On Women’s Day, we must look beyond celebratory platitudes to confront the raw, unyielding reality of South African women.
They are the undeniable backbone of this prejudiced and beleaguered nation, anchoring families, sustaining communities, and driving social survival through relentless economic toil and unseen daily sacrifice.
Yet, this magnificent resilience is met with a devastating crisis of gender-based violence that violates their basic humanity, turning homes and streets into places of constant peril.
To truly honour SA’s women is not to offer annual praise for their endurance, but to fiercely demand their fundamental right to safety, economic autonomy, and absolute justice, pledging that no woman must suffer, or fear simply to exist.
This is a day reflecting a society that has failed its women and continues to betray them without shame, a crisis that demands truth, accountability, and an end to this unforgivable difference.
It would be a fitting tribute to rename Women’s Day to Babita Deokaran’s day for her brave stand against corruption. − Farouk Araie
