Greetings and welcome
Dumelang! Sanibonani! Molweni! Ndi Matsheloni
I am delighted to be here today, to spend quality time with all women to talk about matters affecting us in the workplace and our role in our communities. History tells that women are leaders of the nation “Igama lamakhosikazi malibongwe”
Background
International Women’s Day is a United Nations’ initiative aimed at celebrating the achievements of rural women throughout history. It is celebrated on 8 March annually and was celebrated for the first time in 1911. This year therefore marks a century since its initial celebration.
International theme “Equal access to education, training, science and technology: Passway to decent work for Women.” The purpose of the International Women’s Day is to recognise and encourage ordinary women that strive for sustainable self development, self realisation, and emancipation as well as women who have spent a great percentage of their lives in poverty and struggling for resources. Our event today seeks to “Empower women from Departments of Water and Environmental Affairs with knowledge and skills to be ambassadors in their communities, influence change to improve lives in their communities” and also to have a direct engagement as women of both departments.
Mandate of the Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
Our departments have been mandated to ensure conservation of water and environment supporting municipalities in the provision of basic water services, educate communities about conservation of our natural resources. Our social and economic growth depend on natural resources if we fail to do so we will go back to poverty, future generation will inherit a poor country. All of us here have a role to play in making that happen.
For us to realise our mandate we need your commitment and support. I encourage all of you to become ambassadors and champions of water and environment. Requirement for you to be ambassadors is to have knowledge about the business of the two departments and the challenges which you should share with your families, friends, colleagues, church and Burial Societies various practical ways of protecting the environment and saving water.
Amongst the issues that keep Minister Molewa and I awake at night are the following:
- Inadequate communication and awareness to our communities about climate
- Water wastage through Leaks
- Pollution of our rivers
- Dumping
Air pollution
I hope you have visited the exhibition stalls on Waste Management, Air Quality and Water and that you participated in the practical demonstration that educated you on how to separate waste, new method of making clean fire with less smoke and lastly, how to deal and solve a problem of leaking taps to ensure that water is saved.
Waste Management
Every day we produce waste and this includes paper, cans, bottles, plastics, card boxes and food waste. That waste has a potential to harm our health and the environment if it is not properly managed. Normally we have the municipality that come and collect our waste; but it is important that not all waste must be taken to the dumping site. This is because waste materials can be recycled or reused instead of throwing it away.
If you collect waste, you can even sell it to companies who are going to recycle and produce new products out of it. When it comes to food waste, for example potato peels, oranges, cabbages, food left-over’s, can be used to make compost/ manure which can be used in our gardens.
So, please as the environment ambassadors, we should teach our neighbours not to litter, do not throw waste out of the window when you are inside a vehicle. That is not good for the environment. We must also educate our children about cleanliness and taking care of our environment.
Water saving
Our country is one of the driest countries, we don’t have adequate water. Water is integral for our developmental needs. Water saving is not a Choice it’s a Must.
Water saving is derived from the concept of water conservation. Water conservation refers to the minimisation of loss or waste, care and protection of water resources and the efficient and effective use of water. Water demand management is defined as the adaptation and implementation of a strategy (policies and initiatives) by a water institution to influence the water demand and usage in order to meet the following objectives: economic efficiency, social development, social equity, and environmental protection, sustainability of water supply and services, and political acceptability.
Increasingly, other government departments, the commercial sector and households are recognising that water is integral to development. We have a considerable number of developmental projects that deal with food security in relation to the poor, HIV and AIDS, water conservation awareness, fixing taps and leaks and another group of projects that are responsible for monitoring functions such as groundwater and climate change. I would like to see you participating actively in water saving measures.
Equality and respect in the workplace
I have observed quietly that we do not respect each other in both departments, we do not talk, we do not know each other, we cannot even share our problems because we categorise ourselves according to rank and class. As from today onwards all women must know each other, support each other, no woman shall pass another woman without greeting her and asking how are you. By doing that we would be creating an enabling environment for equality, respect, oneness and of sharing information. Irrespective of our ranks the fact remains we are all Women. I hope the status quo as is now, would have changed by August which is our national women’s month; therefore we will celebrate that as our achievement.
Development Programmes for Women
Programme director allow me to map a way forward and I request the DG’s and directors of gender from both departments to take note as I will expect feedback on what I am going to pronounce which is specifically targeting internal women. The minister and I want to leave a legacy on women development therefore the departments should have specific development programmes for internal women. Allow me to announce that both departments will have to do the following programmes:
Accelerated Development Programme (ADP) for middle management: I have just received a report and action plan from the Department of Water Affairs for Accelerated Development Programme (ADP). This programme is aimed at developing middle management that is level 9 and 11 with skills that will enable them to take senior management positions. The content has been derived from Department of Public Service and Administration’s competencies for senior management. The project has already been endorsed by the Department of Water Affairs and will be fully implemented during the financial year 2011/12. It is envisaged that the programme will grow and nurture a pool of potential managers from within so that they are work-ready to be appointed to senior positions when the opportunity arises.
I therefore request that the directors for gender meet and share information in order to ensure that we have uniformity in both departments.
Accelerated Development Programme for Junior Management: The two departments should initiate a development programme targeting levels 6 to 8 which should be implemented in the next financial year. It is envisaged that this programme will be a feeder to middle management and as such will serve as a pool for middle management candidates. This programme aims to promote career progression as most employees at these levels are young and old professionals who have either just recently completed their tertiary qualifications or have been occupying such levels without career progression for a longer period.
Accelerated Development Programme for Lower Levels: The two departments should initiate a development programme targeting levels 2 to 5. This programme is focusing on you directly; it is intended to develop young women and those that are towards pension. The skills acquired from this programme will assist our employees to prepare for life beyond work, that is, when they retire. The programme will also be a feeder to junior management level.
The above mentioned programmes should be synergised to feed one another and for saving costs. With these programmes, I believe that we will have tangible outputs to report on and we will achieve women empowerment. As from today all of us here have new names called “ Ambassadors of Water and Environment” go back to your workplaces and communities and share the information with your families, neighbours, churches, societies, etc. When you see water leaks, illegal dumping, pollution in the rivers, please report that to the department. Remember to greet and talk to every woman you meet starting with your colleagues. “Together we can do better”. We must live up to the saying that “You teach a woman you teach a nation”.
We will meet in August to review progress on the announcements and reports on the work you have done in your communities.
I thank you.
Source: Department of Water Affairs
