SPEECH BY LULU XINGWANA , MP ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN IN THE FIRST DECADE OF DEMOCRACY THE PRESIDENTS DEBATE

10 February 2004

Madame Speaker
The President
Honourable Members

In response to some of the comments made yesterday, especially by Mr. Seremane of the DA and his leader, I have the following to say.

According to liberation theology-Reconciliation must be based on justice, repentance and praxis i.e. practice what you preach in the DA. Presently I see white, grey, bold men in the DA. Where is the change that the DA is talking about? First of all we must accept and correct the injustices and inequalities of the past, before we can talk about reconciliation. There can never be any reconciliation without justice. In other words we cannot reconcile God and the Devil. We cannot reconcile a party that has gone more right wing and reactionary than any other party in this House, with the people of South Africa. This is the reconciliation that the great theologians and leaders of our time, such as Rev Beyers Naude, Frank Chikane and Dr Albert Nolan preached and practiced. This is the reconciliation that the ANC and its leadership, including President Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela have fought for and strived to achieve throughout their lives - a reconciliation that is based on justice, equality, respect for human and women's rights, love, sharing, caring and unity. These are the values that the ANC has espoused from its foundation to date. Our people will continue to vote for the ANC in their numbers, because this is the only party that stands for justice and equality today and tomorrow. The people of South Africa, particularly women will vote for the ANC, because of the great strides we have achieved under the ANC leadership, starting from 1994 to date.

Mr Tony Leon has said that South Africans would like to vote for change. Abukho ubuvuvu nobuxoki obufana nobo. South Africans will not vote for a party that will take them back to racist apartheid South Africa, which is what the DA has been fighting for in this House since 1994. They have fought every law that opened the schools to all South African children, from various races; that opened the mining industry to all the people of South Africa, including women and the previously disadvantaged and all laws that strive to bring about a more just and equitable society. Ngoko ke intshintsho iDA ethethe ngalo luya kusibuyisela eYiputha. Kulapho ke abantu bakuthi bangayi khona!!!

Mna ke ndiphuma eMqanduli ekhaya. Inkokheli yeUDM ngumkhaya. Sobabini siyazi ukuba umbane phaya eMqanduli siwufumene kulo rhulumente ka ANC, hayi ngonomgogwana wakhe! Bendiphaya ekhaya ngale Krismesi. Kaloku ngomnyaka ka 2000 sehlelwa lilifu elimnyama , kwangena uMasipala ka UDM eMqandli naseMtata. Ndothuke kakhulu ngumbono endowubone ekhaya ngalo December. Idolophu ibimdaka ngathi yiRubbish dump phantsi kolawulo lwe UDM. Amangcwaba omama notata ebelahlekile emangcwabeni aseMqanduli, ingca inga ngam ndimile, kugcwele nobobo namatyolo. Amatye awile agilwe zinkomo namahashe. Uthi ke UDM une Plan entsha o nayo? Nantso ke iplan yabo, yeyobu xelegu nokungahloniphi izinyanya zezwe lakowethu. Ndiyazi ke mna omama base South Africa abawafuni amaxelegu, soze bawavotele amaxelegu angaithandiyo, nangahloniphi izinyanya zethu Madame Speaker
Honourable President
Deputy President and Honourable Members

Since 1994, after the birth of the first democratic non-racial, non-sexist government in our motherland, led by the African National Congress, the quality of life and status of women has improved substantially in South Africa. The adoption of the new constitution of South Africa, which has been declared one of the most progressive constitutions worldwide, was a major victory for the women of South Africa. For South African women, the constitution is their Charter of Rights, it embraces the hopes and aspirations of women and men, many of whom sacrificed their lives fighting for justice and equality in our country. The constitution is the product of the liberalisation struggle that was spearheaded by the ANC in South Africa, that spanned the urban and rural communities, the old and young, women and men, who fought against the pass laws, depression and forced removals, exploitation and abuse, poverty, extreme deprivation, inferior education and laws that discriminated against women.

