OPINIONISTA: Letter to the president: We must act now on the empowerment of women

In less than a month, South Africa will be celebrating Women’s Month, the initiative that I thoroughly appreciate as it gives women the opportunity to rethink their position and contribution to society as a whole.

Speaking as a woman in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics who tasted a work environment when it was still not fashionable for women to be in this predominantly male workspace, I can attest to the drift that happened between then and now. We’ve seen the introduction of new regulations ushering in the much-needed transformation in, especially, the engineering environment, while at the same time the shift in technology played a significant role in levelling the playing field to the benefit of women.

We will improve our capacity to support black professionals, deal decisively with companies that resist transformation, use competition policy to open markets up to new black entrants, and invest in the development of businesses in townships and rural areas.”Radical economic transformation requires that we fundamentally improve the position of black women and communities in the economy…”

This is, unfortunately, one statement that none of us could argue with the minister on, particularly because it remains unclear as to what the objectives and measurements of progress for her ministry were. As a consequence, the desperate state of affairs with relation to women issues remains largely unattended.

Shouldn’t their credibility, at least, translate into further women empowerment to allow for new faces to emerge in succeeding years? I hope we don’t miss the point here as many of these women are not perpetrators, but victims of fronting.

Sadly, the stereotypes are at times also fuelled by some women in our midst. You’ll hear things like “South Africa is not ready for a woman President”! I’ll admit that I will never get to a point where I’ll eventually understand that statement.

The real issue – it is difficult for me to see more than one issue that needs to be addressed.

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Bantu Holomisa submits letter to #PICInquiry's Advocate Lubbe | IOL Business ReportPICInquiry: UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has written a letter to the Mpati Commission of Inquiry evidence leader, Advocate Jannie Lubbe, for use on the day that former PIC chief executive, Dan Matjila, provides testimony. busrep
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

#PICInquiry: Dan Matjila rejects Holomisa's VBS loan allegations | IOL Business ReportPICInquiry: Advocate Alex Roelofse that the claims in Bantu Holomisa’s letter did not gel with a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on a lifestyle audit conducted on Dr Matjila. busrep
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Holomisa claims Matjila failed to declare millions received from VBSIn a letter to advocate Jannie Lubbe, the PIC commission’s evidence leader, Bantu Holomisa alleged that he has received a forensic report by Nexus Forensic Services detailing loans awarded to Dan Matjila from VBS.
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

OPINIONISTA: Senior bureaucrats should act like the ‘Talented Tenth’, not politicians’ ball boysAs we transit through the first quarter of a century of the democratic experiment called the New South Africa, there is no better time than now to call for the rise of what WEB du Bois called the Talented Tenth.
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

OPINIONISTA: Application modernisation is crucial for businesses to surviveBusinesses that are not ready to change and not quick enough to respond to changing customer expectations will struggle to remain relevant and will eventually cease to exist.
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

OPINIONISTA: Shale gas exploration further delayed by Appeals Court judgmentActivists and landowners opposing the exploration for shale gas in the Karoo because it involves hydraulic fracturing won their appeal to have the petroleum regulations of 2015 set aside. It won’t halt the process, however. It was a purely procedural matter and in no way reflected on the environmental risks of shale gas drilling.
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »