Private sector told to work swiftly on women

Lulu Xingwana

Lulu Xingwana

Published Apr 23, 2014

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Lebogang Seale

Political Bureau

WOMEN, Children and People with Disability Minister Lulu Xingwana has told private companies, in particular media companies, to employ more women – or face hefty fines.

Speaking at an ANC breakfast briefing in Johannesburg yesterday, Xingwana said companies had two years before facing the government’s wrath.

“The Bill is not saying tomorrow there must be a 50 percent (parity), but that companies must bring us their plan. They might say we are not ready or that they (women) are not qualified, but what are they doing? Whether you are managers, editors – after two years – you must say these are the women (we have empowered),” Xingwana said.

ANC Women’s League president and Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa joined her at the briefing.

The ruling party used the opportunity to parade women occupying senior “key strategic” positions in the private sector and parastatals to showcase the ANC’s “good story” over the last two decades of governing. Each was asked to explain how the government had helped them.

The government was praised for advancing women in government, especially for improving “the 2.7 percent women representation to 44 percent” in Parliament since 1994. But the private sector received brickbats, particularly media companies.

Xingwana had a copy of the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, telling companies it was the government’s prerogative to review and enforce whatever plans it might have.

Xingwana said women empowerment was non-negotiable as companies continued to have “low numbers” of women in senior positions.

“In the private sector we are not doing well. Only 4 percent of women (occupy senior positions) in our companies. We want to see 50 percent women representation on the boards of companies… We need to find ways on how we can improve on these numbers.”

She took a swipe at the DA for hampering women empowerment in the government of the Western Cape.

“We have seen a lot of resistance, not only from the opposition, but the big companies that are only looking at the profits they are about to make. The other day we had a talk with DA in Western Cape and they said they are not ready.”

Molewa weighed in on the alleged lack of transformation in the media.

“We have to look at women in business and media. In our analysis, there are very few… It’s for that reason that we should not sit back while we receive excuses why it can’t be done (and) why we can’t find women managers in media space and other companies,” Molewa said.

Motshekga attributed the problem to outside factors such as poverty and patriarchy.

“Patriarchy has always been our worst enemy. Though the ANC has always been at the forefront, it has only accepted women (as leaders) after 30 years. So it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

“Women stick to abusive relationships because most of the time they depend on their partners for economic survival… Poverty really does wear a dress in our country.”

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