One of the most significant features of the Constitution is the Right to Equality. It is held as the cornerstone of the constitution, and all other rights must be interpreted to give effect to equality. Thus the main thrust of the South African constitutional democracy is the promotion and protection of human dignity for all. It provides a framework for human freedom, which connects civil rights and socio-economic rights in a holistic manner, affirming and protecting the integrity and dignity of all our people. Therefore, to us, the constitution is not only the supreme law of the land, it is the single most significant document that seeks to address the injustices of the past, and provides a vision for the future. Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, the African century, the legal, political, socio-economic and cultural status of women has changed fundamentally in South Africa. This is the result of the past 10 years of struggle by the ANC against the forces of darkness in this House.

The ANC, together with the people and women of South Africa will fight to protect and defend the constitution. Achievements of Women in public and Political Life

"State Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in political and public life of the country and in particular, shall ensure that women are on equal terms with men" CEDAW

Achievements of South African Women - The first decade of Freedom and Democracy

The current situation in South Africa

In South Africa the high proportion of women MP's is largely as a result of the African National Congress adopting a one-third-quota for lists. Other parties also included women, and the result is that South Africa has among the largest percentage of women parliamentarians in the world (30%). There has been a steady increase in the number of women Ministers and Deputy ministers in the South African Cabinet since the first democratic elections. Post the 1999 elections, cabinet consists of 9 women ministers out of a total of 27 Ministers, and 8 Deputy ministers out of a total of 16 Deputy ministers.

Provincial and Local Government

The picture at the provincial and government levels is not as positive. Only three of the nine provinces have over 30% presentation of women in their legislature: Gauteng, Northern Province and North West. (Only one province has a women premier, the Free State). In our big metro cities we have only one mayor who is a women, i.e. Cape Town Metro Council. Mr President, we trust that this year we shall have at least four women premiers after the elections in April, and four women executive mayors.

The Political will

The high level of women representation in government and in Parliament in South Africa is a result of the political will demonstrated by our leaders. Both former President Nelson Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki have demonstrated their commitment to appoint women into key decision-making positions.

Office-bearers in Parliament

Women are also senior office bearers in parliament - The Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and a number of chairs of Parliamentary Committees in the national Assembly and National Council of Provinces are women.

Chairs of Parliamentary Committees in the National Assembly
About 30% of Committee Chairs in our Parliament are women.

National Commissions

We also have women chairing that following national commissions:
The Independent Electoral Commission
The Commission for Gender equality

Women are also represented in the Human Rights Commission, in the Public Services Commission as well as the Judicial Services Commission.

The Reserve Bank of South Africa

In 1998 the first black governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa was appointed. Early in 1999 the Deputy Governor who is a women was appointed. More women have been appointed in senior management in the Bank in the past few years.

Civil Services

We were expected to reach 30% by 1999. However, we have only achieved 23.9% representation of women in senior management to date in the civil service. We need to improve in this sector.

Parastatals and Business

A few women are beginning to rise within the ranks in our parastatals and in the Business sector. This is not enough we need to increase representation of women in this sector.
We have a few CEO's and women in senior managements in companies. This again is still very low, we need more women in leadership and decision-making in the private sector.

Transformation within Parliament

Recesses have been aligned with school holidays
There have been an increase number of toilet facilities for women
A crèche for children of Parliamentarians has been established
A more relaxed dress code had been introduced
Gender sensitive language has been used in drafting of legislation
Parliamentary sessions now commence earlier and close earlier that before 1994, to allow for more quality time for members of parliament and their children

The South African Government's International Commitments

SA signed ratified CEDAW, (15 December 1995) and Convention on the rights if the Child (16 June 1995)
SA adopted the Beijing Platform of Action (December 1995)
SADC Declared on Gender and Equality (1997)
SA is now party to Human Rights Conventions, four of which were ratified on the 10th December 1998, International Human Rights Day.
UN Convention against Trans-national Organised Crime (August 2003)
SA signed and ratified the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (August 2003)

