With regard to women empowerment and gender equality, as a nation we have made significant progress in promoting women empowerment and representation in the key decision-making structures. Before 1994, the South African Parliament had a mere 2,7% representation of women. Through the visionary leadership of former President Nelson Mandela and the ANC, women representation immediately increased tenfold to 27% after the 1994 elections. After 1997, having adopted the 30% target at the ANC's conference in Mafikeng, we stood at 30% and 33% representation of women after the 1999 and 2004 elections, respectively, under the leadership of former President Thabo Mbeki.