Date: 09/08/2003
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: Launch of Mereteng Kwa Dolly Project
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, DR ZST SKWEYIYA, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MERETENG KWA DOLLY PROJECT ON NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, Klipgat, 9 August 2003
Your Excellency Mayor Motsepe;
Honourable Premier Molefe,
MEC for Social Development,
Mr Mayisela,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the community present here today,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Sis Dolly and Mama Africa, it gives me pleasure, and it is a privilege and an honour for me to have received an invitation to, not only attend, but also to address this auspicious occasion of the launch of the Mereteng Kwa Dolly Project.
The warm gesture you have extended to our people in general and the people of Klipgat in particular, is indeed exemplary of the manner in which we should all lend a hand to building a caring society. It is also appropriate and befitting that you have chosen Women's Day as the date of the official launch of this important community project.
August the 9th has been traditionally celebrated to mark the tremendous strides made by women of this country since that auspicious day in 1956.
It was a day, when 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, armed with nothing but their conviction to fight an abominable system. South African women from all walks of life were fully prepared to confront a vicious enemy, an enemy armed to the teeth. That day, 49 years ago, ushered in a new wave of equity demands of social, cultural and politico-economic rights Again, on that historic day, women declared to the then obnoxious system of apartheid that, "Wathint'abafazi, Wathint'iMbokodo, Uzakufa - you have touched the women, you have struck a rock, you have dislodged a boulder, you will be crushed".
Women have since played an important role in the liberation struggle by carrying on militant campaigns against the hated apartheid pass laws. They participated in the underground and armed struggle when that became requisite. Many women suffered brutal assassination by the then regime. We are gathered here in Sofasonke and in all the corners and hinterlands of South Africa, to salute their gallantry, to salute them as heroines and mothers of the nation who dared suffering, torture, exile, imprisonment and even death so that me and you can live in conditions of freedom and democracy.
Ladies and gentleman, our government has noted with pride, the women's achievements in all spheres of human development, since 1994. As we applaud the work done by South African women, we wish this day to be the most memorable one.
By working through existing women empowering structures, such as the Commission on Gender Equality and the Office on the Status of Women, the government will continue to complement endeavours aimed at addressing women's legitimate demands of equality and emancipation from all forms of discrimination, oppression and exploitation.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of our hard-won freedom, there are many South African women we ought to be proud of. These include the 30% of members of parliament who are female, the women who constitute 24% of our Cabinet Ministers and the millions of Dolly Rathebes, who have dedicated their lives to building a South Africa that is fit for all, especially the most vulnerable like our children and older persons.
We have, however, also noted that no matter how hard we try to redress past imbalances, the mothers of our nation and their children, are still battling with poverty, child and spousal abuse, high unemployment and retrogressive cultural practices.
The Department of Social Development's mandate, amongst others; is to alleviate poverty and to further lessen the burden on women and children. We however recognise the fact that a number of factors contribute towards the poverty of women in South Africa. Some of these are:
* the gendered division of labour in the household
* the low value accorded to women's work with the concomitant clustering of women in low-paid jobs
* the legacy of inferiority status borne of the past discriminatory civil and traditional laws that have denied women access to land, loans and property.
Poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and social exclusion further aggravate this situation. They impact on the very structure of women's lives. It is estimated that of the people living in condition of dire poverty women, particularly those living in the rural areas, constitute over 70 %. The homes in which they live are often insecure and exposed to poor environmental conditions. Apart from the material deprivation, poverty has social and power manifestations. Family life is most fragmented and unstable for the poor. Households repeatedly reconfigure themselves to maximise job, educational and childcare options. Caregivers are therefore less able to provide love, guidance and support to their children. In many poor households fathers are absent or children live apart from their parents. There is evidence that protracted physical poverty leads to the social isolation of families.
Ladies and gentleman,
As a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, there are now increasing numbers of children living without any mothers or parents at all. Statistics inform us that there are over four million HIV infected persons in this country with 25% of pregnant women being HIV positive and 3.7 million afflicted by the HI virus. 600 000 South African children are reported to have been orphaned by this monstrous virus.
