Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat

For further information, please contact: Sizwe Pamla (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 -082 558 5962 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za