Durban — Newly elected ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Siboniso Duma was inspired by Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Victoria Mxenge and others on the day Nomusa Dube-Ncube would be sworn in as the province’s first woman premier.
“Madam Speaker, I rise inspired by the spirit of Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Victoria Mxenge and many more other pathfinders of this freedom to salute all women of this province,” Duma said.
He said that the ANC had demonstrated that it was determined to sustain the struggle that was started by women of this country in 1950.
He said that despite the brutality of the regime, thousands of innocent women joined in these peaceful demonstrations, determined to ensure that one day Africans would have freedom of movement, the right of choice of residence and the right of freedom to purchase land or fixed property from anywhere.
“These women fought for a brighter and peaceful future. Their thirst and yearning for freedom united all South Africans to rise against all odds to attain the freedom we are enjoying today,” Duma said.
He said that deployees of the ANC always draw inspiration from the heroines of their time.
“Today (Wednesday), we have elected the first-ever woman premier to demonstrate our commitment as the ANC to ensure the total liberation of women,” Duma said.
“We are confident that Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube will strengthen all efforts aimed at ensuring the economic empowerment of women.”
Duma said that as the ANC, they have always held the view that the economic well-being of a society cannot be achieved if women are massively underprivileged, particularly in the employment sector, compared to their male counterparts, nor can an economy remain healthy without utilising the contributions and skills of women in different economic activities whether it’s education, health, engineering, construction, information technology, maritime, mining or automotive industry, Duma continued.
“It is for these reasons that, as the ANC, we are championing women empowerment programmes. The ANC, as a governing party in this province, has made significant progress in the political representation of women in decision-making, particularly at the provincial and local tiers of government, unlike the Democratic Alliance, which pursues Neo-liberal policies,” Duma said.
“Such transformation must result in the empowerment of women and all those who still live in abject poverty and underdevelopment because of the legacy of the apartheid government,” Duma concluded.
On Monday, ANC KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo said the ANC had made a lot of strides to ensure that women occupy strategic positions and boardrooms are steadily filling up with women. They have to fight the patriarchal conservatism which perpetuates the stereotypes that women are powerless and have to survive through dependency on men.
“We are a generation that aimed to secure equal rights for women and remove gender discrimination while promoting full equality with men,” Mtolo said.
“As a liberation movement, we have rejected the notion that women get relegated to second-class citizens.”
Mtolo said the ANC is committed to changing the material conditions of the people in the province with women comrades at the helm of leadership.
Daily News