ADDRESS BY GAUTENG PREMIER, Ms NOMVULA
MOKONYANE AT THE WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATIONS
09 AUGUST 2011
Programme Director: MEC Lebogang Maile,
Tshwane Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa
Honourable Members of the Executive Council,
Members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
Esteemed Traditional Leaders
Honourable Mayors and Councillors
Representatives of different women organisations,
Women of Gauteng,
Ladies and gentlemen.
It is a great privilege for me to be addressing you all on this
auspicious day, fifty-five years after the women of this country,
both black and white, did the unthinkable of marching to the seat of
government. Today, we marvel at the fact that Fifty-five years ago
on this day, more than twenty thousand (20 000) women from all
corners of South Africa marched to the citadel of power, the Union
Buildings
in
Pretoria,
against
discriminatory pass laws.
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racial
segregation
and
the
Led by Lillian Ngoyi, Sophie Williams-de Bruyn, Amina Cachalia,
Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph and others, these women took the
struggle for freedom and democracy to a higher level.
This commemorative gathering follows hot on the heels of the passing
away of one of the heroine of our struggle Mama Albertina Nontsikelelo
Sisulu, a great leader in her own right and the Mother of the Nation. We
dedicate this gathering to her memory and to that of many other great
women leaders that our struggle has produced. Especially, those women
who, against all odds were prepared to sacrifice their all to confront the
regime of Strydom in their quest for political freedom during that
momentous march on the Union Buildings.
We need to emulate some of the character traits of these women of
being humble, selfless, tenacious, resolute, focused and inspirational.
We need to show a sense of dedication to a cause, like they did.
Theirs was a life born of struggle for the liberation of their people, and
still is for some of them who are still alive, like Auntie Sophie de Bruyn.
They were inspired by the spirit of their forebears - Sekhukhuni, the
Rain-Queen Modjadji, Hintsa, Mkabayi, Manthata wa Basotho, Makana,
Shaka, Moshoeshoe, Bambatha, and many others.
Today, as we pay tribute to these struggle heroines, we also pay tribute
to women from all sectors of our society for the role they have played –
over the many years in struggle - and still do play in the struggle to
advance freedom and women’s socio-economic emancipation.
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The history of South African struggle is now richer by the contribution
that these women made toward the attainment of democracy and
freedom. Suffice it to say, that the defining traits of their altruism and
moral rectitude were part of their character.
Our decision as government to build a living monument here in Tshwane
as a heritage site in honour of these women and the women of South
Africa, in general, is instructive of our resolve to address gender
transformation. Additionally, this is to ensure that generation after
generation their feat and memory was not lost.
Programme Director,
Recently, the Gauteng Province lost one of its Gender Activist, Bishop
Mapula Maboea, who was active in the establishment of the Gauteng
Moral Regeneration Movement as well as launching the Gauteng
Chapter of the Progressive Women’s Movement. She was laid to rest on
the 05 August 2011 and our sincere condolences go to the Maboea
family.
Nationally the passing of Mama Cynthia Molo is also heartfelt as she
contributed to the development of Women in Agriculture and Rural
Development (WARD) and was the President of WARD at the time of
her passing away.
Mama Molo was recently given the Baobab award by the State
President for her remarkable work in advancing women farmers. Mama
Molo will be laid to rest on the 14 of August in the Eastern Cape.
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We pass our condolences to the Molo family as well as to the Gauteng
WARD for the loss of their President.
Distinguished Guests,
It is worth noting, that as Gauteng Provincial Government we believe
that effective women development and gender transformation cannot be
fully achieved without the development and empowerment of women,
both young and old,
However, the challenges that face young women today in Gauteng are
more poignant. Some of these challenges include the high number of
teenage pregnancies, high rate of unemployment and lack of role
models.
It should be a serious concern for all of us when young women fall
pregnant in their teens and schooling age because we know that they
are likely to be subjected to undesirable consequences of teenage
pregnancy. These consequences include the possibility of dropping out
from school, possible rejection from the family and the society.
