Johannesburg: President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the late Ma Gertrude Shope as a pillar of the nation, a matriarch of the revolution, and a torchbearer of women’s emancipation. President Ramaphosa delivered a moving eulogy at her Special Official Funeral held at the Great Hall of the University of the Witwatersrand on Saturday. Ma Shope, who passed away last week at the age of 99 at her home in Gauteng, was laid to rest with honors befitting her immense contributions to South Africa’s liberation and to the global fight for justice and gender equality.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Ramaphosa paid tribute to Shope’s life of commitment to the struggle against apartheid and the advancement of women’s rights. He expressed the nation’s loss in bidding farewell to Mama Gertrude Shope, referring to her as a freedom fighter, trade unionist, and icon of the women’s movement. Her passing, closely following the death of Cde Lungi Mngaga-Gcabashe, was acknowledged as a significant loss, yet the President emphasized the enduring comfort found in their legacies.
President Ramaphosa highlighted that Ma Gertrude Shope will be remembered not only by her name but by the legacy she left behind. He spoke of her life as being deeply intertwined with the fabric of South Africa’s democracy, and her steadfast commitment to the struggle for liberation. Shope, a former teacher who opposed Bantu Education, joined the African National Congress and played a crucial role in organizing women against apartheid.
Ma Shope was instrumental in the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings, which saw over 20,000 women demand an end to the pass laws. President Ramaphosa recalled how the dehumanizing education system motivated Shope to refuse to impart inferior education to black children. Her activism led to her exile in 1966, during which she worked globally to build solidarity for the anti-apartheid movement. As head of the ANC Women’s Section in exile and later President of the ANC Women’s League, Shope championed gender equality in both the liberation struggle and the post-apartheid constitutional framework.
In his eulogy, President Ramaphosa quoted Shope’s early 1980s interview, emphasizing the need for both men and women to change their attitudes toward each other. He acknowledged South Africa’s progress in advancing women’s rights, referencing the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report, but also cautioned about persistent inequalities and violence against women.
The President urged that Ma Shope’s life’s work is not yet complete and called for continued efforts toward gender equality, emphasizing that men must also be active participants in this struggle. He recognized Ma Shope’s enduring legacy in institutions like the ANC Women’s League and the daily activism of women and girls nationwide.
In closing, President Ramaphosa repeated Ma Shope’s call to action for women to move beyond traditional roles and for society to collectively correct its wrongs.