Honourable Speaker;
Honourable Members;
The People of Ugu District Municipality and KwaZulu-Natal;
We gather during Women’s Month to present the 2020 Women’s Parliament Progress Report on the resolutions we took together to promote the status and wellbeing of the women of our beautiful province.
We take immense pride in the work that is done by this Legislature. It is an activist Parliament of the people both in word and deed. It lives in the lives of the women, the poor, and marginalised of our land.
We salute it for hosting this session of the 2021 Women’s Parliament among the people of Umuziwabantu Local Municipality. This is a fulfilment of the Freedom Charter which boldly stated that, “The People Shall Govern” and that “no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of all the people.”
The Freedom Charter which remains a torchbearer of the ANC-led government was a product of a long campaign from August 1953 until 26 June 1955.
During Women’s Month, we salute the countless women in the multiracial Federation of South African Women, the Congress Alliance, and the Congress of the People that organised and collected demands that were incorporated in the Freedom Charter. It was again these heroic women who in 1956 organised the biggest march in the history of our country to the seat of government to protest against J G Strydom and the the tyranny of the pass laws.
We pay tribute to women like isithwalandwe Lilian Ngoyi, Dorothy Nyembe, Bertha Gxowa, Frances Baard, Helen Joseph, Ruth First, Rahima Moosa, Florence Mkhize, Fatima Meer, isithwalandwe Sophie DeBruin-Williams and many more.
These women and those in the eighties were following in the footsteps of a giant of our liberation struggle, Charlotte Maxeke who would have turned 150 years this year. They had taken the baton and followed her wise counsel that, “This work is not for yourselves. Kill that spirit of self and do not live above your people but live with them, and if you can rise, bring someone with you.”
As we rebuild our province from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic and the ruins of violent destruction that we recently witnessed, we must be guided by Charlotte Maxeke’s counsel and patriotism.
We must use her inspiring story and achievements in a patriarchal and racist society to forge ahead in creating a society that is truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, equal, and prosperous.
We must use her memory in the year dedicated to celebrate her legacy to accelerate the campaign for gender equality, to make sure that we deliberately promote women’s rights, and to consciously build Generation Equality.
Our socio-economic programmes meant to lift women out of poverty and to improve their standing in society should be guided by a history which reminds us that black women in South Africa suffered the phenomenon of triple oppression. They suffered as a racial group, as a class, and as women.
Mainstreaming gender and advancing gender budgeting must therefore be a non-negotiable for our provincial government. The programmes we spoke to yesterday which include Operation Vula, RASET, SMME development, set asides for women, the skilling of women, and improving the delivery of basic services are a must if we are to end the plight of women who remain the face of poverty, unemployment, inequality, and violent abuse.
Let us be reminded of what Mozambique President, Samora Machel once said: “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, a guarantee of its continuity and a precondition for its victory”
Honourable Speaker,
Let me report back on the progress made on the resolutions taken at the 2020 Women’s Parliament. I will only focus on highlights of the progress report, and various MEC’s will elaborate and provide details as we sit for this session.
During the last sitting of the Women’s Parliament, a concern was raised regarding the lack of professionalism in some SAPS community service centres when dealing with GBV victims.
The Women’s Parliament resolved that the Department of Community Safety should pay a special attention in capacitating SAPS to handle GBV cases.
We can report that SAPS and DCS is rolling out training for SAPS members in dealing with GBV victims. They have introduced a monitoring tool that they use to assess or to detect non-compliance by members. In this regard, 183 social workers and 60 volunteers from Social Development were employed at police stations to attend to Gender Based Violence cases.
In addition:
• DCSL hosted a training workshop of all eThekwini FCS on Human Trafficking Behavior change programmes for 2108 youth, men and boys.
• GBV Awareness Campaigns implemented reaching 66 806 people in KZN province.
The Women’s Parliament in 2020 also resolved that Provincial government should attend to the issues of farm workers and enforce the application of the minimum wage rates as prescribed in law.
We can report that our research indicates that the failure to pay the minimum wage at farms affects both women and men.
Inspectors of the Department of Employment and Labour will continue to conduct inspections to monitor compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act. In 2020/21 a total of 1572 inspections were conducted in the farming sector and a total of 17 cases were referred for prosecution for failure to comply with the enforcement notices issued. During the 1st quarter (01 April -30 June 2021) of the current financial year, a total of 117 inspections have been conducted in the farming sector and 9 cases have been referred for prosecution.
Honourable Members, last year this Parliament took a resolution that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) must ensure that more programmes focusing on women are implemented in local municipalities.
