26 May 2004
Madam Speaker
Honourable President
Deputy President
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Members and Colleagues
Let us be reminded once again while the successes of our third national democratic election is still vivid in our memories, the millions of electorates who went out to cast their votes on the 14th April 2004, 55% were women young and old, black and white and this is a good signal for a people driven society where people are governing through various formation in the civil society.
Mongameli
Egameni lamakhosikazi eli lizwe ndithi (Ukwanda kwaliwa nguMthakathi). Sinelunda sizingca namhlanje kuba asilindeli mvuthuluka, izitya zabelwa abantu ngokwemisebenzi kananjalo sinesidima nondiliseko ngenxa yomqulu wamakhosikazi owamiselwa ngo 1954. Ngamakhosikazi afana nooLilian Ngoyi, Albertina Sisulu, Ray Simon, Dora Tamane namanye amaqhawekazi asalandulele. Kungoko ke namhlanje isigqeba sakho sinamakhosikazi angabaphathiswa, nabasekelwa baphathiswa sithi 'Halala Mongameli' siyazi ukuthi amaqobokazana angalala endleleni kuzeke 'kunyembelekile'.
Comrade President the Women of our Country recognised and respect the role played by our Stalwaard Cde Ray Alexander Simon in the struggle of our country, this is one woman who played a role in the struggle of workers, in the struggle of women and in our national democratic struggle.
Siyabulela Mongameli ngokuwonga eliqhawekazi ngesithwalandwe xa besibhiyozela iminyaka engamashumi amahlanu yomqulu wamakhosikazi owasekwa ngo 1954.
Madam Speaker
The years of struggle that followed after were largely determined by the contribution of women in which ever way they were able to contribute in the struggle for total liberation in this country. This was further shown by the contribution of the famous women's march of 1956 to the Union Building. A battle cry was established as a warning to Strydom that, 'Wathinta bafazi Wathint'imbhokotho uzokufa' interestingly so he died.
Madam Speaker
In the 10 years of Democracy
The ANC led Government has passed numerous laws that has changed the lives of the Women of South Africa and all our people. These laws include:
Rural Women
There are several specific job creation initiatives that are ongoing. The Botshabelo Vegetable Project in the Maraba Village in Limpopo is thriving, and so is the Barrydale Brick making Project in the Western Cape. The full impact of these and other projects like them can clearly be seen in the story of the Phutuma Project in Limpopo. In this project, a group of previously destitute women now make clothing, fences and bricks with equipment purchased through our government's Poverty Eradication Fund.
A number of targeted small, medium and micro enterprises have been established to ensure that businesses, and women-owned enterprises in particular, get access to information, training counselling, markets and technology.
Through the Housing Department, the ANC-led government introduced the Rural Housing Loan fund and Women for Housing. This is a world-class for rural families (especially rural women) to improve their housing, economic and living environment.
The Working for Water Programme is part of the Water Conservation Campaign, which employ local people in the clearing of invasive alien vegetation.
This improves the available water supply and provides a means of livelihood for unemployed people.
The programme has created a number of jobs that mainly benefit rural women.
Flowing from the state of Nation address by the President with a regard to implementation of the expanded Public Works Programme as witnessed in Giyani in Limpopo during the first part of its implementation, we have seen Youth and Women who were never exposed to employment in their lives are now employed and will be gaining experience and skills.
Women and Poverty
The Government has committed itself in the acceleration of rural and urban development programmes especially to women in poverty stricken communities, prioritising both rural and urban nodes, to show its commitment to this, it has done the following:
There is now Child Support Grants (CGS) that target the poorest households in our country, and which reach three million of the poorest children. Frequently, these grants mean the difference between malnutrition and starvation on the one hand, and having the means to provide a child with food on the other. The Government has plans to extend the (CSG) a maximum of age 7-14 by 2005.
Nutrition programmes for school-going children have also been introduced to ease the plight facing poverty-stricken women with children.
The programme is activated through Primary School Nutrition Programme (PSNP). The PSNP allocation increases by 28.7% in real terms from 2002/2003 to 2003/2004. The increased allocation to the PSNP is aimed at improving the frequency of feeding, the standardisation of Menus, extending the number of Schools and including of grade R pupils in the programme.
Madam Speaker
The past ten years has also been significant increase of women in the public sector, their occupation of senior management structures, and the increase in their earning and purchasing power, reinforcing their critical economic role, previously and currently in some places - underestimated.
As we address the challenges of transformation of this economy and role of the public and private sector and labour and community, therein the reality in improving, recognising the role of women must pre-occupy us in a dynamic way. We cannot wittingly or unwittingly underplay, marginalize the role of women when we have correctly identified the magnitude of poverty and joblessness as being huge and unacceptable, needing all power and creativity at our disposal to imaginatively deal with.
The past ten years of democracy has also spawned new dynamics of migration the urban, rural dynamics now include women as migrants - as they move to urban areas to find better prospects of economic survival. This reality has implications for the economy backbone these women have been in, in the rural areas.
Therefore Our urban and rural development and linkage strategies must be mindful of these patterns and respond to it creatively.
Madam Speaker
The ANC led government has further adopted the Beijing Platform of Action, it has also acceded to the UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of descrimination against women and has accepted the SADC Declaration. It has been in the forefront in committing SADC Countries to the 30% representation of Women in decision making bodies of the Council, creating an environment, for women to center stage at looking at issues of Eradicating Poverty and diseases in their Countries and promote economic development.
Madam Speaker
Education and empowering of our children must be done in a manner that removes gender stereotype, that does a way with bias and prejudice about who can do what work and who should be educated and not educated.
Our campaign for education of men in particular linked in the moral regeneration will play a crucial role in the struggle for gender equality.
Gender Equality
Education and upbringing of our children must be done in such a manner that removes stereotypes, that does a way with bias and prejudice about who can do what work and who should be educated and not educated.
Our campaign for education of men in Particular linked in the moral regeneration will play a crucial role in the struggle for gender equality.
We celebrate the 2010 successful bid not just as an African triumph, but also as going to accelerate the breakdown of barriers about who plays football.
We see increased recruitment into the Banyana Banyana provincial and local ranks as well. Sporting - sexual barriers are crumbling and there is no turning back.
I thank you.