Durban - On the eve of Women's Day, four women share their desires with BuaNews and reflect on what is most important to them as women across the country celebrate their achievements, Kemantha Govender reports.
Sarah Syed is a woman whose age can easily deceive many. She is a great-grandmother - she has 10 children, 36 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Syed is a busy body, she still plays football with the elderly and enjoys running.
The active Durban resident's wish for Women's Day is for South Africans to rally together to help with its senior citizens and street children.
"We should all get together; use our strengths and resources to make a difference. Many of us are in a position to do this. We should get our children off the streets," said Syed.
The great-grand mother suggested that people make an effort to get sponsorships.
"We could get balls and take the street children to the beach and let them play football. This will give them something to look forward to".
But Syed feels that while trying to secure sponsorship, Durban residents can also make a difference with small contributions.
"If a group of people all contribute just R10, it adds up and we can make sandwiches for the poor," said Syed.
She spends her time in hospices; these are institutions she believes can help people become more empowered.
"Get to the old age homes and hospices; take soaps, face cloths to patients that need them. You will be surprised how much you can give but also how much you can get back," said Syed.
Sebenzile Qwabe is an operations manager at Ready to Eat, a catering company in Durban. She is passionate about South Africa and the positive changes that have emerged since 1994.
She lauds government for improving the laws that recognise and protect women' rights but Qwabe wants to see more changes in the liberation of women.
She recognises that times have changed drastically and women behave much differently to generations before.
"I still feel that gender related issues still prevail in our country. Men have been feeling the competition. But there are still male-dominated industries and this has got to change," said Qwabe.
Jackee Thaver, from Phoenix, is an administration manager and like Qwabe also wants women to be equally recognised in the work place.
"I want see to a change in attitude from the way we drive to the way we perform at work. We shouldn't be celebrating Women's Day once a year. This focus on women should be there all year around," said Thaver.
Thaver, however, does not feel that the inequality that women face comes from men only.
"Some women are still suppressed and influenced and this comes from other women in their family and friends circle. So there has to be changes from everyone," she said.
"What I want is to see women becoming more confident and venturing out. I wish we could try new things that could help us build our confidence. I know that we can reach our goals, we must continue to be persistent," she added.
Alma Maxwell more often than not can be found updating her blog, Facebook status, or looking for interesting people to follow on Twitter.
Maxwell, owner of Outsourced Communication, stressed that there is no need for special concessions to be made to women, "because women are equal".
"If women were respected and just as important, accepted, why would we need a day to remind us of this," Maxwell questioned.
"Yes it is lovely that we have a day for us, but being a woman is not a negative thing and should not be seen this way. Being a woman is not a disability or should not separate us from men. There is just no need. We need to get to a place where we realise this," Maxwell said.
Maxwell said women in South Africa have proved themselves over and over again.
"Look at women from rural areas. They are the backbone of all communities. They perform the most difficult and important jobs that they have been doing for ages. They must realise and appreciate this," Maxwell said.
The four women though are grateful for the time off and despite the challenges they continue to face, they only have one thing on their minds for Women's Day - a celebration of their lives.
