The government intends to launch the President’s Gender Inclusive Supply Chain Index, a tool that will track South Africa’s progress in integrating women at all levels of the economic landscape, said Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga.

“This index will not only allow us to measure tangible change, but will also serve as an accountability mechanism, reminding us of the commitments we must honor,” Chikunga said.

The minister was speaking to members of the Women’s Economic Assembly (WECONA) on Thursday on gender transformation and supply chain.

The WECONA webinar aimed to research and explore effective strategies to facilitate supply chain opportunities for women-owned businesses. It also sought to facilitate gender transformation and market access in key sectors.

It provided an opportunity to demonstrate progress towards achieving the national strategic plan for 40% preferential procurement for women-owned businesses in South Africa, and to further highlight capacity building and supply chain supply chain value chain to facilitate initiatives in the public and private sectors.

Chikunga commended WECONA for building on decades of women’s struggle to have their voices heard in all spaces where power is exercised and decisions are made.

She said the Assembly had the potential to be a transformative force in sectors where women’s interests have been paid lip service to or outright excluded, from manufacturing to technology to agriculture. advanced.

“The work carried out by WECONA has proven that gender-responsive supply chains are not only feasible but essential to achieving truly inclusive and resilient economic growth and job creation.

“The challenge ahead, however, is how to deepen these efforts,” Chikunga said.

The minister reiterated that the use of public procurement to achieve fair and equitable socio-economic relations is a constitutional imperative and not a debate, recalling Article 217 of the Constitution, which states that “public procurement must be supported by the principles of justice and equity. , transparency, competitiveness and profitability.

The Minister commended President Cyril Ramaphosa for signing into law the Public Procurement Act, legislation that will regulate public procurement, including preferential procurement, by all organs of state. The law was approved by the president in July.

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She challenged the community to carefully study the law and come up with tangible interventions and concrete measures through which “this law will serve to end the long-standing and ongoing socio-economic exclusion of women, youth and disabled people”.

“How can we get to the point where 40% of spending on goods and services goes to women-owned businesses? First, we urgently need to study the anatomy of public spending, as well as the supply chain patterns of every product and service that has been and continues to be purchased.

“We must break free from monopolies that erect barriers to market entry and reimagine an industrial and productive revolution led by women. No sector should be beyond our reach,” Chikunga said.

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The minister argued that women do not need welfare policies, but need enforcement powers with the ability to monitor, evaluate and ensure accountability.

She highlighted the need to modernize and build the capacity of women-owned businesses to ensure that they produce, supply and distribute the best quality goods and services.

“This means access to the latest manufacturing technologies and production equipment. In highly regulated industries, we need to find ways to simplify the certification process and provide assistance in obtaining the certifications needed to bid for government contracts.

“We need to rethink financial support and incentives (and) without dedicated and tailored financial support, we will set women up for failure.” We must work with established and emerging financial institutions to provide women-owned businesses with access to credit, grants and low-interest loans.

Chikunga further emphasized that women do not only need contracts. “They need ways to honor these contracts and maintain sustainable businesses. » – SAnews.gov.za