Pretoria - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has reaffirmed the South African Police Service's (SAPS) commitment to women empowerment, saying police were striving to achieve 50 percent women leadership.
Speaking at the 2010 Women's Prestige Awards on Monday, Mthethwa said police needed to ensure there that were women in the SAPS operational and specialised environments.
The re-skilling of women within the SAPS would also be prioritised. This was already being done through the Emerging Leadership Programme and management training developments, with 70 percent of the slots in these programmes reserved for women.
This was done to improve mobility to the middle and senior positions and broaden the pool of women leaders in the SAPS, the minister said.
Mthethwa acknowledged that while these were positive initiatives, more still needed to be done in terms of women empowerment.
To help achieve this, deputy Police Minister Maggie Sotyu has been asked to take over and provide leadership to all women-empowerment projects within the SAPS, Mthethwa said.
"In the coming days she will be engaging with all parties both internally and externally, with a view of soliciting some of the key challenges which may be impeding our transformational agenda progress," he said.
The struggle for the women of the SAPS was related to creating safety, fighting the scourge of rape, abuse, lawlessness, poverty and hunger, Mthethwa added.
He also applauded those policewomen who were operating in rural police stations and did not have the comfort of electricity, laptops, computers and proper sanitation.
"Such women are based in mostly remote and rural areas and carry with them heavy and often massive responsibilities. Their cause to fight crime is not defined by their surroundings but through their dedication to safeguard those who are vulnerable. It needs to be noted that amongst the people they protect, are men," Mthethwa said.
He also challenged policewomen to be women of good character who would stand and be counted in the fight against crime.
The minister also paid tribute to ANC struggle stalwart Bertha Gxowa who passed away last week.
"The country has indeed lost a stalwart and an advocate for women's rights and emancipation. We shall forever remain indebted to her contribution," he said.
Mthethwa called on policewomen to show the same character as Gxowa.