The combined impact of the legacy of apartheid and gender discrimination has had negative consequences for the status of women's health. Women are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Indeed HIV/AIDS epitomises the greatest gender inequities in our society. According to a survey conducted by the Department of Health, it was found that HIV/AIDS were most prevalent in women in the 20 to 24 age group, and particularly among African women. The 1999 Annual Antenatal HIV survey found that HIV was most prevalent in women under the age of 30 years. An average of 22% of all pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and 17% of teenage mothers tested HIV positive.
The end result of this is that children themselves are running households.
It is mostly women who are primary care providers for children, orphans, the elderly and those who live with physical and mental disabilities. Due to lack of employment, they are mostly dependent on social security grants.
Government has noted with concern the lower take-up rates by women as compared to men for both pensions and disability grants owing to procedural obstacles in accessing certain grants. Steps have been taken, though, to streamline these procedures and improve access for women. Our democratic government has signed the Convention for Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and has established enabling legislations, which empower our departments to move towards speedy delivery to alleviate and eventually eradicate poverty in our lifetime.
As part of that speedy delivery, the social cluster of government, led by the Department of Agriculture last year put in place a pilot National Food Emergency Scheme. The pilot was launched as a response to the sharp food price increases in South Africa and famine in Southern Africa. Government has recognised that the crisis situation called for actions that would link food relief and recovery to long-term food security mitigation measures that foster food security especially among vulnerable communities.
This programme provides direct food aid and support to poor families. This programme is being implemented in concert with other income generating activities, registration for social grants as well as agricultural starter packs. This is in recognition of the fact that households should be assisted to be self -reliant in a sustainable way.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there are still many challenges ahead. The shortage of community and social workers, the inadequacy of social service facilities and the lack of adequate transport for many rural women, has, however, limited women and children access to such programmes. However, with projects such as Meretieg Kwa Dolly, lack of access to government services, will be a thing of the past.
Quite obviously, without the necessary documentation such as identity books and birth certificates, even such projects will not be able to assist. I therefore take this opportunity to encourage you to ensure that each and every South African registers for an identification document, so that they maybe able to access government services targeting them.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In our view the abuse of women and children signals the disintegration of the moral values that guided us into democracy. Our Constitution entrenches the rights of women and children, our legislation provides explicit support to those rights, and our programmes continue to address the everyday trials and tribulations faced by our women. Despite these, acts of abuse are meted against women and children on a daily basis.
This therefore points to a need for urgency in addressing the fundamental transformation of today's social, economic and cultural values.
It is with this in mind that we have launched the Moral Regeneration Strategy, under the leadership of government. One of its primary objectives is to eliminate the abuse and exploitation of women and children.
As a government, we are equally faced with the challenges of combating domestic violence, abuse and rape where women and children are at their most vulnerable. The Victim Empowerment Programme is one such structure initiated by government to alleviate the traumatic consequences associated with any form of abuse suffered by women and children. We, as a community, have the responsibility to ensure that such abuse is not tolerated. We must therefore support the government efforts by forming partnerships in the fight against crime, spousal and child abuse at all times in our homes, communities a, workplaces and wherever we are.
In order to address the challenges confronting women and other social development challenges it is important for us to work together. Indeed the tide has turned and women in our country and not least the African continent, are arising in their millions breaking the shackles of poverty and misery. They are making significant contributions towards the creation of a better quality life for all. In essence they are increasingly becoming part of Africa's renewal.
The challenge is for us to support their efforts with all the means we have at our disposal. As the late American President, JFK once said " Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".
This, ladies and gentlemen should be our preoccupation as we move towards the next 10 years of freedom.
