DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC WORKS KWAZULU-NATAL
Building communities through construction
Putting women in the forefront of service delivery Ms Lydia Johnson MEC for Public Works
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works under the stewardship of MEC Lydia Johnson firmly believes that the issue of women empowerment must be a priority in all its programmes to ensure transformation that would result in women taking a lead in their communities. The transformation process also includes the promotion and active participation of women in senior management positions. Last year the Department had seven women employees in senior management positions and this number has increased to nine in 2008. Within its broad transformation agenda that includes women, the youth and the disabled, the department has embarked on a series of interventions to ensure that women remain the primary focus of its efforts to address gender imbalances on both social and economic level of society. The Department has demonstrated this by ensuring that its policies are in line with Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment agenda of government - with emphasis on women empowerment. Our broader aim is to increase the level of participation of women in the economic sector of our province. During the 2007/2008 financial year, the department awarded 36% of tender contracts to women contractors. This figure represents a total investment of R360 million.
Dr FB Madlopha Head of Department
Ms NB Mnconywa Head of Ministry
Mrs L Linda General Manager: Real Estate
Mrs D Raichund Manager Supply Chain Management
Ms Xoli Ngiba Manager Human Resource Management
Ms L Moorosi Manager Legal Services
Ms W.N. Mhlongo Manager Operations Coordinations
Mrs T Khuzwayo Midlands Region’s Acting Manager
Mrs J Makhaye Southern Region’s Acting Manager
One way of ensuring that women in KwaZulu-Natal are afforded equal opportunities is through transfer of professional skills with the aim of increasing the pool of skills within the fields where there is a serious shortage of such skills within the built environment. In addition, the department also encourages women to become involved in the property sector not only as employees but also as property owners to bridge the existing gap in the industry. Among other programmes of the department aimed at encouraging women and youth participation in the property sector is the Property Incubator Programme. Its main objectives are to facilitate the transfer of skills from the emerged to the emerging markets in the property sector; provide a platform for the development of a holistic approach to the property industry; and contribute to the generation of skills within the property sector. Other programmes of the department aimed at encouraging the maximum participation of women in the economic sphere include the Expanded Public Works Programme(EPWP) and the National Youth Service (NYS) and more women are encouraged to be more involved on the newly launched Izandla Ziyagezana Programme - a departmental initiative aimed at poverty alleviation and job creation focusing on labour intensive methods for manual clearance of vacant provincial government or state land.