Mbeki unveils Women's Monument at Union Buildings

President Thabo Mbeki unveiled the Women's Monument at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The aim of the monument was to commemorate the role of women in the struggle and marked the 44th anniversary of the march of 20 000 women to the Union Buildings. The celebration and commemoration included the unveiling of the monument dedicated to the 1956 march and portraits of some of the women who led that march. The portraits included those of Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Raheema Moosa and Sophie De Bruin. Some of the survivors of the march were present to witness a symbolic victory of their struggle. Earlier on there was a march to the Union Buildings led by Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and the veterans of the 1956 march. The monument was executed jointly by sculptor Wilma Cruise and architect Marcus Holmes.