The National Machinery

Following the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, South Africa has put in place National Gender Machinery to evaluate and monitor gender quality and includes the following structures:

The Office on the Status of Women (OSW) - the OSW has to ensure that all departmental policies and programmes are gender-sensitive and that all government departments allocate budget equitably. OSW is strategically placed in the President's Office natally, and in the Premiers' Offices in the Provinces. We also have Gender Focal Points in all Departments.
The Commission on Gender Equality (GCE) - was set up in terms of the South African Constitution to monitor and review legislation and gender policies of public funded bodies and to ensure that the equality of women is promoted in the private and publicctor, and in society as a whole
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Improvement of the Quality of Life and status of Women - was set up to monitor and oversee progress with respect to the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against en (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action. The JMC also monitors other relevant international instruments such as the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. It also monitors implementation of policies and legislation by different government ministries and departments.

Participation in the Law Making Process

Many Laws that touch on central gender issues have been passed with the active input of women since 1994. These include,

The Re-writing of the Tax Tables in 1995
The Choice on termination of pregnancy Act of 1996
The Sexual harassment code in the labour Relations Act of 1996
The Maternity provisions and breast feeding code in the labour relations Act of 1996
The Public Service Act of 1994, which removes discrimination practices such as different pensions and housing benefits for married and unmarried women and men.
The Domestic Violence Act of 1998
The Maintenance Act of 1998
The Customary Marriages Act of 1998
The Employment Equity Act
The Equality Act of 2000
The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 2002
The Basic Conditions of Service Act 2002 (Applicable to the Domestic Workers.)

Outstanding Legislation

The Customary Law of Succession. This has not been passed in parliament and has met with stiff resistance from traditional leaders. Women are now lobbying political leaders to fast-tack this bill.
Traditional Leadership and Governance Bill. This Bill will look at the transformation of the Institution to ensure it is consistent with our constitution and Bill of Rights.
The Sexual Offence Bill. This bill is still under discussion in Parliament. We hope it will be passed by parliament very soon to strengthen legislation on sentencing of sexual offences.
Compulsory HIV testing of Alleged Sexual Offenders Bill, 2003. This bill aims to provide a speedy and uncomplicated mechanism whereby sexual offenders victims can apply to have an alleged offender tested for HIV and results disclosed to the victim.

Women in Africa

Some of the milestones achieved by African women over the past decade include the launch of the AU in Durban last year and the NEPAD Programme. This was a huge step towards the realisation of the rebirth and renewal of Africa. For this rebirth to be a reality, African women, can not be left outside and must play a central role in this process, particularly in the NEPAD Programmes and the AU structure, because they represent the poorest and most marginalized communities, in our country and the continent. The greatest challenge therefore, confronting us as women today, is to prioritise economic empowerment for women and pushing back the frontier of poverty.

We would like to acknowledge the strides taken by the AU, which ensured that 50% of AU commissioners, who will drive the implementation of NEPAD, are women. The Gender Directorate has also been established in the Office of the Chairperson of the Commission. The AU, in its second summit in Maputo this year, also endorsed and adopted the Protocol on Women based on the African Charter for Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women.

Women and Peace

South African women have had the opportunity to share experiences with women from war torn countries in Africa. These included women from the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Sudan. This gave us the opportunity to share our own experiences during the liberation struggle and the war against apartheid.

In the past year in particular, South African women have participated in the DRC / SA Women's Peace Dialogue which started during the DRC peace negotiations in Sun City in South Africa in March 2002. Mrs. Zanele Mbeki, was convenor of the dialogue, and she invited women from different political parties, community organisations, religious groups and NGO's to be part of the dialogue. The objectives of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue with South Africa women were to:

Share South African women's experiences during the struggle, negotiations and the transitional period
Share experiences on constitution making and the role women plated in this process in South Africa.
Share the impact that women have made in parliament, their achievements and gains
Share current challenges that still confront women in SA e.g. poverty, violence, abuse of women and children, HIV and AIDS
Share our experience of working as women from different political parties and backgrounds in a multi-party democracy.

