By OBAKENG MAJE

Many women came out in numbers to commemorate National Women’s Day at Khudutlou village in Taung on Tuesday. The event was organised by Tshimologo Rural Sports Centre founder, Obusitse Monchusi and graced by the North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa.    

Monchusi said it is imperative to commemorate this day as it marks 66 years since approximately 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a pass, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manages migrant labour during the apartheid era.

“Tshimologo Rural Sports Centre is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) and its mission is to assist the community. So, our main objective is to ensure we promote sport and education. We want to see excellence and we can achieve that through working together.

“We need to accept ourselves and ensure that we do that with integrity. The power of association is important hence we have partnerships with all stakeholders. We have short and long-term plans as the organisation,” he said.

Monchusi further said they are also going to engage with the department of education to ensure that there are sports activities in schools. He added that, as the NGO, they would like to call on all funders or sponsors to come on board to ensure that, they achieve their objectives.

“Last month, we lost our Secretary-General because of cancer, so we are doing an awareness campaign too. The centre does not belong to anyone, but the affected individuals. I am just a messenger and I want to urge everyone to ensure that we grow it together,” Monchusi said.

North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa said: “What is happening here today, is a day that was set aside to commemorate Women’s Day. We continue to celebrate women’s month in August without saying other months are less important.

“In 1956, women stand up against the apartheid system and embarked on a peaceful march. If it was not because of them, we would not have been here. We are not only focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), but cancer too as it continues to affect many women across.”

She said, what is important is that all stakeholders have come together to ensure that the day becomes a success.

“As women, we need to stand against all odds because we are raising the society. We also need to stand together going forward. Remember, women are very strong because of what they are subjected to. I also want to appreciate all men who are here and continue to show love to us.

“However, there are animals who continue to rape women and endure the abuse. As women, we are not free to walk in the street freely nowadays. I would like to see one day men marching against GBV and standing against those perpetrators, who continue to abuse women,” she said.

Meanwhile, Community Development Worker (CDW) in Khudutlou, Tebogo Motshebe said there are still many challenges in the area. Motshebe said many women continue to be subjected to abuse, but they are working around the clock to assist those victims.

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