Today's marking of 16 Days of Activism, which seeks to break the cycle of gender-based violence and femicide, as well as the abuse of children cannot be one of those events where we deliver speeches without action. When we convene again next year, the City cannot be in the same position.
In addition to today, we observe International Day of Persons with Disabilities to highlight the challenges and opportunities that exist for people with disabilities, who are often left to fend for themselves without the necessary interventions from government and the private sector.
In fact, as government we have a responsibility to ensure that every person within the jurisdiction of the City, including vulnerable and marginalised groups are cared for.
It is for this reason, that as the Joburg Multi-Party Government, we have deliberately included “A Caring City" as one of the seven Mayoral Priorities. The Priority is informed by the constitutional provision on citizenship, which states that all citizens are “equally entitled to the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship."
In the case of Joburg this applies to all 6-million residents across the seven Regions, where support for vulnerable residents and associated programmes must run through all Departments and Entities.
Further to this, the Bill of Rights calls upon government to ensure that “everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected."
These parts of the Constitution are not mistakes, and they can be considered as the untouchable parts of the Constitution as they speak to our humanity and inalienable rights.
While on paper these rights afforded to residents, and the responsibilities on the part of government exist, we can all agree that so much more must be done, especially by those of us in positions of authority. The intentions of our hearts and the laws of our land must become a reality.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In the last quarter (April to June), according to SAPS data, Joburg accounted for almost 40% (39.7%) of all domestic violence-related cases in Gauteng. This should not only alarm us all, but should shake us into action.
Anecdotally and professionally, I have learned, and we all tragically know stories of women (and in some instance men) who are unable to leave abusive relationships – physical and emotional – because they risk collapsing their socioeconomic well-being and that of their children.
Equally, people with disabilities are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes such as poorer education, poorer health outcomes, lower levels of employment, and higher poverty rates.
It is therefore vital that as a local government we address inefficiencies in our areas of service delivery.
Programme Director,
While direct job-creation is not the function of the City, we are also an employer, and a regulator in the free-market.
The City of Johannesburg empowers women in leadership with various training initiatives including coaching for organisational performance through the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business, training on the Municipal Finance Management Act, Executive Coaching and a Senior Leadership and Management Programme through the Wits University Business School.
We have set ourselves the target of training 2,993 women across all levels during the 2022/23 financial year. In the last financial year, 2,711 women in the City Administration were beneficiaries of this programme.
While gradual but meaningful strides have been made in empowering women, we are still far off from seeing significant progress in the empowerment of people with disabilities.
Across most Departments and Entities, we have not met National Government's 2% target. But notably, some Departments and Entities have met and even exceeded the targets of recruiting and employing people with disabilities, and in the process contributed to building a more representative and caring City. They are:
- Group Communication and Marketing
- Our hosts, Group Corporate and Shared Services
- Group Strategy, Policy Coordination and Relations
- Group Legal and Contracts
- City Power; and
- Joburg Water
To you, I say, continue leading the way and when we are here next year more Departments and Entities must be added to the list, not for the sake of competition or to tick boxes, but because it is about our humanity. We cannot genuinely claim or aspire to be a caring City when so many are still excluded within the organisation.
Under the leadership of MMC Leah Knott, an avid soccer player, who has in her own right broken glass-ceilings in sports and in politics, has put in place direct interventions in place to protect and advance the rights of people with disabilities:
- Learnerships & Internships - The South African Disability Development Trust is finalising a programme with the City Employment Equity and Transformation Office in order to place fifty graduates with disabilities within the organisation.
- We have embarked on a regular Disability Declaration Drives in order to have the work of Departments and Entities properly account for their employees so that the City can plan.
This is the start and more can and will be done. With these interventions in place and the genuine care of the leadership of the City, we will lead in the empowerment of women and people with disabilities. The two groups are not the same, but the same intensity of action and advocacy is required.
Regardless of who you are or where you live, Joburg must be one that represents you, and that you are part of.
May today be one of not only fun, as we enjoy different sporting codes, but as sport as done before and continues to do – may today bring us lasting relationships that catalyzes lasting change.
ENDS…
For media queries, please contact:
Mabine Seabe
Director: Mayoral Communication
Private Office of the Executive Mayor
084 677 7851
02/12/2022
