Women In Senior Positions
7 November 2006
Madam Speaker, the ANC`s vision has always been the creation of a prosperous, equitable, stable and democratic society. In economic sense our vision is one of the decent work and living standards for all in the context of qualitatively improved equity in ownership, management skills and access to opportunities.
The SA government has consistently pushed all sectors to ensure both racial and gender equity at all levels of business. However, a new study of 50 of some of the largest and most influential listed companies in South Africa shows that little has changed at the top.
The study reveals that 66% of directors are white and only 34% are black. Most of the executives are still white and male; earn an average of R15 million a year, more than 700 times more than that of the average worker who happens to be black and female.
While women make up 52% of adult population they comprise only 41% of the working South African population and only constitute 14,7% of all executive managers. An added dimension to this is that at the last count only about 2% of top executives in this country were female.
The ANC calls on business to accelerate training and management skills development programmes aimed at bringing about racial and gender equity in all levels of the work place. I thank you.
N P KHUNOU
ANC Member of Parliament
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