The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Joyce Mashamba, has urged the Limpopo community to “take the hard work of the stalwarts of the struggle forward and keep finding workable solutions to all problems of this country.”

In her keynote address during the Black Management Forum’s awards held at Meropa Casino and Entertainment World and Casino last weekend, Mashamba said: “We have learned a number of valuable lessons in the 16 years of our democracy and we simply cannot ignore the fact that many societal ills and socio-economic disparities we are still faced with today, originated in the apartheid regime, where a total imbalance was created in an effort to protect the interest of only a select few. We simply cannot be seen folding our hands and hoping that a solution to our problems will come to us,” said Mashamba.

Mashamba said she admired those who had the courage to speak about social and economical transformation, equitable participation and Black Economic Empowerment. “In some cases, the so-called transformation we have seen, particularly in the business sector, was merely window-dressing and a far cry from the initial intention of empowering our people at grassroots level."

Mashamba, who was also recognised together with other five MECs in Limpopo and the national Minister of Internal Relations and Co-operations, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, urged the private sector and actively involved members of the community, NGOs and civic organizations to put in place progressive structures to address all social and economical and social imbalances of the past.

She said men and women should stand together in fighting against all the challenges of this country.

Other female MECs who were honoured during the Tracy Malatji Awards as part of their Women’s Month celebrations are Pitsi Moloto, MEC for Economic Development and Environmental Affairs, Dikeledi Magadzi (Safety and Security), Dipuo Letsatsi (Agriculture), Merium Sekgapula (Health and Social Development ) and Pinky Kekana, MEC for Roads and Transport.

Only Mashamba and Sekgapula attended the event. The ceremony was also attended by the BMF President, Jimmy Manyi.