Thank you, Speaker. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has a responsibility to transform our rural areas, and specifically to deal with the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality in rural areas. The ANC, in its 2009 election manifesto, identified Rural Development and Land Reform as one of its key priorities.
The department has managed to deliver about 3 million ha of land to more than 200 000 beneficiaries since 1994. Among those who benefitted there are women.
Most recently the department undertook a visit to Venezuela with the purpose of exposing rural women from South Africa and their arts, crafts, sewing and agriculture to women from Venezuela and their arts, crafts and agriculture. It was also to explore the possibility of opening markets and exchanging skills between the South African women and the women in Venezuela in the aforementioned three sectors. All the women who undertook the visit have been trained as trainers.
Speaker, we in the ANC government do not perceive dealing with gender as an act of charity or goodwill, but as a strategic objective for the achievement of a nonsexist society. This is one good story among many good stories to tell those who want to listen. Thank you. [Applause.]