Date: 28/08/2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: E Molewa: Women's thanksgiving ceremony
WELCOME SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PREMIER OF NORTH WEST, HONOURABLE BEE MOLEWA ON THE OCCASION OF WOMEN'S THANKSGIVING CEREMONY, Biesiesvlei, 28 August 2004
Programme Director;
Minister Nosive Mapisa-Nqakula
Minister Manto Tshabalal-Msimang
Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Dikgosi le Bomma Dikgosi
Leaders from various political parties
Ladies and gentlemen
I am honoured to welcome all of you to this historic occasion.
I heartily thank our Ministers and all our distinguished guests for attending this important gathering. We are indeed honoured, as the North West, to have you in our midst today.
Our presence here today in Biesiesvlei is an unmistakable demonstration of our solid commitment to pursue our common objective of promoting women emancipation and gender equality. It is also an occasion for us as a province and country to celebrate the massive achievements we have scored in the area of women empowerment since the dawn of our freedom.
The simple message of this gathering is that our collective forward march towards the total eradication of gender oppression and discrimination is irreversible.
Despite the massive progress we have made in changing the lives of our people, especially women, for the better, more still needs to be done by all of us to eradicate the legacy of racial and gender domination.
The freedom of our country, its Constitution and the right to gender equality are the gains we must defend with every available ammunition at our disposal. History has placed a responsibility on our shoulders to jealously guard these freedoms and rights.
The freedom that South African women enjoy today did not come cheap. It is a consequence of a long and bitter struggle, in which many of our people paid the ultimate price. Side by side with our male counterparts we knew that we would overcome. For history has shown that no unjust system can survive the tidal waves of freedom forever.
In the midst of the most callous forms of state repression, the women of this country soldiered on with one objective in mind - to free our people from a brutal and monstrous state that had no conscience nor respect for human rights and dignity.
Our struggle for liberation was intricately linked with the struggle for the emancipation of women. For, no nation can claim to be completely free if more than fifty percent of its population is still toiling under the yoke of male oppression.
So significant is the progress we have made in advancing the goal of gender equality and democracy that today we can afford to gather like this - to celebrate our achievements as women, free from fear or intimidation.
The vision of a non-sexist South Africa requires that we work unceasingly towards gender equality, affirmation of women, and greater participation by women in all spheres of life. This task is part of our historic mission. But it is also an important constitutional obligation, which this democratic government ranks very highly.
Ten years of democracy has seen gender equality and women empowerment occupying the centre stage of government policy and delivery programmes. In our own province, evidence points to substantial improvements in the status of women since 1994. An array of measures introduced over the past decade to uphold gender equality, have enormously improved the lives of women.
Women now occupy influential positions in government and play an important role in decision-making processes. The vast gender gap that existed is rapidly narrowing as women's positions continue to improve.
The living conditions of the majority of women have undergone significant qualitative change. Women now have access to housing and essential services such as water and electricity.
Access to education, welfare and quality healthcare by women is a living reality for women in our province. The provincial government has also adopted a zero tolerance approach to any kind of violence against women. These measures reflect government's commitment to gender equality and women empowerment.
It is these achievements and successes that we have been celebrating during this Women's Month. It is these achievements and successes that we are celebrating today in Biesiesvlei.
While much has changed and the tide has turned in the last decade of democracy in the province, enormous challenges still remain. We must continue to build a people's contract to promote and consolidate women's empowerment.
Programme Director, we are indeed indebted to the gallants and heroines of our country and the world for this freedom and democracy.
As we express our gratitude and celebrate our achievements over the last ten years of democracy, we must deservedly pay homage to women such as; Lilian Ngoyi, Charlotte Maxeke, Helen Joseph, Francis Baard, Getrude Mphekwa, Ida Mtwana, Ntombi Shope, Nokhanime Thomas, Ruth Mompati, Bertha Gxowa, Queen Sebeko, Lydia Benjamin and many others who dedicated their lives to the struggle.
Sadly, some of these stalwarts are no longer with us in this life. But their ideals to see South Africa, and women in particular, liberated will continue to inspire and propel us to work even harder for women's rights. We dare not fail, lest we betray the principles and values that these great patriots lived and died for. The best tribute we can pay to the memory of these martyrs and stalwarts is to consolidate the gains we have collectively made towards the emancipation of women.
Let me take this opportunity to thank all the women in our province and country who, on a daily basis continue to nurture and protect our children, particularly the girl child. We need to reclaim our streets from those who derive pleasure from harming those who are defenceless and vulnerable. Together, let us continue to work towards a caring and compassionate society where women and children will never live with the constant fear of being molested and brutalised.
We wish to encourage young women to work hard and empower themselves educationally as well as in all other spheres so that they, too, can benefit from the opportunities made available by our new democracy.
Re rata go rotloetsa bomme botlhe go ema ka dinao go sireletsa ditshwanelo tsa bona le tsa bana ba-rona bogolo jang bana ba basetsana.
A re tshwaraganeng le puso, re thusane go lwantsha dipetelelo le ditshotlo tsotlhe kgatlhanong le basadi le bana.
Re rate go lo amogela mo tirong ya gompieno le go lo itsise gore re etetswe ke boeteledipele jwa rona mo lekaleng la bomme go tswa kwa pusong ya bogare.
A re ba amogeleng mme re keteke le go leboga le bona diphetlhelelo tsa rona jaaka bomme, mme re dire jalo re gopola le go leboga seabe se sebotlhokwa se se tshamekilweng ke bomme ba bagale bao ba neng ba lwela kgololosego.
In conclusion, let me leave you with this message:
"The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by vulnerable groups and minorities."
Let us protect our women - Let us preserve the nation!
