South Africa: North West Police Urged to Advance Women Representation

BuaNews (Tshwane)

28 June 2011

Pretoria — Out of 24 SAPS provincial management posts in the North West, women representation stands at 25 percent, while male representation stands at 46 percent.

This prompted provincial MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Desbo Mohono to call on the provincial SAPS management to use the seven vacancies at senior management service level to advance towards 50/50 gender representation.

A report on vacancies within the SAPS presented to Mohono during a meeting with the Peace Justice Crime Prevention and Safety Cluster departments on Monday showed that of the 12 posts at Cluster Commander level, three women were appointed at this level, which only constituted 25 percent, while seven males appointed at the same level constituted 58 percent.

In a bid to achieve 50/50 gender parity within the SAPS, Mohono urged police management to meet the target at all levels within her organisation.

Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant Zukiswa Mbombo assured Mohono that meeting the 50/50 representation target was among management’s highest priorities.

Presenting her department’s Budget Vote in Parliament early this month, Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana also noted that while women constitute more than 50 percent of the population, they remain severely underrepresented in decision making positions.

She said the department is currently working on the Gender Equality Bill, which will provide them with the necessary legislative authority to hasten the empowerment of women and address issues of enforcement and compliance towards the attainment of the department’s target of 50/50 gender parity.

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