In the early 1900s, Charlotte Maxeke earned a BSc from Wilberforce University (USA). She was the first black South African woman to achieve a degree. She established the Bantu Women’s League; this was South Africa’s first association for black women. The ANC did not welcome female members then, so the Bantu Women’s League was a division of the ANC. The structure of the League was soon incorporated by the ANC and was re-launched as the ANC Women’s League. Maxeke was the first president.
Permits were brought in as an instrument of restriction ‘informal’ job, such as prostitution, laundry work etc. This compelled women to seek domestic employment in Bloemfontein. Permits were also used as a precautionary effort to conserve the growing mass of ‘poor whites’ in the …show more content…
They withheld carrying their permits. In order to oppose the permits, which requisites them to validate ‘formal’ recruitment every month, women had sent a committee to the governor-general. He was given a petition with more than five thousand signatures.
After attempting to have their voices heard, a huge gathering of women was held in Waaihoek, it was resolved that women would willingly violate the law as a symbol of protest. Therefore, on May 28 1913, 200 women debouched to the mayor to petition he nullify the plan. The mayor was vacant that day, which forced the women to return the next day. When he was accosted, he declared that it was out of his hands. The women burned their Passes outside of the municipal offices. Eighty women were taken into custody for provoking arrest and not having their passbooks.
On May 29th 1913, there was a more capricious march into town which include 600 women, they frightened police and convinced the civil officers to drop the charges against the women arrested. Ahead of the protest, women who did not acquiesce were banished and sent back to the