Gauteng provincial government launches women’s month programme in Mabopane
"We will embark on a series of engagements with women on all societal challenges affecting them as well as programmes aimed at empowering women in the province."
The Gauteng government launched its women’s month programme to salute and celebrate women for their courage, iconic spirit and selfless contribution to society in Mabopane last Saturday.
According to MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko, the launch was held under the theme “Women’s Socio-Economic Rights, Empowerment and Resilience”.
“We will embark on a series of engagements with women on all societal challenges affecting them as well as programmes aimed at empowering them in the province.
Mazibuko encouraged young women to take part in the things that are happening in the world for them to be honoured.
“We celebrate activists such as Francis Baard because she’s one of those women who made us free today. We are no longer carrying passes.
She said women were still frustrated but had more opportunities to take advantage of.
“All the departments will be having all their programmes.
Mazibuko said women did not have rights, everything was done through men.
“Under apartheid, if your husband passed away, you would be removed and placed somewhere else.
“But now we live in a democracy, yet we see women still being oppressed. So we as women must stand up and fight,” she said.
MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Mbali Hlophe said they honour women because they understand that history is taken from “his story”.
“So to change from ‘his story’ into being our story, we must acknowledge the women who played their different roles.
“Francis Baard, Lilian Ngoyi, Winnie Mandela – they are so many that we can count and these are the women that must not be lost in history.
“While many of us are afraid to go out at night and seek refuge and safety in our homes, there are many women whose houses are a horror. Many women who, when the door closes, become scared because they don’t know whether their partner will come home drunk and assault them.”
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