Letsike Urges Action to Empower Women Entrepreneurs Through Policies and Reforms

Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, has urged women entrepreneurs across multiple industries — from ICT and agriculture to energy, hospitality, finance, education and climate-related sectors — to seize the opportunities created by government policies and procurement reforms aimed at strengthening women-owned enterprises.

Speaking at the Women-Owned Business Empowerment Series in Richards Bay on Saturday, Letsike emphasised that commitments to gender equality in the economy must not remain symbolic, but should be “tracked, enforced and translated into measurable outcomes.”

“Empowerment is not an act of goodwill; it is our collective responsibility,” she said.

Access to Finance: A Persistent Barrier

Letsike pointed out that access to finance remains one of the most significant hurdles for women entrepreneurs. Structural challenges such as lack of collateral, systemic discrimination by traditional financial institutions, and bias in creditworthiness assessments continue to limit women’s ability to grow their businesses.

“Women are less likely to have collateral, less likely to be considered credit-worthy by traditional banks, and more likely to face discrimination in the allocation of capital,” she explained.

To address these obstacles, government has established the R3.2 billion Women Empowerment Fund, administered by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Alongside this, procurement reforms have been implemented to channel at least 40% of public sector procurement spend directly to women-owned businesses.

However, Letsike acknowledged that despite strong policy frameworks, bureaucratic delays and weak enforcement often frustrate the very entrepreneurs these reforms are meant to support.

“Our task is to ensure that policy commitments translate into real opportunities on the ground. Beyond finance, we must address access to markets,” she said.

Opening Supply Chains and Value Chains

The Deputy Minister warned that many women-owned businesses remain confined to the informal sector, unable to scale up to small or medium-sized enterprises due to exclusion from supply chains.

The Women’s Economic Assembly, a platform uniting government, business and civil society, was highlighted as a key mechanism to break these barriers. Through its work, value chains in sectors such as mining, agriculture, automotive, ICT and retail are being opened to women entrepreneurs.

“These commitments must now be tracked and enforced to make a tangible difference,” Letsike stressed.

Digital Inclusion: Bridging the Divide

Turning to the role of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Letsike noted that the digital divide risks entrenching inequalities if women are not prioritised.

“In South Africa, women are less likely to have access to smartphones, data, or digital literacy training. Yet, digital platforms are increasingly where businesses are born, where trade is conducted, and where opportunities are found, particularly with the rise of e-commerce as a disruptive force on how business is conducted,” she said.

She pointed to programmes such as SA Connect, the Smart Africa Youth Chapter, and broadband expansion initiatives by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, urging that these projects prioritise women in rural and township areas.

“When women are digitally connected, they are economically connected,” Letsike said.

Intersectional Approach to Empowerment

Letsike further underscored that empowerment strategies must be intersectional and responsive to the diverse realities faced by women.

• Young women face disproportionately higher unemployment rates than men.

• Women with disabilities often experience double discrimination when seeking opportunities.

• Rural women contend with poor infrastructure and geographic isolation.

• Migrant women face legal and social barriers that hinder their inclusion.

“An effective empowerment strategy cannot treat women as a monolith; it must be tailored and responsive to the lived realities of diverse women,” she concluded.

Looking Ahead

The Deputy Minister’s call highlights the need for practical implementation, accountability, and innovation in South Africa’s efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment. With procurement reforms, dedicated funding, and digital inclusion programmes already on the table, the challenge now lies in ensuring these frameworks produce real and lasting impact for women entrepreneurs at every level of society.