On Monday, 02 September 2024, the Head of Department, Ms. Glen Xaba-Makhetha, convened a successful Women in Management meeting with all Departmental Female Senior Managers. In her scope of work as the HOD, she is expected by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to have a plan for empowering women within the management in the workplace.
The HOD’s eight principles as per the DPSA strategic framework for empowerment of women in the Public Service pertains to the following: Transformation for non-sexism, establishing a policy environment, Meeting equity targets, creating an enabling environment, Gender mainstreaming, Empowerment, Providing adequate resources, Accountability, Currently, the department has a representation of Monitoring and Evaluation.
The meeting deliberated at length on the 8 principles and came up with a draft Plan of Action which tabulates what will be implemented towards achieving targets that requires execution. Transformation is a journey, it cannot be achieved overnight, hence the actions committed are short, medium and, long term in nature. The HOD emphasized that while the plan may be advancing actions that may take long to achieve what is important is to start the process. Although the session was held virtually, the mood and the spirit were kept relaxed, and all participants were encouraged to participate and own the plan.
Quoting “eleven lessons never to forget”, the HOD shared with participants these lessons which are inspired and quoted from a video from Tik Tok “Some of the lessons shared TikTok, the HOD shared the same sentiment that women in management must remember is that “You can grow without destroying others, your dreams can be fulfilled without sabotaging other people’s dreams, and what you are wishing others is a prayer for yourself”.
Currently, the department has a representation of 58% in senior management level while the overall representation of women in the department is at 64%. The meeting raised concerns on the management of issues talking to vulnerable groups. It was then agreed that the implementation plan will take into consideration all vulnerable group issues while balancing gender equality issues. It was agreed that there is therefore a need for the department to increase efforts implement the 8-principle action plan which is a mechanism to address the under representation of vulnerable groups in all levels and gender transformation in the workplace.
The department has a Departmental Women’s Forum, however there’s a gap between the audience of that forum and the audience from the women in senior management. It was then agreed that soon the department will have a Women in Management forum that will have the terms of reference, meet on a quarterly basis and as and when the need arises. A non-senior female manager will be incorporated in this forum.
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