Huawei women in Tech Programme 27-29 August 2025: Keynote address on Government’s commitment to women’s empowerment in the digital age

Honourable Minister Nomakhosazana Meth

Director – General in the Department of Employment and Labour

Huawei Leadership

Esteemed Guests

Good Morning.

I would like to wish all the women a happy women’s month. This year we celebrate women’s month under the theme “Building Resilient Economies for All,” We recognise that true resilience comes from inclusive participation especially by women in every corner of our digital economy.

Let us begin by recognising that resilience, our ability to adapt and thrive when challenges arise does not come from machines or networks alone. Real resilience flows from people, from communities, and most importantly, from the talents and ideas of women across every corner of South Africa.

When women have equal opportunity to shape digital policy, to start businesses and to master emerging technologies, we create stronger, more innovative and more competitive economies for everyone.

Imagine a small town in the Eastern Cape where a young woman named Lerato lives. Despite limited resources, she taught herself basic coding on a borrowed laptop. With the help of a free online course, she built a weather app that alerts local farmers to sudden frost, saving entire harvests and keeping her community fed. Lerato’s story shows that ingenuity is everywhere what she needed was a chance to learn and a network that would support her. Today, through partnerships like ours with Huawei, we are expanding those chances for thousands more Lerato’s in cities, townships, and villages.

Digital inclusion must be a policy cornerstone. It’s not enough to lay fibre or switch on 5G towers. We must write regulations that guarantee women a seat at the decision‐making table. Partnerships between government and industry amplify impact. We cannot achieve this vision on our own. That is why our collaboration with Huawei is so powerful. Over 4,200 women have graduated from our “Seeds for the Future – Women Edition” programme, walking away with practical skills they can apply to start new ventures or advance in established companies. The training however, must translate into jobs.

We must celebrate and support women entrepreneurs. Small and micro businesses led by women are the backbone of resilient local economies. They create jobs, diversify income streams and foster community pride.

Future‐ready skills must be within every woman’s reach. Technology evolves quickly, and lifelong learning is no longer optional.

Thank you, Huawei, for your collaboration, your expertise and your commitment to women’s skills development and thank you to the women here today. Your leadership is not only our most valuable resource, it is our greatest hope for building resilient economies for all.

Let us leave this room determined to take one concrete step however small toward advancing women’s leadership in technology. Whether it is mentoring a peer, pitching an idea to an investor, or pushing for inclusive policies in your boardrooms, your action matters. When women lead in the digital economy our entire nation stands stronger, together.

Download Document here: Keynote Address by DG Jordan-Dyani: Government’s Commitment to Women’s Empowerment in the Digital Age