THE SPIRIT OF IMBOKODO LIVES!

Seventy years (70) after more than 20 000 South African women stood together at the Union Buildings and declared that they would not be silenced, the spirit of imbokodo – women of courage, resilience and determination – continues to reverberate across the country.

This Women’s Day, 9 August 2026, that spirit found a special home in Ikwezi township in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, where Net Nine Nine brought women together for a celebration centred on empowerment, connection and community.

What began as an ordinary day in the township was transformed into a colourful celebration as women from different generations gathered at the Ikwezi Community Hall where the atmosphere was filled with excitement, conversation, music, laughter and reflection.

This is as the community marked one of the most significant dates on South Africa’s calendar – Women’s Month.

For Net Nine Nine, the fibre network company, Women’s Day, 9 August, is not simply about commemorating history but bringing meaning of that history into the lives of women today.

South Africa’s National Women’s Day traces its roots to 9 August 1956, when more than 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the apartheid government’s extension of pass laws to African women.

They stood in silence for 30 minutes before raising their voices in the now legendary words: “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” – a powerful declaration of women’s strength and resistance, you strike a woman, you strike a rock.

In 2026, South Africa marked the 70th anniversary of that historic march.

But while the original march was a demand for freedom, dignity and equality, the challenge today is to ensure that women have the tools, opportunities and platforms to participate fully in the country’s social and economic development.

That is precisely where the Ikwezi celebration struck a chord.

Net Nine Nine brought that message directly into the community, creating a day that combined celebration with practical empowerment, and the event attracted an enthusiastic gathering of women, elderly and youth, with speakers from different government departments sharing information and engaging with the community on issues affecting women and families.

Ward councillors also came out in support of the initiative, rallying behind the day’s main speaker, Cllr Siphokazi Njisane, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Human Settlements at the OR Tambo District Municipality.

“This is a great initiative, and we are grateful that Net99 opted for this community of Ikwezi. This is what we call ploughing back to the communities that you serve. Affording an opportunity to the elderly women, some of whom were part of the struggle will forever remain memorable, plus the goodies that they’ve received from Net99,” said Njisane.

Prominent local businesswoman Lunka Boya was also among the voices contributing to the day’s programme, bringing a perspective from the local business community and demonstrating the important role women entrepreneurs continue to play in building sustainable communities.

“As a businesswoman, I am truly thankful to Net99 for having improved ways and means on how I was conducting my business. Today was a major success. Women got to be taught about their rights, those with business interest were advised on how to hustle using internet as your gateway to success,” said Boya.

The gathering became more than a Women’s Day event but a meeting point where government, business and ordinary residents could connect.

One of the most meaningful aspects of the Ikwezi celebration was its deliberate focus on older women.

While Women’s Day is often associated with young women, leadership and future opportunities, Net Nine Nine recognised that today’s generation stands on the shoulders of mothers and grandmothers who carried communities through some of South Africa’s most difficult periods.

The older generation was treated with particular care, with many women receiving warm meals as part of the programme, leaving the Ikwezi Community Hall with an assortment of gifts and goodies, including warm, soft blankets.

For some, empowerment is access to technology, as for others, it is access to information, healthcare, education or economic opportunities.

And sometimes, empowerment begins with something as fundamental as knowing that your community sees you, values you and appreciates your contribution.

That is the spirit that defined the day – Knowledge. Opportunity. Connection.

The theme behind Net Nine Nine’s celebration was clear: empower women through knowledge, opportunity and connection, because when women rise, communities thrive.

Those three pillars are particularly relevant in an increasingly digital South Africa.

Knowledge gives women the ability to make informed decisions.

Opportunity allows them to participate meaningfully in the economy.

Connection gives them access to people, markets, services and information that can change the direction of their lives.

For a company operating in the connectivity space, bringing that message into a community such as Ikwezi is especially significant.

Internet connectivity is no longer merely about entertainment or communication but it can open doors to education, entrepreneurship, employment opportunities, government services and new markets.

The digital world can give a woman running a small business in a township access to customers far beyond her immediate neighbourhood.

It can give a young woman access to learning resources, allow families access to information and services that were once difficult to reach.

But connectivity becomes most meaningful when it connects people to opportunity.

The women who marched in 1956 could not have imagined the digital world in which today’s women live, yet, the fundamental principle behind their protest remains relevant: women must have the freedom and opportunity to determine their own futures.

The women of Ikwezi therefore gathered not only to remember the past, but to look forward.

They represented different generations, backgrounds and experiences, yet shared one common aspiration – a better future for women, families and communities.

In 2026, Net Nine Nine’s Ikwezi celebration demonstrated that the same principle remains powerful: when communities come together, when women are given a voice, and when knowledge and opportunity are placed within reach, change becomes possible.