Waaihoek women embark on anti-pass passive resistance campaign

In 1913, Black women in Bloemfontein were experiencing the culmination of heavy pass laws being implemented to control the mobility of the Black population in White areas – a phenomenon familiar to the rest of South Africa at the time. Black people had already been segregated off from the city in a settlement called Waaihoek and needed permits to work or reside in the city, which also had to be updated monthly for a certain fee. This was particularly burdensome for women as they were the main providers of domestic labour.  Many Black women had come to Bloemfontein as it was a growing economy stimulated by the discovery of minerals with employment opportunities. After arduous efforts to lobby the local government in acknowledging the grievances of the women regarding the passes, they eventually held a mass meeting in Waaihoek to embark on an anti-pass passive resistance campaign. They then marched to the city centre to demand to see the mayor, Ivan Haarburgen, who was not available. Read more on the 1913 anti-pass campaign, the history of women’s struggle and pass struggles in Bloemfontein.