Pretoria — President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the active and equal participation of women across South Africa, emphasising their crucial role in shaping the nation’s future through the upcoming National Dialogue process.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa reflected on the historic 1956 Women’s March against apartheid pass laws — a landmark political protest that asserted women’s agency in a system that sought to marginalize them.
He stressed that the legacy of that struggle continues today, as women remain central to addressing South Africa’s complex social, political, and economic challenges.
“The National Dialogue must be a place for women to raise their voices,” Ramaphosa wrote.
“Women make up more than half of our country’s population. Women are affected by every political, social and economic issue in the country.
“Likewise, every crisis, whether it is unemployment, crime or climate change, affects women equally and, in some instances, more than men.”
The president noted that government, in partnership with stakeholders, is committed to ensuring women’s equal representation in all structures guiding the dialogue process.
He emphasised the importance of mobilizing diverse women — young and old, rural and urban, from different ethnic, linguistic, and social backgrounds, including women with disabilities and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
We remain committed to ensuring that gender is mainstreamed in all government policy and that a gendered lens is consistently applied to every challenge when developing and implementing solutions. https://t.co/usfT4cd3J4#WomensMonth pic.twitter.com/6RR1ivcTgh
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) August 11, 2025
Ramaphosa acknowledged the distinct challenges facing women in various contexts, underscoring the need for a broad, inclusive approach: “The issues and challenges facing rural women and women in traditional communities differ vastly from those of women in urban areas with access to education, resources and public services.”
He also referenced the 2024 South African Women’s Pre-National Dialogue convened by the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation, which highlighted the need for diverse perspectives and priorities to be reflected in the National Dialogue.
The president reaffirmed government’s commitment to gender mainstreaming, ensuring that all policies and decisions are evaluated through a gendered lens to address inequality. He recalled women’s historic role in South Africa’s liberation and constitutional development — from the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) in 1954 to the Women’s National Coalition in the early 1990s — as well as ongoing activism against gender-based violence.
“As the Government of National Unity, we remain committed to inclusive growth, job creation, tackling poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental state,” Ramaphosa stated.
“No government decision should be made without due consideration of how it impacts women specifically.”
The first National Convention is scheduled to take place in Pretoria this week during Women’s Month, setting the stage for a broad dialogue involving individuals and organisations across society to seek solutions to the country’s pressing issues.
Ramaphosa concluded with a call to action: “We call on all sectors of society to come together to ensure the full participation of all women in the National Dialogue. This would be the most fitting and powerful tribute to the legacy of the pioneers of 1956.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
