Programme Director;
Mong-Mabu Kgoshi TP Matlala; Members of the Executive Council;
Executive Mayor of Waterberg District Municipality, Cllr. Mories Mataboge;
Mayor of Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Cllr. Andrina Matsemela;
All Councillors present today;
Our Director-General, Ntate Nape Nchabeleng; Representatives of Women’s Organisations; Leaders of various political parties;
Ladies and gentlemen:
Let me take this opportunity on behalf of our government and greet all the women of our province on this important National Women’s Day. To all our mothers, the loving wives, the sisters and our daughters, I say ‘Malibongwe igama la makosikazi’.
I salute you in the name of celebrated icons of women struggles – I talk of women such as Mama Charlotte Maxeke, Rahima Moosa, Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Sophie Williams, Dora Tamana, , Ida Mntwana, Bertha Gxowa, Florence Matomela and many others.
These and many others are the women who fought bravely and tirelessly to bring apartheid government to its knees. We salute them, and vow to honour their legacy by continuing with the strugglesof for the total emancipation of women.
Programme Director;
Our celebrations this year have been preceded by a number of incidents of abuse and violence against women. It is almost like a terrible fashion trend wherein week in and week out we hear and read about the assault, killing and mutilation of women.
The levels of violence against women are terrifying and unacceptable. The saddest thing about violence against women is that it is being perpetrated by the people who are supposed to love and protect them.
Statistics show that more often than not, a woman will be assaulted, harassed or killed by someone she knows than a total stranger.
Experience proves that the abuse of women comes in different shapes and sizes. In the recent past we have seen horrific episodes were women are not just killed but also burnt to ashes.
The real challenge for all of us is to ensure a working partnership between women’s organisation and progressive men’s organisation so that we can expose and isolate the abusers.
Beyond exposing and isolating these abusers we need to ensure that the victims of these abuses do not resign from life as a result of these abuses.
We know that abused women are left with almost permanent scars. It is for this reason that we must strengthen our victim support and empowerment programmes for all the abused women.
Programme director;
The work for us is still huge. One of the best defences we can provide for women is to ensure their socio-economic liberation. It is the duty of government to ensure that we break the historic barriers which have denied women opportunities to provide for themselves and their families.
Researchers have proven that one of the things that traps women in abusive relationships is the economic muscles of the abuser. Of then, women stay in these relationships not for themselves, but as a means to ensure that the children do not lose their homes and support.
It is for this reason that the government has tailored biased programmes and initiatives that are aimed at ensuring that women play a meaningful role in the economic life of the country.
We believe that an economically liberated woman stands a better chance to reason and take action against abuse.
In this regard, we invite the private sector to come on board. The reality is that corporate boardrooms in the private sector remain male dominated;
This sad reality nourishes the false narrative that women are incapable.
Our battle is also far from complete for as long as women and girl children continue to become victims of abusive cultural practices;
One of these abusive cultural practices is the phenomenon of forced marriages.
Part of the problem that continues to confront us as government is the tendency by fathers of not providing for their children.
It is unacceptable that a father should be forced by a court order for him to maintain his wife and children;
We have kids who receive child support grants whilst their fathers have decent jobs and are driving around with flashy cars, wearing designer clothes and drinking dated alcohol. This is not only embarrassing, but criminal at the same time.
Such fathers must be exposed and be brought before the law.
As government we cannot rest for as long as some of our girl children are still forced by poverty to bear the indignity of life without decent sanitary towels;
We have committed our government to finding a practical solution to the issue of sanitary towels for our school going girls. Our stance is that no girl child should miss day of school simply because she is on her periods.
In this regard, we invite the private sector to partner with government in restoring the dignity of our children.
Programme Director;
The days of a woman’s place being limited to the kitchen are over. The days of young girls being denied the right to be educated simply because they are women are over.
As I have already said, the days of young women being forced into arranged loveless marriages are over.
The time has come for all of us to recognise women’s right as human rights.
Like their male counterparts, women should be allowed to exercise choices such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination.
Our government will not rest until all women are able to enjoy a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making.
Programme Director;
We call on all women to take advantage of the laws and policies that government has put in place for their own upliftment and protection.
We have the most progressive set of legislations which are aimed at advancing the rights and interests of women. Part of these legislations includes:
- The Employment Equity Act – this legislation ensures that there is parity between men and women in the work place.
- The Prevention of Unfair of Unfair Discrimination Act ensures that women are not being discriminated simply on the basis of them being women. It is an offence in this country to discriminate against a woman on the basis of her gender.
- The Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment ensures that women are assisted and provided with opportunities to prosper in the economic world.
- The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act is also an important piece of legislation. This legislation ensures that our traditional marriages are recognised by the law and that women who are married under customary law enjoy equal protection like those who are married under western laws.
To support these progressive legislations, we also have progressive institutions such as the Commission on Gender Equality which is aimed at advancing the constitutional rights of women in our country.
Programme director;
Allow me in conclusion to take this opportunity and say; Happy Women’s Day to all women of our country!
Wathint' Abafazi Wathint' imbokodo!
I thank you!
