According to Ntombela, the gap between male and females who occupy senior positions in the Free State Government is a cause of concern.

She stated that the Free State Government has ten male employees who are occupying Head of Department (HOD) positions and two female employees acting in HOD positions. Thirteen males hold positions of Deputy Director-Generals (DDG), while only five females are in those same positions. She further said that 45 males are chief directors, while 23 females are chief directors, 159 males are directors, while103 females are directors.

During her virtual dialogue on Tuesday, involving women within the education sector and MECs in the Free State province, Premier Sisi Ntombela said that women should unite in order to deal with gender inequality. Ntombela said that women should take note of brave women who united and supported each other when they stood firm against the Prime Minister JG Strijdom in 1956.

Ntombela encouraged more women to apply for more senior roles to correct the gender inequality in the province.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi