THE Minister for Department of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe
Zulu, has advised women to explore and make good use of their
surrounding opportunities to contribute in the socio-economic
development of their respective countries.
Ms Zulu made the call in Durban on
Thursday at the Essence Festival: Women Economic Empowerment, citing
that women need to participate in the mainstream economy.
“As women of South Africa, we had agreed
that nothing without us was possible, therefore we have to stand up and
fight for ourselves.
“This resulted to a push in the 50 per
cent of women representation by the government in key decision making
structures and that’s why today we are almost everywhere,” said Ms Zulu.
She called for more women’s support once they have climbed the ladder
of development.
The Mayor of Ethekwini Municipality, Ms
Cllr Zandile Gumede, expressed appreciation to the organizers of the
on-going Essence Festival Durban, for incorporating the segment on women
empowerment. Ms Gumede noted the move aimed at creating platforms for
women to share businesses and learn more from the global communities.
‘The majority of the African women are
facing challenges on poverty, discrimination and all forms of gender
based violence, it is high time we breakthrough such ceilings, ‘ noted
Ms Zandile. Women empowerment is not about fighting men but rather it is
on encouraging women to rise up and fight for their rights.
“As women, we must support one another
by working together, sharing experience in boosting the small medium
business enterprises,” pointed out the mayor.
Vice-President of the Durban Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Ms Vani Moodley, said women needed to demonstrate
high competency and high quality products and say no to substandard
ones. “We should stop walking the journey of others and start doing
enough to make sure we are on the streams of information.
Nothing will come to knock on our doors; we should strive for it,” charged Ms Moodley
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