IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Every year, South Africa commemorates Women’s Month in August as a tribute to the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women. While making their way there, they sang a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion: Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! (you strike a woman, you strike a rock). In the 60 years since, the phrase has come to represent women’s courage and strength in South Africa). At the Union Buildings, the marchers left petitions containing more than 100,000 signatures at prime minister J.G. Strijdom’s office door and stood silently outside his door for 30 minutes. The ‘pass’ was an identification document which restricted the freedom of movement of black South Africans under apartheid. As mentioned earlier, the month of August is now dedicated to women and is marked by several government events such as a trade fair for women’s crafts and a symposium on labour issues.
In this month’s issue of Mbalo Brief, our educational article is based on Tourism. It is based on the findings of the Tourism 2016 Report (Report No. 03-51-02) and highlights the number of South African residents and foreigners who travelled in and out of South Africa in 2016, the mode of transport used and the purpose of visits. Also have a look at our monthly crossword puzzle and solutions for the July 2017 puzzle.
Articles published in this issue are based on results of industry surveys conducted for the months ranging from May 2017 to June 2017.

Download: Mbalo Brief – August 2017