Pretoria – The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has described the number of female ministers and deputy ministers appointed in the new national Cabinet as a significant step in the right direction.
“The CGE believes although 50/50 gender parity has not been reached, it is within reach and should be possible to reach in the next election,” said CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi.
On Sunday evening, President Zuma announced his new Cabinet, which comprises 15 female ministers out of 35 cabinet members.
This means that women ministers constitute about 40% of the membership of the new Cabinet, while men constitute 60%.
“Given that in the previous Cabinet women ministers constituted about a third of the members of the national Cabinet, the CGE is pleased to note this as a significant step in the right direction. The CGE is also pleased to note the increase in the number of female deputy ministers compared to the previous (national executive),” Baloyi said.
The CGE also commended the location of the new Ministry of Women in the Presidency, saying it was an important indicator of the seriousness with which women’s issues will be handled.
“The political clout that comes with the Office of the President should be an important resource for the new ministry… The CGE can only hope that this new institutional development comes with renewed political commitment and willingness to use the positive lessons derived from the experiences of the former OSW [Office on the Status of Women] to ensure a more effective ministry, with the space to make a difference in terms of leading gender transformation in the country,” Baloyi said.
The commission pledged to continue to exercise its constitutional mandate to monitor the performance and effectiveness of the new institutional changes, particularly the commitment of the new administration to meet its national, regional and international commitments to promote gender transformation through its decision-making and implementation processes.
The country’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, including the 35 new ministers and 37 deputy ministers, were sworn in on Monday during a ceremony conducted at the Presidential Guesthouse, where the new members took an oath to serve the country. – SAnews.gov.za