As a follow-up to the meeting held in South Africa, a conference was held on 20-25 May 2003, in Kinshasa, DRC. South African women were invited to participate in the conference. The conference was a great success. At the end the women came out with a Declaration committing themselves and their country to peace and calling for the minimum 30% representation of women in all decision-making structures, in keeping with the SADC Declaration.

Furthermore, South African women have played a role, which brought together with UNIFEM and the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, in the Great Lakes Women's Peace Dialogue, which brings together women from the region, including women from the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Challenges for next Decade of Freedom

Institutional environment: The major challenge facing women at provincial and local government is to ensure consistency with the national framework on participation and implementation of government programmes. The environment in which women in local government work, is not always conducive to equality. Support mechanisms must be developed to ensure that an enabling framework is created at local and provincial government levels.

Financial capacity of local municipalities: A number of local municipalities also face financial challenges that hinder management and development of services to communities.

Skills development and capacity building: Skills development and training is another challenge facing women. The aim is to ensure that training provided enables councillors and managers to implement programmes in an effective manner.

Training in government processes, procedures and policies is also another critical area in which women in local government need empowerment.

Women in the Judiciary

The judiciary is one of the areas, which have been slow to change in South Africa. Women's participation in senior levels of judiciary remains very low.

There are 2 women judges in the Constitutional Court. When put together, the Appellate Division, the Transvaal Division, the Natal and Western Cape, Labour and Land Claims Court women don't make up to 5% in total.

In general, staff components of senior officials employed by the government in the judiciary, including Chief Magistrates, Magistrates, Attorney-General, Senior Prosecutors, Prosecutors, Senior Family Advocate, Family Advocate, Chief Inspector of Interpreters, Inspector of Interpreters, Principal Interpreters, Senior interpreters do not make 10% in total.

Although a number of challenges are unfolding in the judiciary, including a establishment of Special courts, policies and enactment of laws which improve the quality of life and status of women, the judiciary is slow to change.

Women in the economy One of the core features of the apartheid system was the exclusion of black people from structural ownership of wealth and resources. Therefore changing the structural ownership and control of the South African economy in South Africa is one of the critical challenges of democracy.

In particular, the relationship between race, gender and location affected the majority of black women (who were mainly in rural communities) and excluded them from the economy, except as providers of cheap labour. The post apartheid government inherited this complex manner in which participate in the economy.

Women in Trade

One of the key industrial policies is the commitment to fostering sustainable development in areas where poverty and unemployment are at their highest. The Spatial Development Initiatives are efforts to implement this commitment. The SDIs integrate concerns of women who live in areas most affected by poverty. The SDIs programmes aim to fast track development.

Since the democratic elections of 1994, there has been policy development, which aims to integrate women into the economy. The Department of Trade and Industry has been one of the pioneers in the development of policies and legislation, which create an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs. To this extent, the National Treasury has been part of the development of a gendered macroeconomic framework which addresses specific concern that women and their advancement I the economy.

The Department of Trade and Industry has developed a number of policies that integrate women in trade and in small and medium enterprises. Special attention is given to the historically disadvantaged individuals are participating in the highest decisions making structures in the industry, including board and management levels.

In the Black Economic Empowerment strategy, the department tries to integrate the gender component by ensuring that black women will be targeted for opportunities. As a result, historically disadvantaged individuals are participating in the highest decision making structures in the industry, including board and management levels.

The department has also focused on gender equity promotion of women-owned enterprises and co-operatives. The National Small Business Act of 2002 provides for a voice of small businesses and revision of the definition of small business. The Act mandates institutions to support the small businesses.