More and more young women in Gauteng are becoming casualties as
they predominantly seek child support grant for the maintenance of
children that they get premature to their full development and or
independence. As government we need to develop strategies of taking
these young women out of the vicious cycle of grant opportunism.
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It is also sad that a number of young women today have allowed
themselves to be used as sex object for purposes of financial and
material gains.
Increasingly, young women no longer takes pride in who they are. The
exchange of fast cash for their womanhood has become a norm for
young women even if it means that they are exploited by men who
abuse their youthfulness.
In most cases of teenage pregnancy, in an attempt to avoid such a
situation, many young women have resorted to the illegal and unsafe
back-street abortions as measures to terminate those pregnancies
before they get noticed. Unfortunately some of them have died, whilst
others are suffering permanent damage of their reproductive systems.
An issue of teenage pregnancy cannot be undermined because it has far
reaching socio-economic consequences on the development of young
women; in fact it is amongst those factors that contribute to the
perpetuation of a vicious cycle of young women's plight including the
dependency syndrome, that I have alluded to, and high levels of school
dropout amongst other things.
We should accelerate our attention to family planning and women’s
reproductive rights, focusing on preventing teenage pregnancy and
reducing the number of unwanted babies. This should go beyond the
distribution of condoms but include the promotion of other prevention
options for women, young and old, and civic education.
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Distinguished guests,
A country’s health performance is measured, amongst other indicators,
by its maternal and infant mortality rate. A recent report published by the
Human Rights Watch says that “South Africa is failing maternity care,
and that a lack of oversight and accountability undermines one of its top
goals.” The province of Gauteng has as one of its most important
priorities the reduction in maternal mortality. We are determined to
ensure that no child should have its mother dying during childbirth and
we are resolved that we will dramatically reduce maternal mortality in
Gauteng. We have put in place a number of strategies to reduce the
maternal and infant mortality rate.
One of the most effective ways to prevent maternal mortality is to ensure
that pregnant women access care throughout their pregnancy, starting in
the early stages and continuing right up to when they give birth.
Through the “Know your Status” campaign the community is gradually
becoming aware of the importance of booking early for antenatal visits,
although a lot of work still needs to be done to increase this number.
The hospitals are implementing the 10 Recommendations of the Saving
Mothers Report, which capture the most important steps to prevent
maternal deaths. Two provincial committees have been established to
advise the Department on methods and interventions to reduce
maternal, neonatal, infant and child morbidity and mortality.
These committees will ensure rigorous monitoring and analysis of
maternal and infant mortality in 2011/12. In addition, all district, regional
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and central hospitals, including specialised hospitals, conduct morbidity
and mortality meetings each month to investigate every death and
improve management of hospitals.
In addition, the Province is currently appointing district clinical specialist
teams comprising of an obstetrician, paediatrician, midwife and a family
physician based at the district level to strengthen maternal and child
health care and reduce mortality. These teams will form part of the
primary health care strategy of taking services to the people.
As a matter of emphasis, we have taken a conscious decision this year
that during Women’s Month we will focus on the promotion of women’s
health, including reproductive health rights.
The promotion of women’s health will ensure heightened interventions
on HIV, Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign to mobilise women to
know their status. It will also encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics as early as possible to reduce incidences of maternal and
infant mortality. As government, we have become more proactive on
maternal and child health, especially with regards to HIV and Aids.
The country’s new universal approach to HIV stipulates that all pregnant
women living with HIV must be treated with anti-retrovirals when their
CD4 count drops below 350. Also, prevention of mother to child
transmission now starts at 14 weeks gestation instead of 28 weeks as
previously practiced.
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Statistics show that for every one young man of 15 to 24 years old, there
are three young women or girls with HIV and Aids within the same age
category. These and other related attitudinal trends or behavioural
patterns would require a more scientific approach to drastically change
the socio-economic situations confronting women in the current political
landscape. A lot still needs to be done to change these attitudes and
behaviours.
In general, even though women now have increasing opportunities to
access treatment, care and support, HIV and Aids continues to affect
women the most.
There is however, a tremendous progress in
preventing mother-to-child transmissions. In fact more children are born
without HIV in the province.
