Blog

August 2026 marks 70 years since the historic Women’s March of 9 August 1956, when more than 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings against apartheid pass laws. Today, Rural Women’s Assembly South Africa continues this legacy by organising with rural women around land, water, seeds, food sovereignty, economic justice, climate justice, safety and dignity.

This Women’s Month, RWA SA provincial structures transformed remembrance into action, demonstrating that women’s struggles are interconnected and that meaningful change comes through collective organising.

Women Investing in Their Futures

Free State RWA women demonstrated the power of collective economic action by contributing their own money to purchase livestock. Their investment began paying off during Women’s Month, highlighting how women can build livelihoods, strengthen economic independence and create opportunities through solidarity and collective ownership.

RWA Gauteng Supports Community Food Production

 RWA Gauteng and Balimi Letsema gave back at Simunye Disabled Project, supporting soil preparation for food production. The initiative demonstrated the importance of sharing skills, labour and resources while strengthening community-based agricultural activities.

RWA Gauteng also partnered with Sukuma Lutsha in a fitness challenge promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging backyard gardens. The initiative connected physical wellbeing with access to nutritious food and local food production.

Women healing and supporting one another

On 15 August 2026, RWA Gauteng joined the Mosidi Foundation’s Women’s Day celebration under the theme “Women Healing Together: Share. Heal. Thrive.” The gathering created space for women to connect, share experiences and support one another.

In the Western Cape, RWA sisters healing circles took the lead during the provincial Women’s Day commemoration. These spaces highlighted that women’s organising must include not only advocacy and struggle but also healing, solidarity and collective wellbeing.

Growing Knowledge and Food Sovereignty

Agroecology remained an important part of Rural Women’s Assembly’s work. Following the agroecology training in Uitenhage, women shared their learning and strengthened their ability to apply sustainable farming practices within their communities.

In Eastern Cape, Gqeberha, a RWA study circle also demonstrated the power of collective knowledge and skills by crocheting and donating a wool blanket to a local school as a token of appreciation. The gesture reflected how women’s learning can translate into practical community support.

Western cape Women Speak Out

On 21 August, the Fisher community, in partnership with Rural Women’s Assembly, hosted a Women’s Month Provincial Focus Group and Speak-Out in Gansbaai under the One Woman, One Hectare Campaign, themed “Nourishing Communities, Sustaining Futures.”

The gathering brought together fisher women, rural women, women farmers, backyard gardeners and community organisations. Women openly discussed land access, food sovereignty, water insecurity, climate justice, women’s health, community safety, GBV, xenophobia and unemployment.

Their testimonies highlighted how these challenges are interconnected. Lack of land and water limits food production, climate change threatens livelihoods, poverty and unemployment deepen household insecurity.

The One Woman, One Hectare Campaign therefore remains central to RWA’s demands for meaningful access to land, water and productive resources, enabling women to produce food, strengthen livelihoods and live with dignity.

The Struggle Continues

From the Women’s March of 1956 to rural and coastal communities in 2026, women continue to organise for justice and dignity.70 Years of Women’s Resistance and Resilience. We are not just celebrating Women’s Month. We are continuing the struggle.

Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo! 

You strike a woman, you strike a rock!