Address by Hon. Premier DD Mabuza at the Provincial Celebrations of Women's Day
Masoyi Stadium, Mbombela Local Municipality
9 August 2009
Programme Director
Honourable Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Mpumalanga Legislature
Esteemed Traditional Leaders
Honourable Mayors and Councillors
Women Leaders from all Women’s Organisations and Associations in the Province
Women of Mpumalanga
Colleagues, comrades and friendsUkusu lwanamuhla lubaluleke kakhulu
emlandweni wokulwela inkululeko nasemzabalazweni wokulwa nombuso wengcindezelo.
Namuhla sigubha usuku olusikhumbuza ubuqhawe nokuzinikela kwabantu besifazane
emzabalwazweni wokulwa nobandlululo ukuze kwakhiwe umbuso ohlonipha amalungelo
abantu ngaphandle kokucwasa ngobulili, ubuhlanga, noma ngenkolo.
On this day, 53 years ago, South African women took to the streets and
marched to Pretoria to protest against the imposition of dehumanizing pass laws.
The historic 1956 women anti-pass march was an embodiment of bravery, tenacity
and unwavering commitment by women to bring about social equality and
transformation in South Africa.
Today, we pay tribute to women from all sectors of our society for the role they have played over the years in the struggle to advance freedom and women’s socio-economic emancipation.
As a nation, we celebrate and honour women’s selfless contribution to the
creation of a democratic and free South Africa that is founded on the values of
justice, human rights and equality for all.
In tackling women empowerment challenges of our times, we must draw on the
example and lasting legacy of the 1956 women who defied the brutal and
repressive apartheid state to make their collective voice heard. In the face of
adversity and torture, they soldiered on to seek the creation of a better and
equal society.
Umzabalwazo wabantu besifazane uyohlala uyigugu elikuthaza izizukulwane
ngezizukulwane ukuthi zilwele amalungelo abantu, ukulingana ngobulili, kanye
nokukhululeka kwabantu besifazane emikhakheni yonke yempilo.
Programme Director, we are commemorating Women’s Day under the theme
"Together Empowering Women for Development and Gender Equality" to underscore
our commitment to gender equality and equalization of socio-economic
opportunities for women.
Despite remarkable progress we have achieved in the empowerment of women and
promotion of equal opportunities, the majority of women, particularly rural
women, continue to face challenges of socio-economic deprivation, unemployment
and hunger.
The legacy of triple oppression of race, class and gender continues to impact
negatively on particular segments of women who remain vulnerable and poor.
Employment and labour participation rates are much lower for women than men,
contributing to huge inequalities between men and women.
Over the next five years, government has prioritised the creation of decent
jobs and sustainable livelihoods to respond to the challenges of unemployment
and poverty. As matter of policy, we must ensure that government programmes
create opportunities for women to develop themselves and participate in the
mainstream economy.
As a Province, we are committed to the economic empowerment of women to
address huge inequalities between men and women in terms of income levels and
access to development opportunities. Part of what we will continue to do is
ensuring that women entrepreneurship is supported through the provision of
appropriate support such as improved access to finance, business development
support and mentorship.
Access to finance and business development support for women-owned
enterprises remains one the artificial barriers that constrain the economic
empowerment of women. In many instances, government institutions tasked
with providing finance and business development support seem to be inaccessible
to women. The communication of government support programmes seems to be
inadequate.
As part of our efforts to empower women entrepreneurs and women-owned
enterprisers, we will, during this month, convene a discussion forum involving
women entrepreneurs and all government’s finance and business development
support institutions. The objective of this dialogue will be to enhance
networks, and link women with institutions that will assist them whenever they
need access to business finance and support.
Programme Director, the implementation of Phase 2 of our Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP) will contribute to skills development and the creation of
employment opportunities for women in the Province.
Njengohulumeni, siyazi ukuthi ukukhululeka kwabantu besifazane kulele
ekuthuthukisweni kwabo kwezomnotho. Ngakho-ke kufanele kube nokulingana
ngobulili ekutholeni amanthuba emfundo, ukuthuthukiswa kwamakhono, amathuba
emisebenzi kanye nezinsiza ezifana namanzi, ugesi, nezindlu.
Kuleminyaka emihlanu ezayo, sizimisele ukusebenza kanzima ukuqiniseka ukuthi
sandisa izinkampani zabantu besifazane. Sizoqiniseka ukuthi izinhlaka
zikahulumeni ezibhekene nokubolekisa imali yokuqala amabhizinisi zisebenza
ngokufanele ukuze sikwazi ukuthuthukisa abantu besifazane kwezomnotho.
Amongst other things, the implementation of rural development programmes in
the Province will focus on enhancing food security and sustainable livelihoods.
