Note to Editors: Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille hosted 130 women from shelters across the city. They recently left abusive relationships and are building new lives thanks to the support of the Western Cape Women’s Shelter Network.

It is a great honour for me to share a meal and some time with you here in a room filled with wonderful, beautiful and brave women. Each one of you is a woman of fortitude.

Your bravery and determination are an inspiration to all Capetonians. I can understand that your journey has been very tough. But you are here because you are tougher.

Many of you endured abuse over a long period of time and I know that it seems like a mark of shame. That is why so many women and families hide abuse and pretend it’s not happening.

Not speaking about it protects the abuser so the abuse continues like a vicious cycle.

But you are all brave women who simply refused to accept that life.

You love yourself and you did what was right for you.

Many women stay in abusive relationships because they have forgotten what love is and what it means to love and respect themselves.

Someone who hurts you doesn’t love you and that is what more women must realise.

Walking away from an abusive relationship is a sign of strength. It shows the world that you know your worth and your rights and that you will not allow anyone to walk all over you.

The journey you have started is filled with possibilities.

Today’s ‘Day of Elegance’ is a fitting end to Women’s Month where we can thank you brave women and honour you.

Like many of you here today, I too started a new journey this month when I announced my resignation as Mayor of Cape Town.

I would never want to make light of the struggle you have faced and the violence or trying circumstances you have endured. But I too decided enough is enough.

That one choice you made, to finally walk away, was the single bravest thing you did. Things will be tough in the future but it can never be as bad as it was.

What is important is that we as women must stand together, support each other and take inspiration from each other.

I have taken inspiration from the remarkable women I met this month. And I am charged up and ready to take on my future.

Women have inspired me, from the disabled women who marched with us from the Bo-Kaap through the city’s streets for violence against women to meeting young entrepreneurs and women taking up jobs in the new digital economy.

I also met women at the City of Cape Town taking up positions previously only occupied by men, while other women are doing their apprenticeship as motor mechanics and fixing our roads.

But we still have a long way to go. Only 37,2% of 27 000 employees at the City are women and few serve in management positions.

In my office I have remarkable young women who are doing outstanding work.

I also took strength from the women in Hanover Park. Just yesterday I met a group of women taking on the mammoth task of standing against gang violence because they have lost a child or a loved one due to gang shootings.

These mothers, grandmothers, daughters and sisters are coming together to support each other and rid our society of violence.

What I learned this month is that women are out here claiming their rights as described in our Constitution.

No one will claim these rights for us. We have the responsibility to claim these rights for ourselves.

I was inspired to see many women organisations including Joy Lange and many more here today who went to Parliament this month to honestly assess where we are as a society and the progress we have made since the adoption of the 1954 Women’s Charter and the 1994 Women’s Charter for Effective Equality.

Joy wrote in the Weekend Argus this past weekend that ’we face dark days of a different nature, which is gender inequality and violence against women and children. The high rate of femicide and rape in South Africa is a war waged against women and children.’

Joy, you are correct to call out where government is failing to protect the most vulnerable citizens in our society.

I always say government will never be there to save us as women. We can’t wait for government to come save us.

The same men who instil patriarchy at home, at church or in our communities also take it to work.

That is why we as women must call out patriarchy and make government officials, civil servants and politicians realise they don’t have all the answers.

As Mayor, I myself certainly don’t know everything that you as a woman in a shelter have to face. That is why we have to listen to each other.

Part of my task here today is to listen to you and hear what you have to say. What can we change as a City to support you as women?

Our City officials are here today from social services, housing, library and EPWP to listen and share information with you. I hope you take the opportunity to sit down and talk to these City employees.

We must open our ears and minds to listen to our fellow residents.

Only when we work together will we make progress possible and end patriarchy and the violence our women and children face.

With that, I would like to open the floor and hear some of your questions or comments.

I also want to share with you the small goodie bags we have for you. It is just a small token of our appreciation and support to you as women.

Thank you, Enkosi, Shukran, Baie Dankie, God Bless.