Times Of Swaziland: LACK OF DEVELOPMENT PROMOTES WAR  – NKOSAZANA  ZUMA

LACK OF DEVELOPMENT PROMOTES WAR  – NKOSAZANA  ZUMA
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Sabelo Ndzinisa on 10/08/2024 08:05:00


EZULWINI – “Without peace, there is no development but war.”
These were the words of Doctor Nkosazana Zuma, the former Minister of Women,
Youth and Persons with Disabilities in South Africa, when making her remarks
during the 10-year anniversary of the African Women’s Peace and Development
Foundation (AWPDF). Zuma, former wife of former South Africa President Jacob
Zuma, was the guest speaker. She is also the third Chairperson of African Union
Commission. She made it clear that the lack of development will promote war,
adding that: “If you have millions of people doing nothing, then you have no
stack in the future because they will rise at some stage.” Zuma emphasised
that for the continent to have peace, there must be development.
The former minister stressed that development was critical for peace just as
peace was important for development, hence noted the need for women to be part
and parcel of peace and development. “That is why they say if you empower or
educate a woman, you educate the nation but when you educate a man, you educate
an individual and I am not being disrespectful,” she said. She urged AWPDF
members and women in general not to look down on themselves, but know that they
have been given the responsibility for the continuation of the human race,
stressing that without women, there is no human race.
Confident
“So, we must be confident that we are here for a very good reason. We must be
confident, work together as you are doing right now. I am pleased that you chose
this organisation to be about peace and development because it means it is about
everything.” She added that without peace, there is war, no development. Zuma
also pointed out that women were in the centre of the family while the family
was at the centre of society. Zuma further stated that women are in the centre
of the family, while the family is at the centre of society. She said women take
care of their families, children and husbands. She stated that at country level,
women are everywhere as they take second place to themselves.She declared that
women do not eat until other people have eaten. Zuma said research showed that
if you give woman money, she will spend at least 70 per cent of that on the
family, saying this must tell people that giving capacity to women is empowering
everyone.
Event
The event was held at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini and attended by a
number of top women dignitaries including Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini,
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla and Minister of Tourism and
Environmental Affairs Jane Simelane. Also present were parliamentarians
including senators and MPs. It also emerged that Zuma paid a courtesy call to
Her Majesty the Queen Mother.