M Lekota: Women's Day celebrations during Women's Month

11 August 2006

Programme Director,
Cabinet Ministers,
Deputy Ministers,
Members of Parliament,
General Godfrey Ngwenya, Chief of the South African National Defence
Force,
Dr B. Bam, Chairperson of Independent Electoral Commission,
Members of the Department of Defence Plenary Defence Staff Council,
Senior Officers of the South African National Defence Force,
Non-Commissioned officers,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The Department of Defence has chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of
South Africa’s historic Women’s March to the Union Buildings in 1956 by way of
a special South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Women’s Parade. Through
this parade we seek to acknowledge duty and obligation, profile and recognise
the progress and achievements of all women of this country. We also seek to
acknowledge the ongoing struggle to achieve liberation and equality between the
sexes.

This spectacle of SANDF women on parade here this morning compels us to
reflect on the history of South African women who have shed their precious
blood in battle; and, many who, in addition, have managed to raise families and
support loved ones whilst suffering the pain, degradation and suffering of
people at war.

On a day like this we should reflect on the courage and valour of South
African women at war. A few examples in this regard would include the 17th
century, Chieftainess Hoho, a Khoi leader of the Eastern Cape, who was a
warrior and commander of great ability; the 18th century Sotho Chieftainess,
Mmanthatisi, another renowned military commander, whose ability in battle sent
shock waves amongst her male adversaries; and more recently, 20th century women
of all races played a valuable role in the Second World War and in the freedom
struggles against colonialism, imperialism and apartheid.

I recognise that many of you, black and white, who fought for our freedom
are here in this stadium this morning.

Since the integration and formation of the post-1994 SANDF, the Department
of Defence has developed plans and strategies to ensure equal opportunities for
all women in the organisation. The challenge however has been in the arena of
comprehensive compliance and support.

We must determine and ensure that the women of our department, on merit,
have equal opportunities for advancement as their male counterparts. This is
not political expediency but rather a recognition that we can ill-afford to
exclude a sector of our society that has so much to offer, in all spheres of
conventional defence, peacekeeping and the economic development of South
Africa.

A significant part of our history therefore has been about women with the
courage to fight injustice and break down social barriers to acceptance and
recognition as equals and leaders in a patriarchal society.

In this regard, the progress and achievements of women in the SANDF, one of
the most challenging work environments for any person, should be seen in its
proper context and recognised accordingly.

Women in defence are growing in numbers in specialized skills. These include
divers, navigators, pilots, engineers, parachutists and a wide array of
military combat skills. We are still however facing many challenges in terms of
equal opportunities and level playing fields.

Programme Director,

The imperative for comprehensive gender mainstreaming goes beyond what we in
South Africa recognise as our constitutional rights. We are an integral part of
an international community that will judge us on our levels of compliance to a
range of prescripts, of which I will mention a few.

Firstly, the “United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325” deals with
mainstreaming gender in situations of armed conflict and peacekeeping. Some of
the key issues cover the integration of a gender perspective in all
peacekeeping and peace building measures, including peace agreements and
decision-making processes.

Secondly, the “Namibian Plan of Action on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective
in Multidimensional Peace Support Operations” adopted in Windhoek, Namibia in
2000, focuses on peacekeeping and armed conflict challenges. Its provisions
include policy pronouncements on mainstreaming gender and involving women at
all levels, and in all peacekeeping processes and decisions making.

Thirdly, the African Union (AU) “Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in
Africa”, adopted by the African Heads of State in Addis Ababa in 2004, provides
for the pursuit of gender parity, referred to as 50-50 representations of women
and men in all AU operations and decision-making structures. It also deals with
measures to end the recruitment of child soldiers and abuse of girls as wives
and as sex slaves.

Finally, the “Southern African Development Community Declaration on Gender
and Development” and the addendum on the “Prevention and Eradication of
Violence against Women and Children”, specifically stipulates a 30 percent
target for women’s involvement at all levels of decision making and also
includes their representation in armed forces and peacekeeping operations.

Programme Director,

The Department of Defence is cognisant and aligned to both the South African
Constitution, and, the spirit and letter of the international prescripts on
issues relating to gender equity and human rights. In this regard we have
committed ourselves to:

* increasing the representivity of women at all ranks in the SANDF and in
the Defence Secretariat
* accepting women in combat roles
* providing gender sensitivity education and training for all defence personnel
without exception.

A challenge facing the department is therefore to identify women in all rank
levels who should be trained to occupy specific command posts in the future.
Since we already have women in the core musterings of the SANDF there is little
excuse for not advancing them in this organisation. The myth that women are not
ready to command must be addressed.

The current situation demands that the top leadership of the department set
targets for women’s promotion, and these must be assessed annually at the
Women’s Conference.

The advancement of women is also part of the national agenda, and as a
result thereof, those in defence management who continuously ignore this call
will be held accountable. They must rest assured that their performance
appraisals will be also be gauged on the number of women that have been
trained, equipped and promoted.

In this regard the elimination of discrimination against women in all
services and divisions should be a non-negotiable mindset of any manager,
commander or leader in a modern national defence force of the Republic of South
Africa.

South Africa is a country operating in a peacetime paradigm and therefore it
is appropriate to assume that a key legacy that the current generals and
admirals can leave is that of transforming the department in terms of race and
gender.

Programme Director,

In my address to the Department of Defence Women’s Conference, held in
Benoni in May this year, I stated that we need to do more to advance gender
representivity in our Department. I further instructed the department’s
leadership to specifically focus on addressing the current low levels of women
representation in the decision-making structures of our organisation.

I am pleased to announce that in the short time since then we have passed a
few more milestones in this regard. Out of 10 Brigadier Generals recently
promoted, four are women, and out of the 55 Colonels promoted, 17 are
women.

The total number of women promoted, however, is still smaller than the
number of men who were promoted in this succession planning. This is where our
challenge lies: How do we ensure a large enough pool of women from which to
select promotable officers?

In our attempts to deal with these challenges however, policy direction has
progressed through a number of additional initiatives aimed at:

* the formation of a Gender Mainstreaming Council
* measures to ensure a further increase in the number of women promoted to
middle and senior management positions
* broader involvement of women in recruitment processes
* increased numbers of women in strategic military development courses
* increased representation of women in command bodies and involvement of women
in the planning for the African Standby Force.

In conclusion, on behalf of the Government of South Africa I say to the
women here on parade this morning and all the women of the South African
National Defence Force, this country is very proud of you. We will continue in
our vigilance to ensure that your talents and role in defence of our democracy
is recognised and effectively utilised.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Defence
11 August 2006