I thank you
For more information contact: Mbulelo Musi on 012-312-7654, 082-904-3395, Fax: 0-12-312-7943, E-mail: Mbulelo.Musi@socdev.gov.za
Issued by Ministry for Social Development
9 August 2003
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: Launch of Mereteng Kwa Dolly Project
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, DR ZST SKWEYIYA, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MERETENG KWA DOLLY PROJECT ON NATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, Klipgat, 9 August 2003
Your Excellency Mayor Motsepe;
Honourable Premier Molefe,
MEC for Social Development,
Mr Mayisela,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the community present here today,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Sis Dolly and Mama Africa, it gives me pleasure, and it is a privilege and an honour for me to have received an invitation to, not only attend, but also to address this auspicious occasion of the launch of the Mereteng Kwa Dolly Project.
The warm gesture you have extended to our people in general and the people of Klipgat in particular, is indeed exemplary of the manner in which we should all lend a hand to building a caring society. It is also appropriate and befitting that you have chosen Women's Day as the date of the official launch of this important community project.
August the 9th has been traditionally celebrated to mark the tremendous strides made by women of this country since that auspicious day in 1956.
It was a day, when 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, armed with nothing but their conviction to fight an abominable system. South African women from all walks of life were fully prepared to confront a vicious enemy, an enemy armed to the teeth. That day, 49 years ago, ushered in a new wave of equity demands of social, cultural and politico-economic rights Again, on that historic day, women declared to the then obnoxious system of apartheid that, "Wathint'abafazi, Wathint'iMbokodo, Uzakufa - you have touched the women, you have struck a rock, you have dislodged a boulder, you will be crushed".
Women have since played an important role in the liberation struggle by carrying on militant campaigns against the hated apartheid pass laws. They participated in the underground and armed struggle when that became requisite. Many women suffered brutal assassination by the then regime. We are gathered here in Sofasonke and in all the corners and hinterlands of South Africa, to salute their gallantry, to salute them as heroines and mothers of the nation who dared suffering, torture, exile, imprisonment and even death so that me and you can live in conditions of freedom and democracy.
Ladies and gentleman, our government has noted with pride, the women's achievements in all spheres of human development, since 1994. As we applaud the work done by South African women, we wish this day to be the most memorable one.
By working through existing women empowering structures, such as the Commission on Gender Equality and the Office on the Status of Women, the government will continue to complement endeavours aimed at addressing women's legitimate demands of equality and emancipation from all forms of discrimination, oppression and exploitation.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of our hard-won freedom, there are many South African women we ought to be proud of. These include the 30% of members of parliament who are female, the women who constitute 24% of our Cabinet Ministers and the millions of Dolly Rathebes, who have dedicated their lives to building a South Africa that is fit for all, especially the most vulnerable like our children and older persons.
We have, however, also noted that no matter how hard we try to redress past imbalances, the mothers of our nation and their children, are still battling with poverty, child and spousal abuse, high unemployment and retrogressive cultural practices.
The Department of Social Development's mandate, amongst others; is to alleviate poverty and to further lessen the burden on women and children. We however recognise the fact that a number of factors contribute towards the poverty of women in South Africa. Some of these are:
* the gendered division of labour in the household
* the low value accorded to women's work with the concomitant clustering of women in low-paid jobs
* the legacy of inferiority status borne of the past discriminatory civil and traditional laws that have denied women access to land, loans and property.
Poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and social exclusion further aggravate this situation. They impact on the very structure of women's lives. It is estimated that of the people living in condition of dire poverty women, particularly those living in the rural areas, constitute over 70 %. The homes in which they live are often insecure and exposed to poor environmental conditions. Apart from the material deprivation, poverty has social and power manifestations. Family life is most fragmented and unstable for the poor. Households repeatedly reconfigure themselves to maximise job, educational and childcare options. Caregivers are therefore less able to provide love, guidance and support to their children. In many poor households fathers are absent or children live apart from their parents. There is evidence that protracted physical poverty leads to the social isolation of families.
Ladies and gentleman,
As a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, there are now increasing numbers of children living without any mothers or parents at all. Statistics inform us that there are over four million HIV infected persons in this country with 25% of pregnant women being HIV positive and 3.7 million afflicted by the HI virus. 600 000 South African children are reported to have been orphaned by this monstrous virus.
