The 9^th August 2013 marked the 57^th anniversary of the historic march of women to the Union buildings in 1956 in protest against pass laws that required Africans to carry a document on them to "prove" that they were allowed to enter areas reserved for white people under apartheid.  

August was set aside as Women's Month to celebrate and commemorate the contribution of these women to the struggle for freedom in South Africa and the progress that has been made with regard to their empowerment. For many South Africans, the month of August has always brought with it opportunities for them to recognise and salute the triumph, the suffering and dignity of these women. Around this time special events are held across the country to commemorate their freedom and CUT was not left out.  

At CUT Bloemfontein Campus the month of August was equally a special time for all women. “How do you give back to women? There are simply not enough words to thank the ladies of this institution for their remarkable selfless contributions, so we decided to show them, by making time available to engage” said Mr Gert Cronje, Manager of Wellness Centre and Student Services unit. Present was Angelique Du Toit, an author, a motivational speaker who was also the session facilitator.  Angelique said that she once found herself at a precarious place in life with limited education, but transformed her situation to become one of the recognised strong women in South Africa who live with purpose and passion. “Women of CUT should feel appreciated, valued, and empowered to make a difference not only here in CUT, but also in the world they live in,” she said. In her article published by News24 on 9 August, Georgina Guedes captured ten things that must be celebrated on Women’s day. These include the ability to juggle the demands of a family and professional life, intellectual capacity and taking advantage of educational opportunities to empower themselves.   

Ms Angelique Du Toit, and Miss CUT, Atheha London.