We will continue to support women who are participating in agricultural
production initiatives.
Government will provide support to households to create opportunities for
sustainable livelihoods through the implementation of programmes such as the
Agricultural Starter Packs and Masibuyel’emasimini. Support in the form
implements, irrigation infrastructure and agricultural inputs will be provided
to assist women to till the land.
The participation of women in agriculture is critical in our efforts to
empower women and enhance their participation and contribution to the growth of
the provincial economy.
Programme Director; allow me to pay special tribute to all the women who were
nominees for the Provincial Female Farmer of the Year Awards which took place on
Thursday this week. These are heroines whose excellent work epitomizes the
values of hard work and self-empowerment. Congratulations to Avena Jacklin
of Jacklin Organic Farming for being the overall winner of the 2009 Provincial
Farmer of the Year Award.
Umsebenzi walabantu besifazane engikhuluma ngabo uyasikhombisa ukuthi abantu
besifazane bangakwazi ukusebenzisa umhlaba ukuzithuthukisa kwezomnotho nokuqeda
indlala.
Njengoba sigubha usuku lwabantu besifazane namuhla, kufanele sikhuthaze bonke
abantu besifazane ukuthi balime ukuze bekwazi ukwakha amathuba emisebenzi,
babuye baphilise imindeni yabo. As I pointed out in my State of the Province
Address this year, access to quality education is one the key priorities to
which the Province will pay special attention. At school level, government will
ensure that female children enrolment, participation and completion are closely
monitored so that female enrolment growth is sustained to meet gender equity
targets of the Millennium Development Goals by 2010.
It is also critical that we encourage excellence in maths and science by
female children so that we empower them to break into the traditionally male
dominated study fields such as engineering and technological sciences.
This is an investment we need to make consciously to transform society and
accelerate employment equity and diversity in the workplace.
Programme Director, access to quality health-care remains a critical measure
of the quality of life that women enjoy. Our five-year programme to
enhance the quality of health care will focus on improving access to health care
services by women, especially poor women with no income to cover their medical
insurance.
The negative impact of the HIV and Aids pandemic continues to weigh heavily
on women and young girls. The Province is committed to implementing programmes
aimed at reversing the spread and negative effect of this disease.
As government, we are committed to the implementation of the comprehensive
plan for the treatment, management and care of HIV and Aids so as to reduce the
HIV-incidence rate by 50% by the year 2011, and reach 80% of those in need of
ARV treatment by 2011. It is important that we enhance access to comprehensive
care management and treatment, voluntary counselling and testing, as well as the
prevention of mother-child transmission.
Njengomphakathi kufanele sisebenzisane nohulumeni ezinhlelweni zokuqeda isifo
sengculaza nesandulela sayo.
Kufanele sigqugquzele indlela yokuziphatha kahle ukuze umphakathi wonke
uvikeleke, ikakhulukazi amantombazane asemancenane. Njengohulumeni, sizimisele
ukwandinsa inqalasizinda (infrastructure) eletha izinsiza eziqondene nokwelapha,
ukunakekela, kanye nokuvimba ukubhebhetheka kwalesifo.
Today, we celebrate Women’s Day to affirm our collective obligation as nation
to protect and nurture hard-won human rights and liberties, including women’s
rights. The creation of safe and secure environs in our communities is a
necessary condition for social cohesion, peace and full enjoyment of human
rights which the 1956 women generation and many other struggle martyrs fought
and sacrificed for.
The prevalent abuse and violence towards women and girls should be seen as a
betrayal of values that our communities stand for. We should reject gender-based
violence, whether in private homes or the workplace.
Together we can do more to eliminate violence perpetrated against women and
girl children. Umphakathi kufanele usebenzisane nengalo yomthetho ekulweni
nobugebengu, ukudlwengula kwabantu besifazane, kanye nokusentshenziswa kwezidakamizwa
(drugs).
Programme Director, our celebration of Women’s Day should be a constant
reminder of our collective responsibility to create an environment that enables
women to develop and occupy key leadership positions in the public and private
sectors. Women in leadership roles must be accorded the respect they deserve,
not only because they are women, but because they have the capacity to lead and
make invaluable contribution to social transformation.I want to conclude by
asserting that our true commitment to empowering women and achieving gender
equality will not be measured by policy statements we pronounce. Instead, our
commitment will be measured by the creation of an enabling environment that
fosters full and equal participation by women in leadership and decision making
levels across the political, judiciary, economic, social and cultural spheres.
Equally, women themselves must stand up and push the frontiers of
transformation in the spirit reminiscent of the women of 1956.
Wantinta Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo!
Viva Women of South Africa Viva!
Enjoy Women’s Day
I thank you
Issued by: Office of the Premier
