Gender empowerment is ‘informed by the historical imperative’ to create equal society
Government Ministers say empowerment is not about numbers
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women Susan Shabangu has told delegates at the SALGA Women’s Commission Lekgotla that gender representation was not about merely filling up numbers with women in positions of influence but giving them opportunities to be at the center of development as “drivers of transformation” and agents of change.
The two-day SALGA Women’s Commission (SWC) Lekgotla which comes to a close today at Kempton Park, Gauteng, brought together under one roof women leaders from various walks of life; SALGA’s National Commissioner, Provincial Commissioners, mayors, councilors, and multiparty women caucus leaders to review the progress on the implementation of the Programme of Action towards the 50/50 campaign and also review key policies and legislative matters impacting women empowerment and gender equality in Local Government. Towards the end of the Lekgotla, a handover report on the work of the SWC aligned to the current Local Government term of office will also be tabled.
Speaking at the Lekgotla, Minister Shabangu said : “The challenge as I have observed is that some see gender representation just as making up the numbers, not as a deliberate act of gender empowerment informed by the historical imperative of creating a truly representative, democratic and equal society.”
“The trend lately is women are replaced by men while the reverse is not happening, which results in the decline in women’s representation and hampering major stride made in the past two decades,” she observed.
Minister Shabangu said South Africa has an obligation to put women at the centre of development, not merely as beneficiaries, but as drivers of transformation.
“This is how I think we can make local government work better for our people – by integrating gender equality analysis in all the work of local government and being informed by the old adage that: “You educate a woman, you educate the entire community, you empower a woman, you empower the entire community.” This will address the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality that is vexing our democracy, as stated by Minister Shabangu.
His views were echoed by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Dez Van Rooyen who said that the gender empowerment was not just about compliance and numbers but quality representation because ‘our people deserve better” much to the applauds of the delegates.
“We congratulate the SALGA Women’s Commission for spearheading the efforts towards a 50/50 campaign for the 2016 Local Government Elections. However, we also have to take note of the challenges in ensuring the political legitimacy of candidates,” Minister Van Rooyen said.
The Women’s Commission has taken the lead in these efforts since its formation in 2010. SALGA and its member municipalities set up well–resourced gender structures particularly; the SALGA Women’s Commission, the Women’s Caucus as Section 79 Committees and the gender focal points to drive gender mainstreaming and women empowerment in Local Government.
Gender Links Report of 2011 demonstrates steady progress in the first three elections, with women’s representation increasing from 19% in 1995 to 29% in 2000; up further to 40% after the ruling party adopted a 50/50 quota in 2006. Of particular significance, in 2006 women’s representation increased in ward seats (where women traditionally do not do as well as in PR seats) from 17% in 2000 to 37% in 2006. The report also shows the decline in women’s representation in ward seats from 37% in 2006 to 33% in 2011 and corresponding overall decline of women’s representation by two percentage points.
National Commissioner Councillor Sindiswa Gomba has urged political parties to ensure “zebra” style when compiling party lists ahead of every election. This refers to alternating between female and male candidates in a manner that every other second candidate on the list is female.
“We further call for the review and amendment of legislation and policies pertinent to the gender equality debate, in particular, amendment of Electoral Act to establish quota system, and provide mechanisms for non-compliance by political parties. This should be followed by further amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 1998, and the Local Government Municipal Electoral Act 2000, to embed the principal of 50/50 in our local government framework,” National Commissioner Gomba said.
For media enquiries:
Sivuyile Mbambato
Cell: 073 897 8519
E-mail: SMbambato@salga.org.za
