The league was honouring South Africa's founding president, Nelson Mandela, and those who died of Covid-19 with a virtual prayer service on Sunday - just a day after the world marked Mandela Day and as the coronavirus outbreak continued to soar in the country. Figures released on Saturday indicated that there were almost 351 000 positive cases in the country and 4 948 fatalities.

Mandela, a struggle icon who dedicated 67 years of his life to the struggle for freedom, would have turned 102 on Saturday. Every year on his birthday, people are urged to be of service to those around them for at least 67 minutes.

"We have seen that Covid-19 has reversed the limited progress we have made as women in the fight for gender equality and women's rights," said ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini.

She also praised United Nations (UN) secretary-general António Guterres' lecture in honour of the former statesman, fondly called by his clan name "Madiba," for being honest about the world's failures in addressing inequality challenges.

Dlamini called on women, along with female leaders, to be at the centre of recovery efforts, vowing not to turn back and to " push back" against having women sidelined.

News24