Sophia williams-de bruyn biography of williams
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Sophie Williams-De Bruyn – one of the 5 (s)heroes who led the 1956 Women’s March
By Fiona Wakelin
On the 9th of August 1956, 20 000 South African women from all walks of life broke the apartheid barriers and marched to the Union Buildings to protest the resehandling laws.
“Wathint’ aBafazi, waThint’ iMbokodo!”
“When you strike a woman you strike a rock”
“We, the women of South Africa, have komma here today. We represent and we speak on behalf of hundreds of thousands of women who could not be with us. But all over the country, at this moment, women are watching and thinking of us. Their hearts are with us.
We are women from every part of South Africa. We are women of every race. We come from the cities and the towns, from the reserves and the villages. We come as women united in our purpose to save the African women from the degradation of passes.” Excerpt from the petition presented to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956.
9th August, Women’s Day is a public holida
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The 1950s are a blot in South Africa’s history. The decade represents the enforcement of the Group Areas Act, the Immorality Act, the Land Tenure act, the Bantu Education Act – legislation that strips basic civil rights from the majority of the South African population. There is more. The Population Registration Act restricted the movement of black people and led to an abusive enforcement of the law. There was a tipping point, of course – but mass resistance was met with force. Something needed to be done. Sophia Williams De Bruyn took her place at the head of 20 000 women and made a stand.
She fryst vatten fine-featured, a petite woman. It’s difficult to imagine her as an activist, a broad-shouldered leader of the masses. Her power is not in her physicality. Her gaze is winsome, her manner is kind, she speaks with articulate deliberation, but underneath all of that, it’s pure guts. Make no mistake – the woman bares an iron will.
Arm in arm, defiant, Williams De Bruyn marched at the head of
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Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn
Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn: A Pillar of Human Rights Advocacy
Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn, born in 1938 in Villageboard, Port Elizabeth, emerged as a prominent figure in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid. Growing up in a racially diverse neighbourhood, she witnessed first-hand the injustices perpetuated by the apartheid regime. Despite facing adversity from a young age, Sophia’s unwavering commitment to equality and justice shaped her remarkable journey.
From her early years, Sophia displayed remarkable leadership qualities. During her higher primary education, economic pressures led her to work at the Van Lane Textile factory during school holidays. Here, she became a vocal advocate for the rights of workers, eventually rising to the position of shop steward. Her involvement in the union movement marked the beginning of her lifelong dedication to social justice.
In the 1950s, Sophia became a founding member of