Former speaker of Parliament, Dr Frene Ginwala, delivered sixth Annual Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture
Dr Frene Ginwala, former speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, delivered the sixth Annual Charlotte Maxeke Memorial Lecture at the University of the Free State (UFS).
The Memorial Lecture is a joint venture between the Free State Provincial Government and the UFS and forms part of Women’s Month Celebrations. The lecture honours the life and legacy of Charlotte Maxeke and focuses on issues and challenges affecting women.
Dr Ginwala spoke on "Retracing the footsteps of the women of 1913: Lessons for young women's economic growth and development in bringing about positive change, living in extraordinary times."
The first lecture was dedicated to Charlotte Maxeke’s life and times as well as the early years of the Bantu Women’s League, the forerunner of the ANC Women’s League.
Previous speakers included President Jacob Zuma, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize and Ms Baleka Mbete, National Chairperson of the ANC and former Speaker of the National Parliament.
Charlotte Maxeke was the first African women to graduate in South Africa and one of the first black South Africans to fight for freedom from exploitative social conditions for African women.