New leadership for provincial SAWIC

MEC for Human Settlements in the North West Lina Miga congratulated the newly elected chairperson of the North West province’s South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) Nandi Mmakolaafter she was elected to lead the women organization for the next three years during the Annual General Meeting held in Klerksdorp over Wednesday.

MECMiga welcomed the election of the provincial committee, and further urged women to work harder and make a breakthrough in penetrating the patriarchal dominated construction industry. She said that women are capable and through small projects that they have been allocated, they have managed to execute them diligently and on schedule. She said that the department and government prioritized women, child headed households, youth and people with disability.

MEC further praised SAWIC for its professional way of doing their business. She said that the memorandum of understanding signed with the department is a clear reflection of how committed the government is, on women and other vulnerable issues. She reiterated that the department is committed to implement and will ensure that she monitors what was agreed upon in the MOU.

“We are currently working on blocked projects and I want to ensure that women are empowered through such. For a long time women have been considered on smaller projects and we will use the MOU as a guiding tool. It is through these structures that we would want to see women in leading positions in and outside government. I therefore request that you double your efforts in starting and completing your projects, and help the department achieve its mandate.” said MEC.

The MEC Miga further condemned corrupt and shoddy workmanship in the construction industry. She urged them to assist in fighting corruption within the industry, and also encouraged women to believe in themselves and stop selling projects to their male counterparts.

The National President of SAWIC, Clara Menze, called on her provincial counterparts to unite and further the women empowerment initiative through their organization.“A business person is a CEO of their company and must be smart in driving their company to grow.

We are here as the custodians of our companies and we must walk, tall and be progressive so that SAWIC is not taken for granted.” Added Menze

The out-going Provincial Chairperson, XoliMoagi congratulated the new committee members and wished the newly elected chairperson Nandi Makola well in leading the women organization for the next three years. She called on the department to stick to the signed MOU with SAWIC. “I am handover the baton to the newly elected leadership that will continue to effectively protect and promote the interest of businesswomen in the province, I have full confidence in them,” said Xoli

The newly elected committee is as follows: Nandi Mmakola is the chairperson and is deputized by Ndihona Nzinisa, Malebogo Botsheleng was elected as provincial secretary and Botshelo Morei as her deputy, while Maria Molutsi is the treasurer.

Source: Government of South Africa