- The MF welcomes the UN’s 2020 theme “Building rural women’s resilience in the wake of COVID-19”.
- Hon. Speaker, this pandemic has disadvantaged women and girls everywhere but the problems are aggravated in rural areas due to the slow pace of rural economic development, spatial planning and Land Reform.
- Hon. members, in terms of building rural women’s resilience and the 17 SDG’s namely: Poverty; zero- hunger; good health and wealth-being; quality education; gender-equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; Climate Action; Life below water; ; Life on land and lastly; Partnerships for the Goals means that every department should follow up on a special report to this Hon. House with respect to the 2020 theme and what are the programmes, projects and rural budgetary allocations towards achievement 2030, together with NDP targets.
- The MF introduced the first party debate in 2000 on a Poverty Blueprint for KZN which saw many initiatives like OSS, Green Revolution and the Xoshindlala Programme planned and actioned.
- Today, we welcome RACET with the proviso that it allows for open opportunities for poor Indian and Coloured women into the farming sector, as well.
- We have to make bold political decisions as COVID-19 has changed the rules and our understanding of the Global Economy.
- Hon. Premier our focus should be on fast tracking Land Reform via the ADHOC committee established this week with strategies based on each properties ecological potential and socio-economic context. The MF thanks our Hon. MEC Sithole-Moloi for her dedication to empowering rural-women in various ways.
- Thank you.
Hon. S. Thakur-Rajbansi