This week marks the end of the 2022 Women’s Month held under the theme “Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment: Building Back Better For Women’s Resilience”.

Every year, Government marks the month of August by taking stock of the interventions we have undertaken towards Gender Equality. The progress we have been making and efforts we are putting in the 
transformation, modernisation, re-industrialisation, sustainable development of the Gauteng City Region must be measured against their impact on the women of our province.

The inclusion and empowerment of women in all sectors of society is a key area of focus of the Provincial Development Plan, Growing Gauteng Together, GGT2030 and the Gauteng Strategic Gender Policy 
Framework, 2020-2025.

As the provincial government we have several flagship programmes, namely:

Supporting and empowering girl children and young women

Regarding bursary awards, 59% of those awarded bursaries by the 

Gauteng Provincial Government through the GCRA are female.

Welfare-to-Work Programme
We have pioneered a programme targeting young mothers who depend on child support grants to train them and help them establish businesses or get employment so that they transition from dependency on grants to self-reliance. Between 2014 and 2019, we supported 36 542 young mothers to establish their own businesses or full-time jobs.

Since 2019, we have supported another 35 000 young women to graduate from grant dependency to sustainable livelihoods and self-reliance. In total, we have transitioned 71 000 young women from dependency on child support grants to sustainable livelihoods and self-employment.

Women in Business
Through its procurement, the Gauteng government spend R4.31billion in the 2021/22 financial year to procure goods and services from female owned enterprises. This is relative to a total spending of R33.16billion. Furthermore, the province procured from 1013 women owned enterprises against total spending on 17 763 enterprises and a quarter of all female owned businesses in the database.

Gender-Based Violence
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a serious pandemic in our province which we must tackle this in a multi-disciplinary way. The provincial government is currently hosting a Gender-Based Violence and 
Femicide Summit, which I opened yesterday. The focus of the Summit is to deepen the understanding of GBVF in the province, with a specific focus on the impact of GBVF on different target groups. The summit is also reflecting on the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF with a specific focus on progress, challenges, and opportunities. The summit will make recommendations on what needs to be accelerated; what needs to be amplified; how to strengthen accountability; what to do differently.

In response to the call by the President, the Gauteng Government launched the Gender-Based Violence Brigades programme. The programme facilitates and strengthens survivor-focused, resourced, and
coordinated response to GBV to date.

As the Province we have recruited, screened, and inducted 620 GBV Brigades. This has assisted in heightening the level of awareness on GBV in our communities. It is extremely disturbing that sexual offences have increased. GBV Brigades are volunteers who have voluntarily raised their hands saying enough is enough on GBV and femicide. GBV Brigades are frontline workers in their respective wards within their communities who are expected to visit each household to educate and create awareness on the impact of gender-based violence.

The GBV Brigades work in communities supported by the police and their local community police forums. They also refer cases to their local police station. The department continues to hold empowerment sessions on gender-based violence targeted at all sectors of society.

We have innovated the concept of ‘Green Doors’ as part of the arsenal in the war against GBVDF. Green doors are safe sites that are situated within five kilometres from local police stations that offer victims of gender-based violence services such as emotional containment, trauma debriefing and referral to the nearest police station to open a case.Green Doors Ambassadors enter into an agreement with the Department of Community Safety and receive supervision and logistical support to ensure a continuum of services. Green Doors are situated mainly in vulnerable wards of Gauteng in the five corridors with a total of 66 green doors divided among them.

Crime
The recent spate of crime in Gauteng townships, particularly targeted violence and murder on taverns and places of recreation across the province has raised concern as we intensify the war against crime. Of particular concern, has been the recent sexual assault of 8 women in Kagiso a few weeks ago. This number represents the experience of many women across the length & breath of South Africa.

The violent killings, which we have seen in the previous months pose a risk in the government’s efforts to transform township spaces through the Gauteng Township Economic Bill. Together with the police and communities, we are increasing police visibility. However, it will not deter us to push ahead with the implementation of the interventions in facilitating inclusive economic growth, employment generation and SMME development, especially in townships and informal settlements. A Five-Year Policing Plan has been developed and implemented through joint operations with the various security agencies and the

War Room on Crime and Lawlessness.
We have taken a decision to strengthen the work of building safer communities. We are engaging with tavern owners to help increase the safety of patriots in taverns and other establishmentswhile with the SAB/ABNBEV together we will be working with tavern owners in this regard at the same time promoting responsible drinking.

Lifestyle Audits
When we released the State of Ethics reports on the 31 May 2022, we indicated where we were on the lifestyle audit process. Today’s report is in line with lifestyle audit. There are only 2 Provinces that are doing lifestyle audits, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape, conducted by the State Security Agency (SSA) as the custodian of state security in our country. I commend all MEC’s for complying and co-operating with the State Security Agency during the first phase of this process. This process included the vetting of all MEC’s income and expenditure and how they acquired their assets. 

As the Gauteng Provincial Government, we have taken a decision that Gauteng Executive Council will undergo a polygraph test, which will give us the full security top clearance as we set a new goal standard in the provincial government. This will set a precedence that every MEC, including the Premier, before taking office, undergoes the test. I am pleased to announce that all MEC’s have agreed to take the polygraph test and the process will commence in September of this year.

Thembisa Hospital Provincial Tertiary Hospital
Following allegations of maladministration and impropriety at the Thembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, the provincial government appointed the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the serious allegations pertaining to the improper procurement and payment of service providers.

On Friday, 26 August 2022, I announced the precautionary suspension of the Chief Financial Officer of the Gauteng Department of Health and the Chief Executive Officer of Thembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, effective immediately. This was done to ensure that the office does not impede the investigation of the serious allegations pertaining to the improper procurement and payment of service providers at Thembisa Hospital.

Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital
The Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital matter is still under investigation by the SIU and some senior officials are undergoing disciplinary hearings. The Anglo Gold Ashanti Hospital, and other facilities used during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic will be repurposed. All infrastructure will equally be put to alternative use.

Issued by Vuyo Mhaga, Spokesperson for Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, 30 August 2022