Sophia Williams-De Bruyn

Sophia Williams-De Bruyn (née Williams; born 1938) OMSS is a former South African anti-apartheid activist. She was the first recipient of the Women's Award for exceptional national service. She is the last living leader of the Women's March. Quotes even in the apartheid times, although there was segregation, there was all these laws that restricted us from mixing with our own people, the group areas act was one of all these acts, influx control which controlled all our African people to come into the cities to work. So you had to have a permit to be allowed in to work, because the white people’s companies needed service, so they needed that, but they controlled it, is wasn’t a free access. And we believe in the same, and we should be calling it national core values, not the values of such a race or the values of another race, or another culture. All of us should have the same core values, believe in the right things, in the right ethics, in truth and honesty, and to raise our children to believe in them too. What we did then was have a common identity and a common ideology, a common goal. So it was with those qualities that we left here, and we just carried on as we worked together in South Africa, and worked together there. I remember our white compatriots that joined the freedom struggle in exile that were from home, that were keen really at home to do their part, and go into exile and carry forth the struggle, white comrades, young women and men. This democracy run by this government which is a liberated country, but nothing has changed. The forms are still like what is your race group. When I do fill out a form that I have to fill in, it’s like I get stuck, what do I say here? Because I don’t believe in putting myself in a box, and I say nothing in that that I have to fill in. So I don’t fill in anything in that box, I leave it. The country is bedeviled with a lot of issues. And you know you have hardly been recovering from the one blast, or controversy, then you when you turn around, there is another volley hitting you again, as the ANC. So I know they have been bedeviled by all these controversies. But I think they must set aside time now, and make time to foster non-racialism . In our days, we had one enemy, the enemy of oppression that we took headlong. Today, our women, our young people have got many enemies. The enemy, number one, of gender-based violence, the enemy of poverty, of corruption, of crime, of homelessness, of so many things that is a scourge for our women. But what is encouraging for me is to see that women haven’t sat still, that women have taken challenges and are ready to sacrifice. Sophie De Bruyn laments GBV and challenges facing women today sabcnews (August8,2026) Today, as I look at our beautiful country, my heart is heavy. The freedom we marched for and for what we bled is in reality a painful paradox. How can we fully celebrate our historic victories when our present reality is so deeply disappointing and distressful? We fought to banish the pass laws. Yet today our women are prisoners in their own homes. Gender-based violence continues to cast a dark cloud on our society. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Every single day I weep for the girl child, the daughters, the mothers and grandmothers who are abused, violated and silenced. This is not the freedom we marched for. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Seventy years ago on this very day, August 9 1956, 20,000 of us marched to these hallowed grounds, to these Union Buildings which were then the bastion of apartheid. I was only 18 years old then and many of my compatriots are sadly no longer with us, it has always been an honour to represent the collective leadership of the march and the 20,000 women. I’m standing here as their representative and what I am saying here today is what they would have said to you if they were alive. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 We were young. We were afraid. But we were unified and determined. When we stood undaunted in silence for 30 minutes, the world trembled. We confronted the apartheid regime and boldly said, Strijdom, you have targeted the woman. You have struck a rock. And we will crush you. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 We fought to dismantle the systemic oppression of women as a race, class and gender. Yet today we feel the cruel suffocation of entrenched poverty, lack of clean drinking water, homelessness and systemic corruption. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 When people steal money allocated for education, health, for housing and infrastructure, they are in reality stealing education, stealing health and roads. These are real victims of corruption. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 They are stealing from you and me, who pay our taxes. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 It is also very disappointing that democratic South Africa is still the most unequal country in the world. The face of poverty and inequality in our country is mainly black, female and young. The impact of spatial racial segregation is still deeply entrenched. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 As we also mark the 50th anniversary of June 16, when in 1976 the youth picked up the mantle from us, youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, ranking South Africa very high globally. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Even when these crowds, my spirit refuses to break and give up and my happiness comes back but I’m looking at you, the women of today. All of you are still the rock. You are still resilient. Despite the failures of our leadership, in the weight of these struggles, you continue to hold our families and communities together. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Your courage is the beacon of hope and the light that keeps this country moving forward. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 To the officials, the politicians, the dignitaries that are here today, I challenge you to look into the eyes of women here and see their courage, their determination, their fortitude, their hope and moral mettle that birthed the democracy. Do not let our sacrifices be in vain. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 o the ordinary citizens of our country, in particular women, do not give up hope. Your vote, your voice and your unity are your critical weapons. We handed you a free country. It is now up to you to make it a safe and prosperous one. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Let us march forward once more, not against pass laws, but this time against crime and insecurity, poverty, corruption, unemployment, homelessness, violence and the many, many ills that restrict your future, your safety, your freedom and your prosperity. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 The fire ignited in 1956 cannot be extinguished. And to the young woman here today, do not wait for anyone’s permission. Stand up. Use your voice and fight for your future. Fight against poverty and abuse just like we fought against apartheid. And together let us finish the march that we began 70 years ago. Let the spirit of 1956 rise again in each of your hearts. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 The fire ignited in 1956 cannot be extinguished. And to the young woman here today, do not wait for anyone’s permission. Stand up. Use your voice and fight for your future. Fight against poverty and abuse just like we fought against apartheid. And together let us finish the march that we began 70 years ago. Let the spirit of 1956 rise again in each of your hearts. