N Mokonyane: Women's Build Launch in Women's Month

14 August 2006

Honourable Minister of Housing, Dr Lindiwe Sisulu
Your Excellency Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mr Amos Masondo
Honourable Councillors
Invited guests
Ladies and gentleman

Last Wednesday South Africans celebrated 50 years of the heroic Women’s
March of 1956 when our women put their struggle on the map. The Women’s March
of 1956 did not only highlight the resolve by women to free them but also it
took the liberation struggle to new heights.

Since then women’s rights and liberties have occupied the centre stage in
global political discourse. As a result there has been visible conscious push
by all progressive states of the world to affirm women.

In South Africa, the victory by popular progressive forces over the
repressive apartheid regime was a resounding victory in that it did not only
usher in the democratic order but also turned the tide against women oppression
and discrimination.

The current democratically elected government has taken visible strides to
transform and improve the lot of our women in South Africa. This transformative
effort by the government is reflected in the establishment of various
democratic institutions such as Gender Commission of South Africa. It is also
true that our freedom brought many economic opportunities for the previously
disadvantaged including women, but the reality is that the struggle for gender
equity is far from over. Moreover, if one considers that the majority of our
people who bear the brunt of poverty are women and therefore the need to
intensify the woman emancipation fight cannot be overemphasised. Today, it has
transpired that most of the shack dwellings are owned by single women and carry
the responsibility of fending for their families.

It is also common knowledge that property rights in this country for
centuries were skewed in favour of men. No woman was allowed to own land and
even in terms of our own traditional inheritance norms women were not entitled
to the family heirloom which was always the loot for male folks. Therefore it
is not surprising that many women especially the aged are either renting or
living in shacks.

Today, therefore, is the most important day in the struggle for women
liberation. It is fitting that we are gathered here to once again witness our
women taking the bull by the horns as they enter a sector which for years has
been the preserve of men.

Twelve years since the advent of democracy, sadly the women of our country
are still not yet totally liberated from domestic and economic oppression.

As government, in Gauteng, we are committed to addressing these imbalances
so that women can enjoy the same rights as any other citizen of this country.
Owing to this situation, the Gauteng Department of Housing has resolved to
allocate most of our housing development projects to women contractors as part
of the broader empowerment strategy.

In his address to thousands of women who were gathered in Pretoria last
week, President Thabo Mbeki reiterated the need to work towards the total
emancipation of women in this country when he said “Together as a nation we
must uphold the perspective that none of us is free unless the women of our
country are free – free from the race and gender discrimination, free from
poverty and loss of human dignity, and free from fear and violence”.

It is against this background that government has put in place various
legislative frameworks to empower women. In collaboration with various
communities based organisations and other interest groups we have put in place
programmes such as Women’s Build to advance the cause of women.

Women’s Build seeks to not only give women shelter but to make sure that
women play a vital role within the construction industry which is a male
dominated industry. A construction Charter which will also give women a central
role in this industry is being formulated. Therefore, Women’s Build aims to
position our women in this male dominated industry at the same time ensuring
that they compete equally with established construction companies.

It is also interesting that the build is led by women. This is a
continuation of our efforts in ensuring that our women are not only tenants but
property owners. I am pleased to announce that all the work towards the
building of 50 houses will be done mostly by women, and the construction
companies involved here are owned and led by women.

In Gauteng the targets are as follows 70% Black small, medium and
micro-enterprises (SMMEs), 30% for women, 5% youth and disabled respectively.
To underscore this point next week we will be launching the Women Contractors
Empowerment Programme, where the women owned companies will be given work to
the value of R200 million per annum and support systems will be provided for
mentoring and coaching through our professional teams.

I believe therefore that this programme and others aimed at advancing our
women will go a long way towards the realisation of the broader vision of the
provincial government. It is very imperative that everyone involved in
advancement of the women struggle should ensure that every woman is free
because if our women are not free then the nation is not free.

Malibongwe igama lamakhosikazi!!

Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
14 August 2006