Speaker, it is an honour to be able to pay tribute to the late hon Gxowa, or MaBertha as she was affectionately called. I had the pleasure of working with her on the Health and Home Affairs portfolio committees, and what struck me most about her was that she was always gracious and ladylike. Insults and racial posturing had no place in her life.
She really had humble beginnings and, while reading a story of her life, I wondered whether she fully realised, at the tender age of 22, that by participating in that historic march to the Union Buildings she was not only shaping her own future, but that of all women, including me. She grew up and was schooled in Germiston location. Her experiences in the location, where permits were required to live in it and to move out of it, were probably the trigger that caused her to volunteer to be part of the first Defiance Campaign, when she went into Krugersdorp without a permit. She was arrested and spent 10 days in prison after refusing to pay a fine.
She was one of the galaxy of luminaries who against all odds conceptualised, organised and led from the front the 1956 Women's March to Pretoria. They mobilised 20 000 women of all races. The spirit of fighting for the liberation, equality and freedom of all women in South Africa was the common thread of unity.
She said, and I quote:
We had no funds, transport or access to the media, nor the organisational or political machinery, the things we take for granted today. We pulled it off, because we thought we had nothing to lose except the repressive politics of apartheid.
That march consolidated women's rights. Today, women have a right to education, to own property and to self-determination, among others.
Between 1956 and 1958 MaBertha was a defendant in the Treason Trial and, shortly thereafter, she was served with a five-year banning order under the Suppression of Communism Act, restricting her to the magisterial district of Germiston. It must have been a tough and lonely time for both her and her family.
However, this did not deter her. She involved herself in church activities and worked as a volunteer for the SA National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Sanca. She became a Member of Parliament in 1994 and served the ANC loyally. Her involvement in 2003 with Cell C's Take a Girl- child to Work campaign is yet another legacy for which she will be well remembered. She lived a rich and fulfilling life.
While we are saddened by her untimely death, we trust that both the ANC and her immediate family will not only mourn their loss, but also celebrate her life and her achievements. As a person, she chose not to be a victim. She made a huge sacrifice in emphasising that a woman's place is anywhere she chooses to be.
I personally feel honoured to have met someone like MaBertha. I remember seeing her face on a billboard at O R Tambo Airport commemorating the historic march, and saying with pride to my daughter, "I know that lady and I worked with her." We in the DA thank you for sharing her with us and wish you strength in this difficult time. MaBertha, your work is done - rest in peace! [Applause.]