Limpopo commemorates International Women’s Day

Provincial Government on Sunday joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day in Motsephiri village, Sekhukhune.
It was learnt that the Limpopo Government had used the ocassion to advocate for women empowerment and gender equality. The event which started with a march to Motsephiri sport ground for formal proceedings included a dialogue for organisations to develop strategies to curb femicide and deal with gender-based violence.
Acting Premier Nandi Ndalane emphasised that women in South Africa should celebrate the fact that the country is ranked among the highest when it comes to recognition of women leadership and upliftment. She outlined that province has more female than male MECs and emphasised that these are achievements women must never take for granted because in some countries women are not even allowed to participate in politics. Ndalane stated that the real challenge was to have more women in business and the corporate world as the world of business is still dominated by men. She urged women to work together to change the norm.
“For us to succeed in this regard, we must first be united and support each other as women and invite all progressive men to join us. We must do away with that thing called PHD – the Pull Her Down syndrome. Success for one woman is success for all of us. Jealousy must fall. We must cooperate with one another and uplift each other. The truth is that we need each other as women,” she reminded.
On issues of gender-based violence she emphasised that this was a serious challenge faced by the women of the country. The most painful part, she commented, was that in some instances the perpetrators were turning to innocent children just to spite their mothers.
Ndalane stressed that the trend of young children being abducted, raped and killed on their way to school was barbaric and had to stop. The most disturbing part is that some of the perpetrators of these crimes are people who are out on parole, according to Ndalane.
She said they needed the law to show its teeth as she urged Parliament to urgently review the parole laws. She stressed that it shouldn’t be automatic that once you have finished half of your sentence you then get placed on parole. Ndalane concluded by saying they want it to be almost impossible for any person convicted of a gender-based violence to be placed on parole.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za