Numsa’s women might have been ‘less than 20%’ but that doesn’t mean their contribution to the Congress was less than 20%. Numsa women were much in evidence with Numsa’s second vice president, Angie Moeng, and gender co-ordinator, Selinah Tyikwe , leading the way in addressing the Congress. “I was nervous the first time,” says first time striker Shirley Kok from Crabtree, Ekurhuleni region, but “the second time, it was easy!” she says with a smile and a glint in the eye. “If the international issues hadn’t been referred to the Central Committee, I would have been up there striking”, says a disappointed but fired up Nthabiseng from Dunlop, Wits Central West. Just watch out you men, the women will be doing it in the next Congress and it won’t just be on ‘women’s issues’!
