Women in South Africa, the struggle continues...

Just to remind some of the leftie men out there of the role of women in struggles around the world, I am linking to an article about the anniversary of a protest by women at a law which forced non-white people to carry passbooks with them at all times.

"On 9 August 1956 thousands of women assembled in Pretoria despite a ban on unauthorised gatherings, eventually coalescing in a 20,000-strong protest outside the Union Buildings, the seat of the South African government.

Many were arrested and prosecuted, but activists say it was the moment which brought women into the anti-apartheid struggle.

"Twenty-thousand women suddenly emerging in Pretoria - the heartland of what was then the National Party domain - was a tremendously exciting, inspirational thing," former speaker of the South African parliament Frene Ginwala, told the BBC. "

Women in South Africa are going to re-enact this protest, but this time to protest at the high level of domestic violence against women in South Africa. The report states :

"According to one study, a South African woman dies at the hands of her partner every six hours, while rape and physical and mental abuse are said to be rampant. "

Women's rights are not the flavour of the moment in many sections of the left, but they bloody well should be .