PREMIER'S ADDRESS
Master of ceremonies
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
When I was invited to speak at this gathering, and was told it was the launch of a co-operative it set my mind thinking about a conversation I overheard.
We all know that a co-operative, by its very nature, is a collective effort for the benefit of all members and not just one.
A pig was lazing away in the mud when approached by a chicken. "Hey you pig, why are you snoring? There is money to be made. I have a brilliant business proposition I want to make to you.
Humans like their bacon and egg. Why don't you and me form a co-operative? You bring the bacon, I bring the eggs. "Let me think about it, the pig said. A while later the chicken returned and found the pig snoring. Hey you, what's up with you? Are you in or not?
The pig was quiet for while. "Look, when you bring the egg, you will still be alive, but when I bring the bacon, I will be dead. So what's in it for me?" the pig asked. You're right. In business the one partner must die for the other to live.
Madam chair, I am glad that this is not a co-operative where one partner must die for the other to live.
The basis on which to judge the liberation of any country is to note the extent to which women are free. This is particularly true of South Africa where the vast majority of women have been triply oppressed. They were exploited because they are black, exploited as women and oppressed as workers.
The late Comrade Oliver Tambo once said: "South Africa will never be free as long as women are not free."
His comrade in arms the late Comrade Samora Machel, agreed. And this is what he had to say: "The emancipation of women is not an act of charity, the result of a humanitarian or compassionate attitude. The liberation of women is a fundamental necessity for the Revolution, the guarantee of its continuity and the precondition for its victory. The main objective of the Revolution is to destroy the system of exploitation and build a new society, which releases the potentialities of human beings... This is the context within which women's emancipation arises."
We need to acknowledge that gender roles exist in all spheres of society starting with the division of labour in the family. For example, in the family, women are allocated the role of being child rearers and are given the duties of cleaning and cooking.
Gender and gender roles define the way women and men behave in society and in relation to each other, the way in which they perceive themselves and their attitudes. Gender relations affect the unequal power relations in society.
The essence of unequal power relations is the domination of men and the subordination of women. These gender relations shape the ideas, knowledge, values, culture, attitudes, and the structure of society and, in essence, social life itself.
That is why conventional definitions of the economy do not include a major proportion of the work performed by women. The key sectors of the South African economy are occupied and dominated by men. Women face social, economic and ideological barriers to full and equal participation in the economy.
Women are perceived in terms of their domestic and reproductive role. They participate in large numbers in sectors of the economy which are characterized by low wages and poor working conditions. That is why it is heartening to have women come together, as women, and do things on their own.
Poverty is of serious concern in this region. A few days ago the Mpumalanga Executive came out of a two-day retreat determined to double economic growth from 3% to 6% in the next five years.
Major emphasis will be placed on the reduction of poverty and unemployment. It is this context that we in government look at this new project in a province where more than 60% of the population is rural.
This government is committed to the alleviation of poverty. That is why the Office on the Status of Women in the Premier's Office joined hands with the South African Breweries.
Two rural areas were identified for the pilot project. Moutse in the Highveld and Gujwakop in the Lowveld. A meeting was set up between the women of Gujwakop, the RDP, the councilors and the Office on the Status of Women to formalise the project management details.
Forty women were nominated to start training on management skills for four weeks. As the office of the Premier and the Office on the Status of Women we are very proud that women cadres have acquired full knowledge of what business is all about.
It was a long journey for these women to be where they are today and it is essential that all of us support them so that they can reach their destination and achieve their goals successfully.
Like all other complex projects, Simunye took a very long time to come to fruition. However it is important for us as government and the community to protect and encourage the women of Simunye to have a high degree of co-operation among themselves.
It was along walk to freedom for this project to be where it is today.
I thank you.