KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ms Weziwe Thusi at the
launch of the Izintombi zeNgcugce Programme, in Pietermaritzburg
24 July 2007
Protocol
Some 131 years ago the Ingcugce Regiment refused to marry the Dloko Regiment
in 1876. In doing so, these women ran against a long tradition in terms of
which after war decommissioned regiments were married en masse to a younger
female regiment. The women of Ingcugce refused to be married to men that they
had not chosen. They all said: Icu alulingani! These women thus asserted the
right of all women to marry a man of their choice. For this defiance, the women
of Ingcugce paid the ultimate price, death.
Today we are launching a series of commemorative events linked to the
liberation, empowerment and leadership of women in various aspects of our
history. With this commemoration we want to show that:
* The women of KwaZulu-Natal have been making waves and transforming
traditions, institutions and movements.
* The liberation of women in South Africa, which is today enshrined in the
Constitution, is a long journey in which African women have been leaders and
not just beneficiaries.
* Women's collective power must be used to challenge the remnants of gender
discrimination in our society.
* We must harness this collective historical wisdom to find solutions to the
pressing challenges of our time such as teenage pregnancies, HIV and AIDS,
Contact and Property Crime such as rape, cell-phone theft, etc.
* As the government of KwaZulu-Natal we want to place women at the centre of
our development programmes. This is because we are certain that, if we did
this, we would quicken our success in dealing with Poverty and
Unemployment.
Luthuli
We commemorate this event this year 40 years after the death of Inkosi
Albert Luthuli and 51 years since the 1956 women�s march on Union Buildings. It
is therefore no accident that these historic events are being commemorated in
the same year. This is because the struggle for women's rights is ultimately
the struggle for the right, of both men and women, to be recognised as human
beings. The act of the Ingcugce regiment advanced that struggle and brought us
closer to the total liberation of humanity.
Women in government
1. National
Addressing a Women's Empowerment gathering in Durban Deputy President
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said:
* South Africa prides itself with having a Cabinet consisting of 43% women
representation. Four of the nine provinces are led by women Premiers.
* Our parliament has more than 30% women representation. This is also
translating to local government level as well where women representation stands
at 40%.
* South Africa is rated number 10 out of the 130 parliaments in the world in
terms of women's advancement in governance.
2. Province of KwaZulu-Natal
The contribution of women inspires us to continue with our commitment to the
goal of a better life for the women of this country and our people as a whole.
In this regard, as government, since 2004 we have taken deliberate steps to
place more and more women in positions of effective power. When we were
mandated by the electorate of KwaZulu-Natal to lead the provincial government,
circumstances were such that we could only have one woman in the Executive
Council.
* Today we are happy to say we have four women out of a total of ten MECs
that is close to 50% of our cabinet.
* Out of 14 provincial departments, half of them (seven) are headed by
women.
* Out of a provincial budget of R49,9 billion these women are managing 59% of
the budget which translates to R29,6 billion.
Women in business
On the side of business, the following statistics are relevant:
* Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) constitute about 95% of all
enterprises in the country.
* SMMEs currently absorb between 50% and 60% of the formally employed labour
force and at present, contribute 30% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
* Women comprise 83% of the informal economy, of which 61% are African women.
One of the lessons we learn from this is that women represent a growth area as
business people and leaders in the community and various sectors of our lives.
This, therefore, means we need to double our efforts at providing for the
advancement of our womenfolk, going forward.
Mkabayi ka Jama
In addition to commemorating Izintombi zeNgcugce, we will also, over the
coming month, celebrate some of Africa's heroic women or women who exercised
immense political power. This we will do by paying tribute to the life of our
own Princess Mkabayi ka Jama. For decades Mkabayi was the power behind the
throne during the reign of successive Zulu Kings including King Shaka. She lies
buried in Vryheid at Kwa Sgwegwede.
In doing this we will also pay tribute to the well-trained army of women in
the West African kingdom of Benin/Dahomey which was reported to be vastly
superior to that of men. Soldiers in this army continued to undermine and
sabotage the new French colonisers even after Dahomey's official defeat at the
end of the 19th century.
Mkabayi also ranks alongside Yaa Asantewa, the Asante Queen Mother, who
galvanised the Asante of Ghana by leading a revolt against the British in the
1900s. In recognition of Mkabayi's singular importance the government of
KwaZulu-Natal is looking at establishing a Heritage site around the life and
death of this remarkable individual.
* On 31 July we will celebrate Pan-African Women's Day and Launch Women's
Month. We will also launch the Makabongwe Amakhosikazi book.
* On 9 August we will commemorate national Women's Day at the Mkabayi kaJama
Homestead.
* During the month of September we will commemorate the Heritage of
KwaZulu-Natal and on 15 October we will host International Rural Women's
Day.
The above events will put under the spotlight the challenges faced by women
today such as rape, violence, poverty and unemployment. We will also focus on
the girl child whom we believe will help us deal with some of the challenges we
face such as teenage pregnancies, HIV and AIDS, etc.
We will also focus on encouraging buy-in from Men and Boys to rid
KwaZulu-Natal of all its discriminatory ills. Together as girls and boys, men
and women, it is impossible to imagine any challenge that we will not be able
to deal with. I now have the pleasure to launch the Commemorative of Izintombi
zenNgcugce.
Masisukume Sakhe KwaZulu-Natal.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
24 July 2007
