Budget 2020: KZN NPOs want Mboweni to focus on women, children
Non-profit organisations across KwaZulu-Natal are hoping this year's budget allocations were made with women and children in mind.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is to present his Budget Speech in parliament this today.
Durban-based Rural Women's Movement's Sizani Ngubane says women continue to be sidelined during land discussions, especially in rural areas.
"We have been vocal about these issues through oral and written submissions since 2008, but those submissions fell on deaf ears. Out of 303 traditional leaders, we only know three who allocate land to women."
An NPO that offers economic support to members of the public says women are still marginalised when it comes to ownership rights.
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Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action's Nqabakazi Mathe says: "There's an issue of land. The very people who need land the most, which are women and the poor, they are ignored when it comes to engagements."
Ayanda Hlabisa is with Dancing Pencil - a group that helps young people write their own books - says early childhood literacy is still a major concern.
"He should focus more in terms of literacy programs. The more our country becomes literate as early as possible, the more our future becomes secure."
Condemning brutal incidents of gender-based violence last year, the President revealed an R1.6 billion emergency plan to deal with the scourge.
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Jes Foord Foundation Rape Crisis Centre's Jodi Smith says the country needs to know how it's going to be put into action.
"We are expecting to hear allocation of funding towards gender-based violence programmes. As a foundation, we believe this is the correct focus for our country."
