By Zipho Ndwayana and Owethu Nokhangela
Women from SAPS branches across the Makana district participated in a “women supporting each other in workspaces” march in Makhanda on Thursday, 3 September.
The women in SAPS branches from Makhanda, Alicedale, Fort Brown, Riebeek East and Seven Fountains who joined the march are trying to build programs that promote women’s empowerment.
One of these programs is the Makhanda Women’s Network, which was formed this year as the main platform for support amongst the SAPS women. They host prayer sessions and bonding sessions with each other to build a sisterhood within and beyond the workplace. They also organise food and sanitary towel donations for communities.
Participants like SAPS Captain Sangotsha said the initiative gave them the space to bond and forget about their work rankings.
“This initiative gave us time to be together and to connect without thinking about work ranking or who is superior to the other; at the end of the day, we are all women, and we need to celebrate each other,” Sangotsha said.
These women are also mothers and sisters on top of their work duties. With their focus on others, they forgot about themselves. The march helped them “relax”, gather their senses and take some time out.
”A healthy body makes a healthy mind,” said Warrant Officer Nontshokweni, an executive of the Women’s Network.
She said that follow-up activities included the 16 days of activism, and disability and HIV awareness programs.
Women’s Network members praised the support they received from their male colleagues. “They allow us to take time off to do our initiatives and have our platform as women,” Nontshokweni said.
She expressed the hope that more SAPS women would join the Network in future. “Next year’s march will be much bigger and better. Let us continue to support each other as SAPS women,” Nontshokweni said.
What womenhood means to Network women:
- Loving yourself, discipline, and respect.
- Parenting and loving your family.
- Love and prayer.
- Beauty and power.
- Failing and not giving up.
