The day 20,000 women united to change South Africa forever

“Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo: You strike a woman you strike a rock”

As part of the Anti-Pass Campaign, on August 9, 1956, 20.000 women of all races, some with babies on their backs, from the cities and towns, from reserves and villages, took a petition addressed to South Africa’s Prime Minister to the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The march was led by Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams. The women left 14,000 petitions at the office doors of prime minister J. G. Strijdom. The petition demanded of him that the pass laws be abolished.

The women stood silently for 30 minutes and then started singing a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion: Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! – it translates to: “you strike a woman, you strike a rock” – it has come to represent women’s courage and strength in South Africa.