Pretoria: The courage of generations of South African and Namibian women must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls today and in the future, says Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga. Chikunga was speaking at the National School of Government's South Africa-Namibia Ministerial Dialogue on Monday, where she called for the two countries to move beyond commemorating their shared liberation history and focus on delivering measurable progress on gender equality, justice, and women's empowerment.
According to South African Government News Agency, the virtual dialogue, held under the theme 'From Resistance to Results: Honouring the Legacy of South African and Namibian Women through Leadership, Justice and Transformative Action', reflected on the role women played in challenging injustice and shaping the democratic development of both countries. Chikunga emphasized that the intertwined histories of South Africa and Namibia continue to offer important lessons for the present generation.
'As South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the historic 1956 Women's March, we do so in conversation with the wider liberation memory of our region, including the courage of Namibian women and communities, whose resistance during the 1959 Old Location uprising remains part of Southern Africa's unfinished instruction to history,' she said. More than 20,000 women marched on the Union Buildings in Pretoria in 1956 in protest against pass laws, while communities in Windhoek resisted forced removals during the 1959 Old Location uprising.
For Chikunga, these moments remain connected across time and borders. 'These moments speak to one another across geography and time. They remind us that women and communities carried the burden of history with courage, sacrifice, and moral clarity, so that later generations could stand with greater freedom and responsibility,' she said. The challenge now, she said, is to ensure that this legacy produces results.
Chikunga stressed that progress should ultimately be measured by whether women's material and lived realities have improved because institutions acted on their commitments. This requires institutions with authority, protected budgets, public timelines, and leaders who are prepared to be measured by results rather than commitments alone, she said. Chikunga pointed to the establishment of South Africa's National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide as an important step towards building lasting institutional capacity to address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
She also identified women's economic empowerment, digital inclusion, and leadership as key to building future-ready societies. Women who remain excluded from capital, procurement, innovation, and the digital economy cannot fully benefit from the promise of freedom, she warned.
Chikunga said the longstanding cooperation between South Africa and Namibia is an opportunity for the two countries to learn from each other and turn shared commitments into tangible action. 'Two governments choosing to learn from one another, account to one another and remain visible to the citizens whose lives must be changed by our commitments.' The Minister said the two countries should continue building on their shared history to strengthen institutions, expand opportunities, and improve the lives of women and girls.
Acting Principal of the National School of Government, Phindile Mkwanazi, said the courage of women in both countries had helped shape the course of liberation. 'We also recognise the courage of Namibian women during the 1959 Old Location Resistance. In both countries, women stood together against injustice and helped shape the course of our liberation and democratic development. Their legacy calls on us to move beyond remembrance. It requires us to translate constitutional rights, policies, and regional commitments into meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls,' said Mkwanazi.
She emphasized that women continue to face structural barriers, including gender-based violence, unequal economic participation, underrepresentation in leadership, and exclusion from emerging opportunities in technology and the digital economy. 'This places the responsibility on public institutions. Gender equality must be reflected in how governments plan, budget, appoint, procure, deliver services, and account for results,' Mkwanazi said.