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29 August 2007

Programme Directors,
District Municipality Mayor, Hezel Jenkins,
Provincial Safety and Liaison MEC, Thembalekhaya Madikane,
Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Emthageni Municipality Kenneth Markman
Provincial Police Commissioner, Miriam Mbombo,
Provincial Community Police Forum chairperson, Nxoxo,
Our esteemed awards nominees tonight, the woman in blue,
Councillors and community leaders,
Senior government officials,
Distinguished guests,
Listeners of Ulwazi Community Radio Station,
Ladies and gentlemen

It is a privilege and honour for me to be part of the bi-annual Best Female Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Competition 2007, which represents government and community appreciation of the work done distinguished women in the Traffic and Police law enforcement fraternity.

The fact that today, we can be able to proudly proclaim a decline in the incidents of crime and road fatalities and accidents is due to the dedication, hard work and cooperation among the women in blue, police women and female traffic officers who are active in combating crime and promoting road safety.

We are here today to honour and celebrate these industrious and selfless women who are like shining stars whose dedication and actions deserve to be emulated by more women in the traffic and police disciplines.

As you are aware, August has been declare the Month of Women and we are here in the Pixley ka Seme Region to do just that, to celebrate with our women and end the August celebration with a high note.

Indeed our communities will continue to rely on these dedicated women of our law enforcement to intensify programme and campaigns aimed at building safe, supportive, high moral community and road safety conscious communities.

These women are warriors who assist our Community Police For a, protect our women and children, fight domestic violence and further participate in reducing incidents of crime and educate our communities about the imperatives of road safety.

These awards comes at an appropriate time when the country is reflecting on the challenges facing all women of this country and evaluate the progress we are making in ensuring that South Africa became a truly non-sexists society

Programme Directors

Allow me to use the words of our President Thabo Mbeki during the Women Day's celebrations in Kimberley on 9 August, when he said "We should use this day to ask ourselves as to what more we must do to end all forms of women abuse and violence against women and children, including the terrible crime of rape." These women we are celebrating tonight asked themselves that question before the President directed. They have served their communities with dignity and pride. They have and continue to lead the fight against and have enforced traffic law and regulations.

These women we are honouring tonight are real women who believe in subscribes to the theme of the month of August 'Emancipation, Empowerment, Equality and Eradication of Poverty Now.'

These are women various police and traffic stations pride themselves with, as they have and continue to take the lead in ensuring equality in their work places. They have worked hard for their own emancipation and have been involved in community programmes aimed at eradicating poverty within their communities.

We remain committed as a government and a province to advance women empowerment as we believe that no true peace and progress can be secured in any country for as long as women in that country are denied full and democratic rights and duties.

Equally so, no province no true peace and progress can be secured in any province for as long as women in that province are denied full and democratic rights. To demonstrate government's commitment towards the emancipation of women South Africa prides itself with having a Cabinet consisting of 43% women representation. Four of the nine provinces including ours, the Northern Cape, are led by women.

Our Parliament has more than 30% women representation. This is also translating to local government level as well where women representation stands at 40%.
In addition South Africa is rated number 10 out of the 130 parliaments in the world in terms of women's advancement in governance. Our Provincial Police Commissioner is the first and only women in the country to be appointed Provincial Police Commissioner in South African Police Service (SAPS). The MEC responsible for Safety in the Northern Cape is also a woman. The Head of Department is also a woman. If this does not demonstrate our commitment and progress in this regard than we don't know what would.

However, a lot still needs to be done in transforming the safety and security fraternity which is still male dominated. Women of today should emulate the example of women during the brutal years of apartheid when women were at the forefront of the battles against that dreaded system of systematic oppression.
Our history is filled with the stories of the heroic deeds carried out by patriotic South African women who were not prepared to heed to the yoke of Apartheid. Women in urban and rural areas, black and white, rich and poor, the religious and non-religious, stood together side by side, to fight and emphatically defeat apartheid.

Programme Director,

Allow me again to reflect and use the words of our President Thabo Mbeki during the Women's Day Celebrations in Kimberley "All of us are aware of the fact that, women are still subjected to various forms of abuse. We therefore call upon all sectors of society to join forces in a national partnership to fight against all forms of abuse against women, to join the campaign of '365 Days of Activism against Violence Against Women and Children.'

As we are all aware the search for the Best Northern Cape Traffic and Police Women of the Year for 2007 was on and had closed last week. This initiative is part of the provincial Department of Safety and Liaison to celebrate and bestow honour to women in these male dominated terrains.

Seventeen entries where received from both traffic and policewomen throughout the province and 10 finalists were selected and put on the interview shortlist. They were subjected to questions to an intense selection process before the adjudicators arrived to a final conclusion on the top three finalists. Let us take this opportunity to congratulate them for making it to this far in the competition and for serving our communities with pride, without fear and favour.

This is what led to the communities which they are proud to serve and belong to nominating them for the award. Tonight one woman will leave this hall all smiles to the bank with an amount of R10 000 while the runner-up will pocket an amount of R5 000 00 and the third price is R3 000. However, all these women are winners and deserve applause and praises for a job well done.

The department has been running this competition since the year 2000 with the main aim being to reward excellence in law enforcement and recognise unswerving devotion to duty, outstanding record of service in the traffic and the police fraternities and to the community.

This year the department convened a panel of outside and independent adjudicators. They are capable men and women with high integrity. On behalf of the Department of Safety and Liaison and the people of the province we extend a word of thanks to Social Services Department Chief Director, Stephen Jonkers, Crime Prevention's Advocate Botha, Commission of Gender Equality Senior Manager, Marcia Appeal, Office on Status of Women's Martha William and Public Service Commissioner Kenny Mathews for agreeing to sit on the hot seat and adjudicating in the competition.

The long-term goal of the competition is aimed at encouraging our matriculants to join the police and traffic service women in blue to continue to break the glass ceilings in these previously male dominated disciplines. This is our manner of giving recognition to all these soldiers in the law enforcement fraternity. We hope that these awards will not only regenerate public values but also provide incentive by motivating yet more others to prevent and combat crime as well as promote road safety across our province.

I therefore conclude by appealing to our communities to volunteer their services to the common objectives of building safer communities by following the good examples of the ladies we are honouring tonight. Congratulations to all the awards winners.

I thank you
Ke a leboga
Baie dankie
Enkosi

Issued by: Northern Cape Provincial Government
29 August 2007