COGTA is heeding the call. Today we report that COGTA in partnership with civil society, religious sector and traditional leaders has implemented four workshops on the Local Government Toolkit. On 4-5 November 2020 for instance, 12 women officials from uGu; Ray Nkonyeni; Harry Gwala; Greater Kokstad and uMzimkhulu were trained. The full report gives figures for other municipalities that received training.
Female Amakhosi from all eleven districts also participated in the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Dialogue hosted COGTA on the 24th of July 2020.
The female traditional leaders and Ondlunkulu participated in the commemoration of International Women’s Day coordinated by the Office of the Premier and the Department on the 8th of March 2021. The aim of their participation was to empower oNdlunkulu beZizwe as champions of rural development within traditional communities and encourage Ondlunkulu and the rural women to participate in the co-operative movement in KwaZulu-Natal and effectively contribute to economic growth of the rural areas.
In 2021/2022, COGTA is financially supporting Flagship Projects to provide Women Development Programmes under the following:
- uMkhanyakude District: Bhambanana Flagship Project
- uThukela District: Vukuzenzele Flagship Project
- uMgungundlovu District: KZN iMpendle Flagship Project
- iLembe District: KwaChili Flagship Project
The Women’s Parliament last year noted and decried the persisting economic inequality between men and women. It resolved that government must fast track the realization of equity in the economy.
We can report that the Department of Community Safety and Liaison has prioritised women in leadership positions and posts. At the time of compiling the report, 62% of the Departmental Staff is women with 47 forming part of the Departmental management from level 9-13. Over the 2020 /21 financial year, 181 Women owned -companies benefitted to the value of nearly R10 million.
DAC is currently profiling emerging authors, poets, artists, sound engineers and videographers and is supporting black owned organizations for film production, videography and streaming.
DARD has introduced a new indicator, “Number of female farmer projects supported by the Department”. The indicator is strategically introduced to track progress made in providing significant support to female farmers. The Department has an Agricultural Development Policy that was approved on 21 December 2020 which makes provision for every successful application from farming entities owned by women within the Smallholder & Commercial producer categories to receive an additional 15% on grant funding. By end of Quarter 4, the Department has supported a total of 50 female owned projects against an annual target of 27 female owned projects.
The Department of Human Settlement is fast tracking the realization of equity in the economy and set asides for women. DHS has developed a Siyakha Incubation Programme which is going to focus on training, capacity building, mentorship and targeted procurement. The programme is opening up opportunities for the entrance of emerging companies in the sector.
In the next 3 years, these will be trained and be allocated work through compulsory sub-contracting and Siyakha Incubation Programme. A total number of the 164 women owned companies met the minimum requirements to be included in the Siyakha Incubation Programme. The Department has created a total of 4 851 work opportunities to date with 682 work opportunities created for women in quarter 4 and 1 378 work opportunities are youth.
The Department has awarded contracts to businesses owned by women to the amount of more than R 46 million (15.89%).
In addition, the Department has a total of 140 youth participating in the Skills Development Programme with 70 work opportunities being women. This translate to 50% of the total work opportunities created.
Fellow Members of this August House, last year the Women’s Parliament also resolved that the Provincial Government must spearhead a back-to-basics campaign that will fast-track implementation of policies that will ensure the informal and formal economy goes to the hands of local women and youth of South Africa as part of Post Covid19 Recovery Plan in KZN.
We wish to report that COGTA is in the forefront of assisting with improving the regularisation of informal trade and to provide a more sophisticated space for businesses in this sector so that they improve from informal economic activities.
EDTEA is empowering women through programmes like bulk buying and Zimele Traders Fund, Operation Vula commodities, Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation (RASET) and the operation Vula fund. EDTEA has approved funding for 443 women owned businesses, which represents 43% of the total successful applications.
EDTEA is implementing the women empowerment strategy. It has an incubator programme focusing on the downstream aluminium; metals and engineering industry. It also directly or indirectly links with the other related industries, with women in construction. Thirty (30) women entrepreneurs have benefited on the programme with several training programmes focusing on skills development in the sector, mentorship, access to infrastructure and compliance within the industry.
EDTEA also has a 12-month SMME mentorship programme (iMbokodo Iyazenzela) designed to support women who were the top 20 winners, in partnership with Ithala Development Finance Corporation.
Noting the concerning rise in GBV and femicide cases in Kwa-Zulu Natal, last year this parliament resolved that the Justice system must impose harsher sentences for GBV and femicide perpetrators and give more support to the rehabilitation of offenders.
