MEC Rockman
The MEC for the Free State Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs (DARDEA), Elzabe Rockman, recently hosted the fourth District Women in Agriculture Imbizo at the Master Nakedi Multi-Purpose Centre in Tumahole, Parys, in collaboration with the Fezile Dabi District Women in Agriculture (WARD) structure.
The event successfully brought together over 120 female farmers from crop and animal production across the four Local Municipalities within the Fezile Dabi District, which includes Ngwathe, Moqhaka, Metsimaholo, and Mafube. This gathering provided a valuable opportunity for these women to share knowledge and enhance their skills.
Participants included stakeholders from various institutions, such as the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD) and the LED Manager from Ngwathe Local Municipality, along with officials from DARDEA.
The main goal of the Imbizo was to create a platform for exchanging ideas and addressing specific challenges that women in agriculture face, such as market access, funding, and networking opportunities. Additionally, the engagement aimed to revive the Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD) structures across the Free State Province.
Pastor Paul Mazibuko led a candle-lighting and prayer session in honor of women and girls who have lost their lives to gender-based violence and femicide in the Province. MEC Rockman, alongside the Fezile Dabi District WARD Chairperson, female farmers, and other stakeholders, participated in this solemn moment, calling for stronger action to protect women and girls.
Fezile Dabi District WARD Chairperson, Sefora Ntombela, provided an overview of the WARD in the District, emphasizing that women in agriculture are confronted with significant challenges. She highlighted troubling statistics from Stats SA, noting the Free State’s three million population and the alarming female/youth unemployment rate of 37%.
Ntombela pointed out that these statistics reflect the difficult realities faced by women and youth in the province and commended MEC Rockman for her continued support of farmers, particularly in these tough economic times.
In her address, MEC Rockman remarked on her observations during engagements with farmers, noting that many agricultural communities remain predominantly male. This reality prompted the establishment of a dedicated platform for women in agriculture to voice their concerns and share their experiences.
“This is our fourth District Imbizo. We started in Mangaung Metro, followed by Lejweleputswa and Xhariep District, with the last one scheduled for Thabo Mofutsanyana District next week. These imbizos will culminate in the Provincial Women Agricultural Imbizo, which we anticipate hosting in Bloemfontein on 13-14 October 2026,” she stated.
MEC Rockman emphasized the disproportionate burden of unemployment faced by women and encouraged participants to stand up against abuse and support one another. She called for solidarity among women and urged men to challenge abusive behaviors within their communities, stressing the importance of breaking the silence that often surrounds such issues.
“Let us not destroy each other. Let us rise above that. Let us stand up for ourselves. Let us stop protecting the men in our own families who abuse us. That silence is what kills us more than anything else,” she concluded.
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