Soweto – International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has been honoured for her work on promoting human rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality.
She was awarded the National Women Award by the Nelson Mandela Library at Protea Glen Secondary School, in Soweto, as part of the celebrations for Women’s Month on Friday.
“I am particularly honoured to receive this award during this special month for me and all the women of South Africa,” Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said.
She encouraged learners to take full advantage of the opportunities that are available in a democratic South Africa.
“Make sure that you continue learning in school, respecting your teachers and parents,” Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said.
She told learners to work hard in school as she wanted the school to produce formidable leaders such as ministers, engineers and diplomats.
“We want to deal a death blow to unemployment, we want to eradicate poverty because our children would have listened to us and gone to school and are educated and are fully equipped to run a very modern economy,” Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said.
She called on the learners to stay away from drugs because they could make a difference in the country.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said the learners needed to remember the agenda 2063 of an Africa that is free from military coupes, fully democratic, respects human rights, fully developmental, safe and secure.
“We are now about to hand over the baton to you. As we say in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation our diplomacy is championing a better South Africa. That can only be achieved in a better, secure and developmental SADC, African Union and the World,” she said.
A representative from the Portuguese Alliance, Hellenic Italian pledged for donations for the school from the diplomats and high commissioners who attended the event.
He said the school was exemplary and needed an enhanced science laboratory. – SAnews.gov.za
