MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 7 AUGUST 2019
The economic empowerment of the South African women will come under the spotlight when the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission hosts its second women empowerment conference in Polokwane, Limpopo on 23 August 2019. More than 500 women are expected to attend the conference.
According to the B-BBEE Commissioner, Ms Zodwa Ntuli, the conference will focus on the active participation of women in the South African mainstream economy, focusing mainly on opportunities for women under the B-BBEE Act of 2013.
“The conference will highlight major obstacles affecting black people in general, women, workers, youth, people with disabilities, and people living in rural areas in particular. A variety of issues related starting, growing and sustaining of businesses, as well as barriers to economic participation of women will be put under the spotlight at the conference. We will also share information on best practices and issues identified during the implementation and oversight phase to ensure adherence to the B-BBEE Act,” says Ntuli.
She adds that the conference will also educate, create awareness on and showcase services offered by different government entities to assist businesses, especially the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), and black people to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“The Commission is in the process of hosting a series of provincial conferences across the country. The Limpopo leg of the provincial conferences will be dedicated specifically to women, not only because of the Women’s Month, but also due to the many challenges that women in business still experience in this country,” says Ntuli.
She adds that the conference will provide a platform to the businesswomen of Limpopo and those that are still labouring on the periphery to exchange ideas and share information on the opportunities and challenges of empowering women economically in order to assist them contribute meaningfully in growing the economy, creating employment and eradicating poverty.
The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission was established by Section 13B of the BBBEE Amendment Act of 2013 with the aim of accelerating economic transformation and broad-based economic empowerment.