The combined impact of the legacy of apartheid and gender discrimination has had negative consequences for the status of women's health. Women are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Indeed HIV/AIDS epitomises the greatest gender inequities in our society. According to a survey conducted by the Department of Health, it was found that HIV/AIDS were most prevalent in women in the 20 to 24 age group, and particularly among African women. The 1999 Annual Antenatal HIV survey found that HIV was most prevalent in women under the age of 30 years. An average of 22% of all pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and 17% of teenage mothers tested HIV positive.
The end result of this is that children themselves are running households.
It is mostly women who are primary care providers for children, orphans, the elderly and those who live with physical and mental disabilities. Due to lack of employment, they are mostly dependent on social security grants.
Government has noted with concern the lower take-up rates by women as compared to men for both pensions and disability grants owing to procedural obstacles in accessing certain grants. Steps have been taken, though, to streamline these procedures and improve access for women. Our democratic government has signed the Convention for Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and has established enabling legislations, which empower our departments to move towards speedy delivery to alleviate and eventually eradicate poverty in our lifetime.
As part of that speedy delivery, the social cluster of government, led by the Department of Agriculture last year put in place a pilot National Food Emergency Scheme. The pilot was launched as a response to the sharp food price increases in South Africa and famine in Southern Africa. Government has recognised that the crisis situation called for actions that would link food relief and recovery to long-term food security mitigation measures that foster food security especially among vulnerable communities.
This programme provides direct food aid and support to poor families. This programme is being implemented in concert with other income generating activities, registration for social grants as well as agricultural starter packs. This is in recognition of the fact that households should be assisted to be self -reliant in a sustainable way.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there are still many challenges ahead. The shortage of community and social workers, the inadequacy of social service facilities and the lack of adequate transport for many rural women, has, however, limited women and children access to such programmes. However, with projects such as Meretieg Kwa Dolly, lack of access to government services, will be a thing of the past.
Quite obviously, without the necessary documentation such as identity books and birth certificates, even such projects will not be able to assist. I therefore take this opportunity to encourage you to ensure that each and every South African registers for an identification document, so that they maybe able to access government services targeting them.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In our view the abuse of women and children signals the disintegration of the moral values that guided us into democracy. Our Constitution entrenches the rights of women and children, our legislation provides explicit support to those rights, and our programmes continue to address the everyday trials and tribulations faced by our women. Despite these, acts of abuse are meted against women and children on a daily basis.
This therefore points to a need for urgency in addressing the fundamental transformation of today's social, economic and cultural values.
It is with this in mind that we have launched the Moral Regeneration Strategy, under the leadership of government. One of its primary objectives is to eliminate the abuse and exploitation of women and children.
As a government, we are equally faced with the challenges of combating domestic violence, abuse and rape where women and children are at their most vulnerable. The Victim Empowerment Programme is one such structure initiated by government to alleviate the traumatic consequences associated with any form of abuse suffered by women and children. We, as a community, have the responsibility to ensure that such abuse is not tolerated. We must therefore support the government efforts by forming partnerships in the fight against crime, spousal and child abuse at all times in our homes, communities a, workplaces and wherever we are.
In order to address the challenges confronting women and other social development challenges it is important for us to work together. Indeed the tide has turned and women in our country and not least the African continent, are arising in their millions breaking the shackles of poverty and misery. They are making significant contributions towards the creation of a better quality life for all. In essence they are increasingly becoming part of Africa's renewal.
The challenge is for us to support their efforts with all the means we have at our disposal. As the late American President, JFK once said " Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".
This, ladies and gentlemen should be our preoccupation as we move towards the next 10 years of freedom.
I thank you
For more information contact: Mbulelo Musi on 012-312-7654, 082-904-3395, Fax: 0-12-312-7943, E-mail: Mbulelo.Musi@socdev.gov.za
Issued by Ministry for Social Development
9 August 2003
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