WATERVAL BOVEN – Women from eMakhazeni Local Municipality gathered at the Emgwenya Heritage and Tourism Information Centre on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, for a seminar aimed at helping them access business, employment and economic opportunities.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) hosted the Women Entrepreneurial Empowerment and Cooperatives Seminar under the theme “Empowered Women Empower Nations” as part of Women’s Month activities.
For some of the women attending, the seminar provided an opportunity to access information about government services in one place.
“I gathered a lot of information and I feel uplifted as a woman. I now know where to go from here,” said Nomfundo Nkosi, a student at Nkangala TVET College. “As a young person studying, I now know what I am going to do going forward.”
Meisie Groenewald, another attendee, said the seminar provided practical information she could use.
“I enjoyed the Women's Day seminar and found it very educational. They gave us tips we can actually use, and numbers we can call when we need help,” she said.
Representatives from several government departments and agencies used the seminar to explain services and opportunities available to women in the area.
Lewis Mokhasi from the Department of Employment and Labour explained how young women can register on the department’s database for jobs and learning opportunities. He also outlined free services such as CV writing, interview preparation and work ethics training.
Sezanele Zondi from the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) urged women not to use middlemen when seeking funding, home loans of up to R2 million, and trade and investment support.
Tourism was another focus of the seminar, with Isaac Sambo from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) outlining plans to revive Emgwenya as a tourism destination, including its historic tunnels and new waterfront viewing sites.
“We believe revitalising Emgwenya will create job opportunities for the people of Emakhazeni, attract more visitors and grow the local economy,” Sambo said.
Safety was also discussed, with Mandla Nxumalo from SAPS Waterval Boven addressing gender-based violence and femicide, drug abuse, cable theft and infrastructure damage. He urged residents to report crime on 10111.
GCIS Nkangala Regional Communication Coordinator Patricia Matsila said the programme forms part of Women’s Month activities commemorating 70 years since the historic women’s march.
“This is about honouring the resilience of South African women and continuing the fight for economic inclusion,” she said. “We want the women of Emakhazeni to leave here with practical information they can use to improve their lives and grow their businesses.”
