GOOD Speech by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament
14 August 2025
*Note to editor: This speech was delivered by GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament Brett Herron during today’s debate on Women’s day
I stand here today and recognise a reality that should give us all pause: I am one of 28 men in this provincial parliament, while only 14 of our colleagues are women.
That means women make up just one third of the voices in this chamber. It is a stark reminder that even here, in the heart of our democracy, gender equality is far from achieved.
We know the rallying cry “You strike a woman, you strike a rock” words born from the unshakable courage of the women who, in 1956, marched to the Union Buildings to demand justice, to defy the pass laws, and to say, with one voice, that they would not be broken. And as we honour their bravery, we cannot blind ourselves to the suffering endured by women across the world.
According to the United Nations, more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed in Gaza since October. And over a million women and girls are facing starvation.
Each of those lives carried dreams, families, and futures, all cut short. This is suffering I am certain the women of 1956, with their fearless resolve, would never have tolerated.
Women’s Day is not just about looking back with pride; it is about looking forward with purpose. It is about ensuring that women’s voices are not token presences, but equal forces in shaping our society. It is about recognising that the fight against injustice anywhere is part of the fight for justice everywhere. And it is about recommitting ourselves, as men and as leaders, to be allies, in parliament, in our communities, and in the world beyond our borders.
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