MIDDELBURG – “In order to address the devastating impact the pandemic has had on women in the province, the provincial government, through the Mpumalanga Economic Reconstruction and Recovery plan, will prioritise the development of women-owned enterprises. This is supplemented by the recent decision by the ANC-led government to extend the R350 special Covid-19 grant for those who are unemployed. The social security net has been increased to protect vulnerable families, especially women and children, from the economic impact of the pandemic,” she announced.
“As a provincial government, we are investing in job creation programmes, extending our Expanded Public Works Programme and assisting young women who may want to start their own small businesses. Covid-19 has ripped our lives apart as a nation, with women being the hardest hit cohort of the population. “Some are struggling financially due to collapsed businesses and losing their jobs as a result of the pandemic. With no breadwinners, some of whom succumbed to the pandemic, they are left to pick up the pieces and fend for their families under extremely difficult conditions.
“In order to address this, we have taken a decision to place strategic emphasis on the development of female-owned enterprises,” she continued. Mtshweni-Tsipane said government has also taken cognisance of the impact Covid-19 has had on female players within the provincial tourism sector.
“In an effort to fast-track the recovery of this industry while empowering women, we have augmented the efforts of the national sphere of government to assist women-owned enterprises in the tourism sector through the Tourism Equity Fund. We have availed R20 million to help SMMEs in the tourism sector with a specific focus on women-owned enterprises,” she announced.
Mtshweni-Tsipane said through the Fortune 40 provincial programme, they have capacitated 97 women who are currently operating their own farms and participating within the agricultural value chain in the province.
“We are currently facilitating the incorporation of an additional 144 young women in the programme and ensuring they are provided with the requisite support to operate sustainable farming enterprises before the end of the current financial year,” she said.
Regarding the R350 million state-of-the-art four-star hotel earmarked to be constructed in Middelburg, Mtshweni-Tsipane said government has engaged the developers to consider ring fencing a percentage of their procurement for the benefit of women-owned enterprises within the Nkangala District.
