Women can have it all, said Transport Minister Jeff Radebe in Midrand on Thursday.
”Quite frankly, women are now expected to be a Jack, or rather a Jane, of all trades, as well as a mistress of all,” said Radebe at the launch of the Women in Transport seminar.
”In addition to their career, women have to be loving wives, caring mothers, as well as being daughters to their parents and families. I can fully imagine how demanding it can be to satisfy all these roles, in addition to juggling a career and a hectic time schedule.”
However, Radebe said that by prioritising, women can manage it all and seize all the opportunities available to them in South Africa. ”The question is: Can women have it all? The answer is yes, I believe so.”
Radebe said while too few women are still working in the transport sector, the knowledge, experience and feedback of those already working there is invaluable.
He said the Transport Department will soon set gender-equity targets in all empowerment indicators across the transport sub-sectors.
”Women empowerment is a major pillar of our strategy. I’m reminded of a police constable who once reminded his colleague in the Sixties that ‘not all murders are equally serious. Some are just men killing their wives,”’ said Radebe.
”I believe that women have come a long way in demonstrating their talent, strength and dedication, as well demonstrating how wrong the constable was in assuming that women were insignificant,” he said. — Sapa