Johannesburg – Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has encouraged women to take advantage of the opportunities available in the transport sector.
As government invests R12.5 billion on non-toll road networks and builds the R573, the Minister said she wanted women to reap the benefits.
She was speaking at a summit for women in transport which was held in Johannesburg on Thursday under the theme: “Transport Sector, Moving Women Empowerment and Transformation Forward”.
Minister Peters told delegates at the conference that there were opportunities for women as government invests R19 billion in the integrated public transport networks of the Bus Rapid Transit over the next few years and Transnet will be investing more than R300 billion to improve rail and ports infrastructure.
“Women have a role to play in these mega projects,” she said.
In the 2013/14 financial year the Department of Transport invested over R100 billion in a skills development programme.
“Multiple training interventions were delivered targeting the youth and women and enabling them to take the potential thousands of job opportunities in the global maritime sector.
“Ninety-three young unemployed engineering graduates were given the opportunity to convert from mechanical engineering to marine engineering,” Minister Peters said.
In the same year, the air traffic navigation services trained more than 700 internal students at a pass rate of 93 percent within the air traffic services as well as in the engineering disciplines of which 42 percent were female, she said.
Minister Peters said a lot still needed to be done in the transport sector to address the challenges of gender equality.
“One of examples of barriers to entry into the transport industry would be the challenge that faces women in entering the taxi industry. Although the taxi industry has boomed since the advent of democracy, very limited gains have been made in terms of women involvement,” she said.
Minister Peters called on the taxi industry to create an environment where women feel that it’s is possible for them to enter the industry.
“Women have raised concerns that even when their husbands would have been running a [taxi] business…. they are unable to inherit the business.
“We need to look at the permitting regimes to make it possible to create an environment where women can inherit this particular business,” she said.
The summit for women in transport has brought together women from across South Africa to formulate a solid strategy, plan and time frames regarding tangible economic transformation and empowerment opportunities for women in the transport sector. –SAnews.gov.za
