Implementation of the national policy framework for women empowerment and gender equality in iMpendle Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal = Ukuqaliswa ukusebenza kwenqubomgomo yohlaka lukazwelonke lokuhlonyiswa kwabesifazane nokulingana kobulili kumasipala wendawo eMpendle.

Abstract

Owing to women’s past lived experiences of gender discrimination and marginalization, public policy is among the strategies that are prioritized by the South African government towards the creation of gender balances in the post 1994 era. To this effect, Section 7 (1) of the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa provides that the bill of rights is the cornerstone for affirming democratic rights, human dignity, equality and freedom of all citizens. Despite this constitutional imperative, the literature and empirical evidence in the South African local government sphere points to challenges of women exclusion and lack of empowerment opportunities. Therefore, this article sought to examine the prohibiting factors that impedes effective implementation of the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Policy (WEGEP) in local government with specific reference to iMpendle Local Municipality in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. It also sought to develop strategies to assist the government to improve WEGEP implementation. The study adopted qualitative methodology in which structured interviews were used to collect data from the municipal officials. A total of 30 participants were purposively identified and clustered for data collection, and 27 were available for interviews. In terms of data analysis, a mixture of content and thematic analyses were used. The study was underpinned by 5C protocol as a conceptual framework. The findings of the study indicated a slow pace of implementation of WEGEP in the municipality. This was attributed to the lack of human and financial resources. The findings also pointed to challenges in relation to the monitoring and evaluation for gender and women empowerment programmes. Furthermore, there was a lack of change management in dealing with the issues pertaining to women empowerment and gender equality in the municipality.

Iqoqa.

Ngenxa yababhekane nakho abesifazane esikhathini esedlule sokubandlululwa ngokobulili nokubukelwa phansi, inqubomgomo yomphakathi kungamanye amaqhinga abeka eqhulwini nguhulumeni waseNingizimu Afrikha maqondana nokudalwa kokulingana kobulili emuva kwesikhathi sowe-1994. Ngenxa yalokhu, isigaba 7 (1) soMthethosisekelo waseRephabhlikhi yaseNingizimu Afrikha sihlinzeka ngokuthi umqulu wamalungelo uyinsika eqinisa amalungelo entandoyeningi, isithunzi somuntu, ekulingana nenkululeko yazo zonke izakhamuzi. Ngaphezu kwalesi siphoqelelo somthethosisekelo, imibhalo nobufakazi obuqoqiwe emkhakheni kahulumeni wasemakhaya eNingizimu Afrikha bukhomba izinselelo zokushaywa indiva kwabesifazane nokwentuleka kwamathuba okuthuthukiswa. Ngakho-ke, lesi sihloko sifuna ukuhlola izinto ezivimbayo ezithikameza ukusebenza kahle kweNqubo Yokuthuthukiswa Kwabesifazane Nokulingana Kobulili/Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGEP) kuhulumeni wasemakhaya ngokuqonde ngqo kumasipala wasemakhaya eMpendle eSifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali. Siphinde futhi safuna ukuthuthukisa amaqhinga okusiza uhulumeni ukwenza ngcono ukuqaliswa kweWEGEP. Ucwaningo lwamukele indlelakusebenza ikhwalithethivu lapho inhlolovo ehlelekile yasetshenziswa ukuqoqa imininingwane ezikhulwini zikamasipala. Inani labangama-30 ababambe iqhaza bahlonzwa ngenhloso futhi bahlanganiswa ukuqoqa iminingwane, kanti abangama-27 baba khona kunhlolovo. Mayelana nokuhlaziywa kwemininingwane kwasetshenziswa ingxube yokuqukethwe nokuhlaziywa kwengqikithi. Ucwaningo lusekelwe yi-5C phrothokholi njengohlaka lomqondo wocwaningo. Okutholwe ucwaningo kukhombise ukushaya ngolonwabu kokuqaliswa kweWEGEP kumasipala. Lokhu kubangelwe ukwentuleka kwabantu nezinsiza zezimali. Okutholakele futhi kukhombise izinselelo mayelana nokuqapha futhi nokuhlolwa kobulili nezinhlelo zokuthuthukisa abesifazane. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, bekukhona ukuswelakala kokuphathwa koguquko ekubhekaneni nezinto eziphathelene nokuthuthukiswa kwabesifazane nokulingana kobulili kumasipala.