Hon Deputy Speaker, South African businesswomen currently hold 27% of senior management positions, beating the global average of 20%. This is according to the Grant Thornton International Business Report, IBR. This fact is attributed to the emphasis placed on gender equality and employment equity by the ANC-led government.
However, while the South African government holds an impressive record with many women in senior positions, the private sector business communities still lag behind and have a long way to go in balancing gender parity.
The survey also shows that the percentage of privately held businesses, in the country that have no women in senior management positions at all has declined from 27% in 2009 to 23%, in contrast with the global average which has risen from 35% in 2009 to 38%. This finding shows that the ANC is on the right track and has succeeded very well in putting in place policies that promote nonracialism and nonsexism. Thank you. [Applause.]