Even with enabling legislation and policies in place, women in the maritime sector make up only 5% of those employed in ocean and supporting businesses in the southern African region, according to the chief executive of Transnet Port Terminals, Nozipho Sithole.
Speaking at the Oceans Economies Southern Africa conference hosted at the Durban Country Club last week, she suggested this be addressed by creating a work environment that encouraged women to participate in technical jobs and adopting programmes such as the International Maritime Organisation’s Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS).
“Companies could also focus on strengthening national and regional capacities through gender-specific fellowships and facilitating access to high-level technical training for women in developing countries.”
Sithole said TPT would invest R27 million in the training of 117 apprentices who had been placed at terminals across three provinces.
“TPT has spent R44 million on training programmes specifically created for female employees and has introduced a Women in Operations (WIO) programme which facilitates the participation of women in core operational fields of the business,” she said.
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Companies could focus on strengthening national and regional capacities through gender-specific fellowships. – Nozipho Sithole
