LACK OF DEVELOPMENT PROMOTES WAR – NKOSAZANA ZUMA

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.

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