A day to commemorate the struggle of women for freedom and independent rights, even though there is a womens day all over the world, South Africa’s Women’s day is a very specific day commemorating the 1956 March that took place at the Union Buildings. The March consisted of approximately 20 000 women who marched against the ‘pass laws’ that forced all South African who were labeled as being ‘black’ to carry an internal passport that was nicknamed the ‘pass’.
The women who took part in the march left heaps of petitions against the pass laws under the apartheid regime at the office doors of the Prime Minister J. G. Strijdom. It is said that they then stood in absolute silence for an entire 30 minutes and then slowly and softly began to hum and then sing their protest song for which the words were: Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! Which in English translates to “Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock”.
Regardless though of the origin of the day, women all over the world have known to be the stronger species and have openly been supressed and condemned throughout the years, in some parts of the world they still are subject to many atrocities and controlling laws and bi-laws, however women will have always stood up in the face of adversity and come out stronger and wiser for it. There is no battle to large or to difficult for a woman.
New Year's Day, also simply called New Year, is observed on 1 January, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar.
Human Rights Day in South Africa is historically linked with 21 March 1960, and the events of Sharpeville. On that day 69 people died and 180 were wounded
Many Christians around the world observe Good Friday on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It commemorates Jesus Christ’s Passion, crucifixion, and death, which is told in the Christian Bible.
Family Day was first celebrated as Easter Monday in 1910. Family Day was renamed as such in 1994 in order to include all religions, as the holiday was originally more Christian. It is celebrated annually on the Monday following Easter.
Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated on 27 April. It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994.
Labour Day, or International Workers Day, is an International public holiday in many countries, most often celebrated on 1 May.
Youth Day commemorates the Soweto Uprising, which took place on 16 June 1976, where thousands of students were ambushed by the apartheid regime.
National Women's Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria
Heritage Day is a South African public holiday celebrated on 24 September. On this day, South Africans are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions
The Day of Reconciliation is a public holiday in South Africa held annually on 16 December. The holiday came into effect in 1995 after the end of apartheid, with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity for the country.
Christmas Day (or Feast of the Nativity) is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25[a] as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
Day of Goodwill is observed on the day after Christmas, 26 December. It is also known as Boxing Day. It is said that this public holiday is one of the many changes that were implemented after the South African government did away with apartheid in 1994.
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