Indeed the Justice system is making strides in imposing harsher sentences for GBV and femicide perpetrators. We can report that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is strengthening legislation to effectively punish GBV. It is seized with Domestic Violence Act ,1998, Bill( B17-2020) Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill and B16-2020 ) Criminal Law ( Sexual Offences and Related Matters Bill ). Bail and parole are regulated by national legislation. DCSL works with communities to assist in opposing bail in some GBV cases in terms of the legislation.
During this quarter, 3285 arrests were made on GBV cases in the Province. No less than 31017 victims are receiving psychosocial support through DSD. Through Social Development, the province has increased the Thuthuzela Care Centres from 6 to 8 in 7 districts. Work is ongoing to establish one in Ingwavuma.
Honourable Speaker, last year the Women’s Parliament also resolved that KwaZulu-Natal must advocate for specialized courts that will deal with gender-based violence only, to avoid delay and backlog in the existing courts.
Courts in KZN hear sexual offences irrespective of whether they are designated sexual offences. Currently, there are12 designated Sexual Offences Courts in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Ntuzuma, Umlazi, Mbumbulu, Pinetown, Empangeni, Madadeni, and Scottburgh.
A resolution was also taken that government must address the root causes of violence and moral decay by introducing a gender-equality module from primary schools’ curriculum.
We wish to report that the Department of Education has reviewed its curriculum Life Orientation speaks to gender roles and gender equality. There is module that will be introduced to address root causes of violence and moral decay by introducing gender-equality module from Primary Schools’ Curriculum whereby both boy and girl children will be taught and groomed to be better human beings in our societies.
The Department of Education is especially targeting farm schools and special schools. This programme aims to achieve better enrolment for girl learners, to combat absenteeism and to bringing back the dignity for all girl learners and protect them from GBV. The Department of Education provides sanitary towels to needy girl learners in Quintile 1, 2, 3 and certain learners in Quintile 4.
Honourable Members, a resolution was taken last year that all levels of Government should prioritise employment of disabled people. The report we are presenting today shows that all levels of Government are making strides in prioritising employment of disabled people. COGTA has set a good example by exceeding the 2% target to be at 2.4%. Provincial Treasury has done well too to have reached the 2% target.
On the resolution that women living with disabilities must be part of the mainstream economy, we can report that DOT SCM Policy is aligned with the Preferential Procurement Regulations. The RET objectives of the department are implemented by utilizing a holistic and focused strategy to promote Black Economic Empowerment by ensuring that 5% of procurement spend goes to people with disabilities. Businesses owned by people with disabilities are encouraged to register on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) as Departments are facing a challenge to identify companies owned by disabled women.
COGTA, EDTEA and SALGA are also working together through the Interprovincial Task Team coordinated by DSBD on Red Tape Reduction and Ease of Doing Business. Community Work Programme is directly benefiting 82.6% (37071) through employment opportunities. At least 306 participants in the Programme are Women living with disabilities.
The Women’s Parliament resolved that law enforcement must prioritize safety for women living with albinism as they live in fear of being killed for muthi. In this regard, SAPS is issuing extra safety protocols when dealing with albinism cases and issues of GBV.
Honourable Speaker, the 2020 Women’s Parliament was justifiably appalled by allegations of corruption and malfeasance regarding funds meant to fight Covid-19 and save the lives of our people. We wish to reiterate our commitment as the sixth Administration that we are determined to root out corruption in the public service.
We agree with last year’s resolution that law enforcement agencies must be supported in investigating these allegations. We can report that the OTP initiated the process that led to the investigation of the alleged corruption. SAPS, SIU, NPA, DOJ etc. have worked tirelessly with the investigations. Some suspects have seen their days in court, monies have been recuperated, and other cases are still under the prosecution processes.
Honourable Members, I present this progress report as a high-level of the work done on the implementation of last year’s women parliament, while details will be provided by Members of the Executive Council.
This report, on it own, attest to the struggle to realise a truly non-sexist society. To say that there is progress in addressing gender patriarchy is correct, but to think all have been achieved will be incorrect. As we deliberate, may our discussions and resolutions be inspired by the need to restore the dignity and honour of all the women of KwaZulu-Natal.
Working together, let us walk in the footsteps of Charlotte Maxeke to advance women’s rights and to achieve Generation Equality in our lifetime. It is time to rise with all the women of our province to rebuild the KwaZulu-Natal of our dreams.
Together Growing KwaZulu-Natal!
I thank you!!!