Programme Director,
We acknowledge that violence against women and girls has become a
scourge, not only in our province but in the entire country. The high
incidences of rape cases, including the so-called corrective rapes, as
well as other forms of physical and psychological abuse of women and
girls are evidence of this.
There are concerted efforts towards addressing this challenge through
legislation, policy, positive measures, increased policing and the
provision of services to victims. The Criminal Justice and Safety and
Security systems are now beginning to deal with this crisis in a gendersensitive manner.
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A roundtable discussion of all stakeholders in the Gender Based
Violence sector was held during the 16 Days of activism campaign. The
purpose for the roundtable was to ensure improved coordination of work
in response to the needs of the GBV victims.
During this Women’s Month we will launch the Domestic Violence
Prevention Forum. The forum will ensure the coordination of services
and management of Gender Based Violence cases in order to fast track
the finalization of GBV cases.
To date two cases of corrective crimes have been reported in the Kwa
Thema area. The Gauteng Government as part of the Women’s Month
programmes will undertake an awareness campaign on the rights of
Lesbian, Gays, Bisexuals and Trans- gender (LGBT) community.
As part of the programmes run by The Department of Community Safety
we will forge ahead with the promotion of rights for LGBT as well as
involving the LGBT organization in the GPG Domestic Violence
Prevention Forum.
Furthermore, the Department of Community Safety will continue with its
responsibility of providing social crime prevention programmes which
includes the reduction of violence against women and children. Through
the Ikhaya Le Themba one stop centre, multi disciplinary services are
provided to victims of abuse.
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Distinguished Guests,
We are aware that poverty also remains a major problem for women in
South Africa. The systematic and socially-engineered location of women
in rural areas, and the underdevelopment of infrastructure in these
areas, has been directly responsible for the poor conditions under which
the majority of South Africa’s rural communities live.
In line with this year’s theme: “Working together to enhance women’s
opportunities to economic empowerment,” the Gauteng government has
given priority to promoting women’s access to economic opportunities.
Year 2011 was declared a Year of Job Creation by the President of the
Republic Jacob Zuma during the State of the Nation Address, and it is,
therefore, critical that the job creation efforts incorporate the direct
benefit for women of Gauteng.
It is in that spirit that we in Gauteng are paying attention to improving
women’s access to job opportunities. By the end of the current financial
year 2011/12, over 34 000 women will have benefited from the
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
In addition, the Gauteng Province will ensure that during this Women’s
Month, women as the majority of voters (52%) gain access to more job
opportunities created in the province in order to contribute to their
economic empowerment.
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To date a total of 408 cooperatives are currently being contracted in the
production of school uniform. The plan is to expand this to 425 by end
of the current financial year. Of the 408, 395 established women sewing
cooperatives are appointed to manufacture the school uniform, 9 jersey
cooperatives have been appointed to manufacture school jersey’s and 4
shoe manufacturing cooperatives are appointed to produce school
shoes .
The GPG Departments are also required to ensure that spending on
procurement prioritizes SMME’s and Women owned business. The
BBBEE target of 30% remains compulsory in awarding business to
women-owned companies and has to be implemented beyond the
Women’s Month.
It is also instructive to note that, over 200 women’s cooperatives
continue to benefit from job opportunities such as producing and
supplying linen, fresh produce to government institutions as well as
supplying government with school uniform for children from no-fee
paying schools.
Programme Director,
In conclusion, allow me to quote one of the women’s struggle veterans,
uMama Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu, when she said these words,” We
are required to walk our own road- and then stop, assess what we have
learned and share it with others. It is only in this way that the next
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generation can learn from those who have walked before them… We
can do no more than tell our story.”
As women, I believe that we have come thus far because we have learnt
to be advocates of our own fate and have learnt from those that came
before us. As women we need to have more conversation with ourselves
and the rest of society so as to understand ourselves as well as be
understood by society as a whole.
As women, we must continue to take charge of our destiny in every facet
of our lives in order to own and cherish success which awaits us in
future.
Malibongwe!
Igama Lamakhosikazi!
Dankie
Ngiyabonga
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