by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE Women’s Economic Assembly (WECONA) will host an exclusive high-level engagement session with government and industry officials.
This is to promote the participation of women in South Africa’s economic supply chains.
The meeting on the 28th of March is set to feature President Cyril Ramaphosa, government ministers from the Economic Cluster, private sector executives, industry leaders, and women entrepreneurs.
WECONA seeks to facilitate collaboration between government, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that women-owned businesses gain meaningful access to procurement and supply chain opportunities, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism.
“Women entrepreneurs have been left on the margins of South Africa’s economy for far too long,” WECONA co-chair and national convener, Futhi Mtoba, said.
She said while we acknowledge progress, women-owned businesses still struggled to access key supply chains in industries that drive economic growth.
“We can no longer afford to treat gender-inclusive procurement as an afterthought,” Mtoba said.
“It must be a fundamental pillar of economic transformation. WECONA 2025 is not just a conversation but a call for implementation, action, and measurable change.”
WECONA was established to advocate for the equal economic participation of women in South Africa’s mainstream economy. It seeks to address systemic barriers that hinder women-owned businesses from accessing opportunities in key sectors.
– CAJ News