The Chairperson of SALGA , Cllr Willie Johnson
Chairperson of  SALGA’s  Women Commission , Cllr Eileen Grage – Maritz
Provincial Executive Officer , Mr Thomas Mongwe
Respresentatives from South African Women in Dialogue led by Dr Lydia Meshoe
Representatives from Independent Electoral Commission ,
Representatives from Commission for Gender Equality led by Dr. Wallace Mgoqi
Representatives from the Gender Justice led by Mr Mbuyiselo Botha
Commissioners of the SALGA Women Commission
Mayors , Speakers , Chief Whips and Councillors from our Municipalities
Ladies and Gentlement

CHAIRPERSON

My input today is based substantively on the UN handbook entitled ‘Gender in Local Government: a Sourcebook for Trainers, authored by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, in 2008.

However, Chairperson, our appreciation of what constitutes Gender Struggles in Society we do not derived only from acclaimed books and journals, but from the life experienced.

We have experienced through Colonialism of a Special Type, that women during apartheid suffered triple oppression, through race subjugation, class humiliation and gender domination.

Equally so, we experience the fight against Gender Oppression through living experience.   It is exactly five days since the Northern Cape Province lost its jewel  ,Grizelda Cjikella-Lecholo , a gallant fighter , a tried and tested cadre who I had a priviledge of serving with in the Executive Council . She played a meaningful role in asserting the role of women both in the ANC and in Government. When we echo sentiments of women solidarity within the body politik , she is one of the rare cadres who were steadfast in championing women’s emancipation , her contribution towards women’s empowerment is both easily and widely recognised. The Province  is mourning one of its own who transcended the boundries through  her dedication , hard-work and commitment both to the ANC and Government.

CHAIRPERSON

Allow me to quote and rephrase in the honour of the ANCWL Provincial Chaiperson, the Provincial Executive Committee member of ANC, the launch cordinator of the Progressive Women’s Movement, the song-lyrics of Cece Winans, in the song "Just Like You, Jesus":

I wanna walk like You
I wanna talk like You
I wanna live like You
Just like You Zaza
I wanna pray like You
Wanna love like You
I wanna look like You
Just like You Zaza
If I were a woman, I would have wanted to be like ZAZA !
As I man, I want to be like ZAZA !

CHAIRPERSON

For all the frequent use of such words, the meaning of ‘gender’ and ‘women’ is often cause for confusion. Most often, ‘gender’ is used interchangeably with ‘women’. And ‘gender’ is also confused with ‘sex’. Because gender seems to be a central organizing principle of society, we cannot fully understand human society and cultures if we do not understand gender.

Gender refers to the social interpretations and values assigned to being a woman, a man, a boy or a girl. Gender is about social relationships. Gender is an analytical and ideological concept. It is socially determined and not based on the sex of the individual. Sex refers to the biological differences between women and men.

The sex of the individual is determined by biology (we are born with it and usually cannot change our sex unless we have a lot of money). Gender is socially constructed. We grow up with it and it can, and does, change over time.

We can change gender relations.

These socially constructed roles are by no means inevitable. Gender roles tend to change over time and across societies. Cultural norms and values have changed over the centuries, as have men and women, and they continue to do so today.

In understand the unity of South African Women in bringing effective change we have to be cognisant on how do we move the continent forward , even beyond 2016 taking into account the struggles of women and using contemporary methods. In a Pamphlet distrubuted during the dark days of Apartheied entitled 'South African Women Systematic Oppression - Unyielding Resistance' inscribed in it are the words:

“Black women are chained by a triple yoke of oppression. Under apartheid, each component of their existence as women - their sex, their colour and their class - combine to negate their right to social inequality. Within the racist and sexist system, women are not only oppressed in relation to men, but in relation to each other.”

Chairperson

The identities of women and men are not uni-dimensional; rather, they lie at an intersection of multiple identities which can lead to experiences of discrimination or privilege, even simultaneously. For example, one can be a successful business owner and a victim of wife assault. This means that we must broaden our analytic gender perspective to intersectional Gender analysis.

In relations to status of women in Local Government, the Northern Cape Province has through a political guidance of the ANC managed to fill critical positions in Council in line with balanced gender parity, all our Municipalities across the Province have a women Councillors who are occupying critical positions in Councils as either Executive Mayors, Mayors, Chief Whips and Speakers.

HOWEVER

More needs to be done in empowering and deploying women in Local Government, especially in the administrative arm. Our statistics shows that in Northern Cape there is no single women in the following fields:

• Civil Engineering Services
• Electrical Services
• Office of the Municipal Manager
• Municipal Support Services
• Technical Services
• Out of 32 Municipal Mangers , we have 5 women (16%)
• Out of 32 Chief Financial Officers , we have as a province 8 women (25%)
• Out of 32 Corporative Managers , we have 8 women (25%)

Chairperson,

Promoting gender equality means ensuring that similar opportunities are available to both women and men. Gender equality means that women and men have equal conditions for realizing their full human rights and potential, to engage in and contribute to political, economic, social and cultural development, and to benefit from the outcomes. In this sense, gender equality means that society places the same values on both the similarities and differences between women and men and the different functions of each. For this to be effective, specific actions or positive discrimination may be required. Gender equality means more than gender balance, that is, equal numbers of women and men on local councils or municipal utility boards (even though this is very important!); rather, it refers to individuals’ capability to participate as equal citizens.

Working towards gender equality does not necessarily imply treating women and men in the same way. This is where gender equity comes in. Gender equity refers to the process of being fair to women and men. The goal of gender equity looks beyond equality of opportunity as it requires transformative change. Gender equity recognizes that different measures might be needed for women and men wherein the ‘playing-field’ are levelled.

This may require specific actions to enable equality of opportunity between women and women, or men and men, or women and men. So, for example, equity implies taking a fresh look at existing personnel and employment policies or work schedules in order to take account of women’s reproductive tasks, so that their work at home is not a barrier to  their engagement in the public sphere.  These specific actions required to enable equality of opportunity is called Gender Mainstreaming assesses the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.

Gender analysis is a research and planning method for a better understanding of the realities of being a woman, a man, a girl or a boy. Gender analysis is an effective method of promoting equality. Gender analysis also includes the intersection of gender with other social relations such as race, ethnicity, age, caste, class, sexuality, language, ability/ disability, religion, etc. For example, gender analysis can assist in organizing data and information in a municipality in a way that recognizes these different realities, so that the impacts of any policy, programme, project or activity on all urban residents can be assessed. Gender analysis is critical for inclusive and democratic decision-making.  We must know in a particular municipality where women lives, what women do, do they have access to Free Basic Services, what is their housing backlog, how many women must still walk to bushes to relive their needs, how many women’s’ lives is still at risk due to bad or inadequate lighting in informal settlements, etcetera.

Chairperson

Our developmental blueprint, the National Development Plan 2030 states unequivocally that the role of women as leaders in all sectors of society should be actively supported and that the transformation of the economy should involve the active participation and empowerment of women.
We can only move forward for an effective change when women unite towards a concerted effort of speaking against stereotypes who have a conservative posture , the current epoch demands an educated women , a confident women , a trend setter , a mover , a shaker , imbokodo .

However, Chairperson, while feminists are most likely always to be at the forefront of the struggle for gender equality and equity, men, too are and must become more active.
We dare not fail, otherwise history will judge us harshly.

CHAIRPERSON

I wanna walk like You
I wanna talk like You
I wanna live like You
Just like You Zaza
I wanna pray like You
Wanna love like You
I wanna look like You
Just like You Zaza

CHAIRPERSON
If I were a woman, I would have wanted to be like ZAZA !
As I man, I want to be like ZAZA !

That Chairperson, is when one amongst us, one amongst you, has free us from patriarchy.
She has done it, you too women of local government can do it.

Chairperson
If women wants to unite for effective change in 2016, Be like Zaza.
I want to be like her too.

I thank you.