GENDER EQUALITY
TRUDI MAKHAYA: Makeba, Maggie, Curie in dream cabinet
Whether a woman can run a small nation with a GDP of just over $300bn is a nonsensical question in 2017
Not so long ago, participating in a panel discussion, an audience member asked a fellow panellist to name his ideal cabinet members. He answered the question on the lines of principle: people who are clean, competent and so forth. The question has stayed with me. I won’t stick to principles only, but to keep the debate civil, though hopefully thought-provoking, I will limit my answer to the departed. In the finance ministry, I need someone who can help us crack the economic trap we find ourselves in. For this, I tap Marina Maponya, someone who built wealth under hostile conditions. Her accolades include business woman of the year award in 1982. That resilience and concrete experience would be useful for current economic challenges: the legacy of apartheid, the pressure of international competition and the demoralisation of youth facing a closed system.My cabinet’s ability to deliver good outcomes depends on the state’s capacity. For the public service and administration portfolio, I...
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