Social Development: Women empowerment target missed by over 88%

6 February 2018

Gauteng Social Development MEC, Nandi Mayathula-Koza, has failed to speak truth to her rhetoric about empowering women to lift themselves out of poverty as the second quarter results show that a mere 417 out of 3500 women participated in the departments programme.

As a sub-programme within the department’s plan of action, women development appears to once again have taken a back seat.

The sub-programme was designed to offer thousands of women in Gauteng some relief and support, however, the combination of zero political will and brushing off “women’s issues” by a woman MEC herself is hypocritical.

These programmes are intended to provide opportunities to women who can make a valuable contribution to our society. A monetary aspect, through cooperatives, has been included, yet women are left in the lurch as communication by the department has not been forthcoming.

For far too long the ANC has focused their attention in reaching quotas and creating the impression that they are focused on empowering the mothers, aunts, daughters and sisters of society by securing numbers in representation only.

It is clear that the ANC is not serious in addressing the myriad of issues that affect women in this country and specifically in this province.

MEC Mayathula-Koza’s office failure to reach out to thousands of women in Gauteng, speaks to her political inability to empower her own department.

The DA will submit questions to MEC Mayathula-Koza to ascertain, to what extent the department has delivered in this programme and what steps she will take to ensure that targets are met and women are able to put food on the table.

Women development must first be understood before the MEC and her department embark on a top-down programme, without consultation and accurately identifying women’s needs within the province.

Issued by Refiloe Nt’sekhe, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, 6 February 2018