Women-owned enterprises are a large component of the small and medium economic enterprises. In its 'technology for women in business' programme, the Department of Trade and Industry has also identified the need to support women's advancement through technology.

Challenges

Access to credit remains one of the major obstacles in trade. Understanding the market through market research studies and analysis is also another area of concern. Understanding the market also affects marketing and quality of products.

Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act: Implications for Women

This Act has far reaching implications for changing patterns of economic resources in South Africa. The imperative is to redress historical imbalances on social inequalities in the control of mining resources in the country.

The Act crates an enabling environment for historically disadvantaged groups and women to enter the mining and petroleum industry and benefit from the nation's mineral wealth.

The Department of Minerals and Energy has identified the need for skills development and integration of women in the industry. It seeks to facilitate the implementation of employment equity within the industry.

The Department is currently developing a Human Resource Development Strategy for the minerals industry. Its approach integrates a Mines Qualifications Authority, which will formulate comprehensive skills development strategy that will interface education, experience and related advancement training.

Challenges

The minerals industry has been slow in implementing employment equity compared to other industries.

Labour and Human Development: Implications for women

The Department of Labour's National Skills Development and Strategy (NSDS) and the government's Human Resource Development Strategy (HRD) were developed in December 2001. The Ministers of Education and Labour initiated the review of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in order to support the skills development initiatives of the government.

The integration of gender in national skills development framework seeks to address specific challenges and concerns women face in trade, employment and development opportunities.

Challenges:

Despite many initiatives, women's position in the economy remains weak. On insecurity and low employment levels especially affect women. There is a need to develop long-term solutions. Initiatives such as "women in construction" that target women's ticipation in public works contracts in the provinces must be strengthened. One of the best examples of the peoples contract to crest work and fight poverty.
Women must be given corresponding training to ensure that they are able to benefit from the programmes that are being put in place.
The key challenge for women owned enterprises and SMMEs is sustainability. This is linked to access to funds and entry to and understanding the market.
In the private sector, women are severely under represented. Only 3.14% of al executives in the companies are female. Only 1.3% of the directors of the companies listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange are women

Women and Land ownership

The Land restitution Act will go a long way in changing patterns of wealth ownership in South Africa; those who have been excluded in the economy will need support and a positive environment

The definition of "farmer" changed radically in 1995 and integrated women who are involved in subsistence farming. Overall, government schemes and programmes target women who are generating subsistence through farming.

The government policy approach locates gender equality as central in al the processes, polices and programmes. The strategic objective is to mainstream gender equality and ensure that in all spheres of public work, women's concerns, women's health and gender equality considerations are integrated.

Achievements of post apartheid South Africa

These include:-

Regular and increased old age (pension) grants
Increased opportunities for income generation
Increased community development projects that provide job opportunities
Women in construction initiatives in provinces, such as the Victoria Mxenge Women's Project in Cape Town.

The Victoria Mxenge Women's Project and Ilitha labantu , an NGO which fights gender-based violence and abuse of women and children are a few great examples, which demonstrate the peoples' contract to create work and fight poverty!!!

Challenges:- Women are ready to join the People's Contract. To enable them to participate in their numbers, we must urgently address the following:-

Accessibility of procurement and tender processes: There is a need for simplified procurement processes and tender processes. In some cases, these procedures provide the weakest link between public institutions and communities, as they may be open touse. § Accountability: At local government, these accountability measures need to be strengthened. § Training must also be integrated in the local government process to ensure that women can develop successful projects and are given tenders based on their potential to provide the services. § Access to development funds: Currently, a number of developmental funds are in place. These developmental funds must be monitored and ensure that they are accessible to women.
A special fund for women's projects: One of the critical challenges facing women is access to basic funds to start their projects. But project requirements for these funds make them inaccessible to poor women who want to start small projects for liveood and support of their families. A special fund, which targets small projects, must be created. The national Treasury must mange such a fund. This fund does not replace other developmental funds nor does it mean women are excluded from these apex funds.