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 Our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians. This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 I would be remiss if I did not express solidarity with the women and children in Palestine who are being subjected to genocide and apartheid. ‘This is not the freedom we marched for’: Women’s March leader Sophie de Bruyn Times Live (August9,2026 So I say to women that carry on, don’t give up; carry on with protests. It may seem as if it is not working, but it is a weapon, and they will in the end succumb to that weapon. Sophie De Bruyn laments GBV and challenges facing women today sabcnews (August8,2026) In our days, we had one enemy, the enemy of oppression that we took headlong. Sophie De Bruyn laments GBV and challenges facing women today sabcnews (August8,2026) Today, our women, our young people have got many enemies. Sophie De Bruyn laments GBV and challenges facing women today sabcnews (August8,2026) But what is encouraging for me is to see that women haven’t sat still, that women have taken challenges and are ready to sacrifice. Sophie De Bruyn laments GBV and challenges facing women today sabcnews (August8,2026) I am extremely happy to say – yes women are in high places today, we have a majority of women in Parliament, we have our women as captains of industry. Young women must seize democratic opportunities: De Bruyn sabcnews.com (AUGUST 9,2026) I always say to young people, the world is your oyster just put up your hand and reach for to the sky, but today you can go beyond the sky you can become an astronaut, so there are all these opportunities that have been made possible especially for our women. Young women must seize democratic opportunities: De Bruyn sabcnews.com (AUGUST 9,2026) I am extremely happy to say – yes women are in high places today, we have a majority of women in Parliament, we have our women as captains of industry and I always say to young people, the world is your oyster just put up your hand and reach for to the sky, but today you can go beyond the sky you can become an astronaut, so there are all these opportunities that have been made possible especially for our women Young women must seize democratic opportunities: De Bruyn sabcnews.com (AUGUST 9,2026) How can we fully celebrate our past victories when our present reality is so deeply disappointing and distressful? Seventy years after South Africa’s women’s march, the struggle is not over aljazeera.com (August11,2026) We’ve seen progress in terms of women’s representation in Parliament, companies and local government structures, but we have not seen the same meaningful progress in the realities of the majority of women in the country, Seventy years after South Africa’s women’s march, the struggle is not over aljazeera.com (August11,2026) We fought to dismantle the yokes of systemic oppression of women as a race, class and gender, Seventy years after South Africa’s women’s march, the struggle is not over aljazeera.com (August11,2026) And for us as the university, we have thought it is important for us to have, to bring women, women from different churches, young women from different student structures, women from different political party systems, women intellectuals, to engage in a reflexive arena, to pay tribute and to express gratitude to the courageous women whose baton or leadership has enabled us to enjoy the freedom and democracy that South Africa celebrates today. The struggle may have changed, but work is far from over: De Bruyn sabcnews.com (August27,2026) To the many young women and men, the future is in your hands. You are free today. Although you have other enemies, we, of the 1956 generation, had one enemy, and that was the enemy of oppression. But you, young women and men of the future, your oppression is many, and all the ills that I have been speaking about, the poverty, the gender-based violence, the corruption, the homelessness, the joblessness, our street children, and so many. Those are the enemies that you must prepare for and for which the baton was handed over, The struggle may have changed, but work is far from over: De Bruyn sabcnews.com (August27,2026) The fact that we are even discussing a 50% gender parity now is sad. We must not stop discussing and act. We must ask ourselves, have we let women down? 70 Years After 1956: Has South Africa let women down? iol.co.za (September,2026) We were young, we were afraid, but we were unified and determined. https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-08-08-sophie-de-bruyn-pride-and-disappointment-for-veteran-of-womens-march/Sunday Times (August9,2026) The joy of that solidarity, the triumph of knowing we could break the back of oppression, is a fire that still burns deep within me even today. https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-08-08-sophie-de-bruyn-pride-and-disappointment-for-veteran-of-womens-march/Sunday Times (August9,2026) Your courage is the beacon of hope and the light that keeps this country moving forward. https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-08-08-sophie-de-bruyn-pride-and-disappointment-for-veteran-of-womens-march/Sunday Times (August9,2026) Cleanse your hands of corruption. Protect our women. Feed our children. https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-08-08-sophie-de-bruyn-pride-and-disappointment-for-veteran-of-womens-march/Sunday Times (August9,2026) To the young women here today: do not wait for anyone’s permission. Stand up, use your voice and fight for your future. https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/opinion-and-analysis/opinion/2026-08-08-sophie-de-bruyn-pride-and-disappointment-for-veteran-of-womens-march/Sunday Times (August9,2026) My emotions are running all over me as I have today experienced so much love. Thank you so much for what you have done for me. When I arrived here this morning, one person greeted me and said welcome home. Only surviving Women’s march leader Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn honoured by American philanthropist The star (April21,2024) Indeed, I feel at home here because this establishment is where Nelson Mandela would invite us for lunch at this very establishment that has been turned into a boutique hotel. We were always welcomed here until he married Graca Mandela and the invites stopped, Only surviving Women’s march leader Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn honoured by American philanthropist The star (April21,2024) The Sisters Accord Foundation is one of a few movements I have come across that wants to nurture young women. The issues, values and principles it seeks to tackle resonate with women across the globe. We need to be intentional about things we want to change and the foundation’s 1 billion target shows just that as South Africa also has its own target on how to develop women, Only surviving Women’s march leader Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn honoured by American philanthropist The star (April21,2024) When I originally launched The Sister Accord Foundation, with the mission of having one billion girls and women learn to love themselves and each other, I did not know how I would achieve the global scale needed to reach these goals – but I knew that with the right partners and the right messages, we could have a sustained and powerful global impact. Only surviving Women’s march leader Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn honoured by American philanthropist The star (April21,2024) I am absolutely thrilled to partner with the Nelson Mandela Foundation as we work together to make this a safer, kinder, and more prosperous world for all women and girls, Only surviving Women’s march leader Sophia Theresa Williams-De Bruyn honoured by American philanthropist The star (April21,2024) External link Category:Living people Category:Women politicians in South Africa Category:Women activists from South Africa Category:Political activists