I thank you!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
28 August 2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: E Molewa: Women's thanksgiving ceremony
WELCOME SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PREMIER OF NORTH WEST, HONOURABLE BEE MOLEWA ON THE OCCASION OF WOMEN'S THANKSGIVING CEREMONY, Biesiesvlei, 28 August 2004
Programme Director;
Minister Nosive Mapisa-Nqakula
Minister Manto Tshabalal-Msimang
Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Dikgosi le Bomma Dikgosi
Leaders from various political parties
Ladies and gentlemen
I am honoured to welcome all of you to this historic occasion.
I heartily thank our Ministers and all our distinguished guests for attending this important gathering. We are indeed honoured, as the North West, to have you in our midst today.
Our presence here today in Biesiesvlei is an unmistakable demonstration of our solid commitment to pursue our common objective of promoting women emancipation and gender equality. It is also an occasion for us as a province and country to celebrate the massive achievements we have scored in the area of women empowerment since the dawn of our freedom.
The simple message of this gathering is that our collective forward march towards the total eradication of gender oppression and discrimination is irreversible.
Despite the massive progress we have made in changing the lives of our people, especially women, for the better, more still needs to be done by all of us to eradicate the legacy of racial and gender domination.
The freedom of our country, its Constitution and the right to gender equality are the gains we must defend with every available ammunition at our disposal. History has placed a responsibility on our shoulders to jealously guard these freedoms and rights.
The freedom that South African women enjoy today did not come cheap. It is a consequence of a long and bitter struggle, in which many of our people paid the ultimate price. Side by side with our male counterparts we knew that we would overcome. For history has shown that no unjust system can survive the tidal waves of freedom forever.
In the midst of the most callous forms of state repression, the women of this country soldiered on with one objective in mind - to free our people from a brutal and monstrous state that had no conscience nor respect for human rights and dignity.
Our struggle for liberation was intricately linked with the struggle for the emancipation of women. For, no nation can claim to be completely free if more than fifty percent of its population is still toiling under the yoke of male oppression.
So significant is the progress we have made in advancing the goal of gender equality and democracy that today we can afford to gather like this - to celebrate our achievements as women, free from fear or intimidation.
The vision of a non-sexist South Africa requires that we work unceasingly towards gender equality, affirmation of women, and greater participation by women in all spheres of life. This task is part of our historic mission. But it is also an important constitutional obligation, which this democratic government ranks very highly.
Ten years of democracy has seen gender equality and women empowerment occupying the centre stage of government policy and delivery programmes. In our own province, evidence points to substantial improvements in the status of women since 1994. An array of measures introduced over the past decade to uphold gender equality, have enormously improved the lives of women.
Women now occupy influential positions in government and play an important role in decision-making processes. The vast gender gap that existed is rapidly narrowing as women's positions continue to improve.
The living conditions of the majority of women have undergone significant qualitative change. Women now have access to housing and essential services such as water and electricity.
Access to education, welfare and quality healthcare by women is a living reality for women in our province. The provincial government has also adopted a zero tolerance approach to any kind of violence against women. These measures reflect government's commitment to gender equality and women empowerment.
It is these achievements and successes that we have been celebrating during this Women's Month. It is these achievements and successes that we are celebrating today in Biesiesvlei.
While much has changed and the tide has turned in the last decade of democracy in the province, enormous challenges still remain. We must continue to build a people's contract to promote and consolidate women's empowerment.
Programme Director, we are indeed indebted to the gallants and heroines of our country and the world for this freedom and democracy.
As we express our gratitude and celebrate our achievements over the last ten years of democracy, we must deservedly pay homage to women such as; Lilian Ngoyi, Charlotte Maxeke, Helen Joseph, Francis Baard, Getrude Mphekwa, Ida Mtwana, Ntombi Shope, Nokhanime Thomas, Ruth Mompati, Bertha Gxowa, Queen Sebeko, Lydia Benjamin and many others who dedicated their lives to the struggle.
Sadly, some of these stalwarts are no longer with us in this life. But their ideals to see South Africa, and women in particular, liberated will continue to inspire and propel us to work even harder for women's rights. We dare not fail, lest we betray the principles and values that these great patriots lived and died for. The best tribute we can pay to the memory of these martyrs and stalwarts is to consolidate the gains we have collectively made towards the emancipation of women.
Let me take this opportunity to thank all the women in our province and country who, on a daily basis continue to nurture and protect our children, particularly the girl child. We need to reclaim our streets from those who derive pleasure from harming those who are defenceless and vulnerable. Together, let us continue to work towards a caring and compassionate society where women and children will never live with the constant fear of being molested and brutalised.
We wish to encourage young women to work hard and empower themselves educationally as well as in all other spheres so that they, too, can benefit from the opportunities made available by our new democracy.
Re rata go rotloetsa bomme botlhe go ema ka dinao go sireletsa ditshwanelo tsa bona le tsa bana ba-rona bogolo jang bana ba basetsana.
A re tshwaraganeng le puso, re thusane go lwantsha dipetelelo le ditshotlo tsotlhe kgatlhanong le basadi le bana.
Re rate go lo amogela mo tirong ya gompieno le go lo itsise gore re etetswe ke boeteledipele jwa rona mo lekaleng la bomme go tswa kwa pusong ya bogare.
A re ba amogeleng mme re keteke le go leboga le bona diphetlhelelo tsa rona jaaka bomme, mme re dire jalo re gopola le go leboga seabe se sebotlhokwa se se tshamekilweng ke bomme ba bagale bao ba neng ba lwela kgololosego.
In conclusion, let me leave you with this message:
"The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by vulnerable groups and minorities."
Let us protect our women - Let us preserve the nation!
I thank you!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
28 August 2004
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