Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga said women are still being marginalised in the transport sector and there is gender inequality in the sector that still needs to be addressed.
Chikunga said this while delivering a keynote address to a gathering of women in the transport sector in Johannesburg as part Women’s Month activities.
“Gender disparities, limited access to resources, and societal biases can actually hinder the progress of women. It is our collective responsibility to create an enabling environment for them,” she said.
Chikunga, however, acknowledged that there are some changes.
“At least now in the aviation sector, we are led by women CEOs. We are beginning to count the number of CEOs in the rail sector that we are appointing not because they are women but because they are capable,” she added.
Business women who were part of the event called for other women to join them in a quest to be independent and empower themselves.
Logistics company TNLB owner Nombulelo Mahlangu, who established her company in 2019, said there is an abundance of opportunities for women in the sector.
She established her company in 2019.
“There is a shortage of women in the industry, and women you can give them anything they can turn into gold for example a woman who doesn’t have anything to give their children does go out to ensure her children won’t go to bed without eating,” Mahlangu said adding that there are red tapes that needed to be addressed.
“The red tapes in funding, there are a lot of requirements for new entrepreneurs coming in the business. You are required to have funding and a lot of paperwork and most companies don’t have much faith in the start-ups and that’s where the passion is,” she said.
Truck driver Nomzamo Mncwango said despite challenges they face on the roads it is great for women to do the job.
“It is male dominant but there is nothing different, men just treat you with respect. It’s like you driving your own private car. It is not like because you are a woman they treat you differently there is nothing like that. We respect each other, on the road we give each other a way,” Mncwango said.
