Durban — R200 million — that’s the amount KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has set aside in a much-needed bid to accelerate women empowerment in the province.
“A point needs to be made about the government's commitment to accelerating socio-economic opportunities for women empowerment,” said Ntuli.
Ntuli would be launching a fund that is designated to empower women, “starting with an allocation of a R200m fund which is ring-fenced for women only so that they are assisted to advance in the state of the economy.”
The Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) had taken “transversal resolutions that must be addressed”, Ntuli said.
He vowed that the fund would be set up by August 30.
The premier was speaking during a Women’s Parliament, which was hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal legislature at the Okhahlamba Sports Complex in uThukela District Municipality on Friday.
Ntuli said his promises were not a “talk show”, stressing that his government was about accountability.
“We know the role that the women are playing in Parliament. Some women are chairpersons of the portfolios, some women are MECs, and some women are Members of Parliament, who are doing quite excellent work in a diligent way, representing other women of our province. And I am proud of you for the strength that you always display when you are given a task to execute,” said Ntuli.
He lauded women for changing the “status quo”. “Women have changed how people think, and others have the course of events. And all have shaped our history and our future. Over the last 30 years, several developments have happened in the gender equality arena.
“This includes the creation of institutional mechanisms for gender equity at provincial and national level and increasing the participation of women at political decision-making levels.”
During Youth Month in June, Ntuli promised that the provincial government would set aside R100m to aid youth businesses. He also used the occasion to lambaste “the raging crime” in the province, which he said was chasing investors away.
This was a recipe for an economic disaster, he said.
“We must all fight crime so that our province attracts investors. No investor would want to invest in a crime-infested province. If more investors put their money in KZN, in return, that would create the much-needed jobs,” said Ntuli.
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