South Africa needs more guidance from women to rebuild and restore family values.
This is what Archbishop Desmond Tutu told a group of women during a Women’s Month gathering at the Artscape.
“Women have more love and compassion. It is also women who can rebuild and restore family values.
This will help communities to become safer. This will lead to a global village at peace with itself. We can learn to love each other and live in a world that cares about its people,” he said.
The festival also honoured remarkable and ordinary women in communities.
Thoko Ntshinga, the Director of Audience Development and Education at Artscape, said: “It supports marginalised groups such as women and disabled people. This year, we also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the women’s march to the Union Buildings in 1956.
The festival highlights these brave women in response to the inhumane practices of the past,” Ntshinga said.
Marlene le Roux the CEO of Artscape, also said that the festival focuses on humanity, women and disability.
“This year the intergenerational theme is: ’60 years-where are we now? It is in honour of women like: Sophia Williams de Bruyn, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Lilian Ngoyi. This is our contribution to nation building, unity, diversity and social cohesion through the arts,” le Roux said.
The much loved author Dr. Sindiwe Magona, also launched her book: ‘Chasing the Tails of My Father’s Cattle’.
She explained that the book is about Shumikazi, who grew up in a small village in the Eastern Cape and yet she is marked for extraordinary things from birth.
“It is about poor rural women, but these marginal characters crackle with life and verve. It is a powerful meditation of rural women and above all the love a father, has for his daughter,” Magona explained.
The festival also included performances by the iconic Vicky Sampson who sang ‘African Dream’ to the much delight of the audience. Other singers were: Sylvia Mdunyelwa, Fancy Galada, Zanne de Lange, Zelda Benjamin, Sophia Foster, Thandi Swartbooi, Diana Ferrus and Bulelwa Basse.
