GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN FREE STATE MUNICIPALITIES – THE CASE OF MATJHABENG AND MOHOKARE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES by EMILY KENALEMANG KUZWAYO STUDENT NO. 1995684170 A mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for Masters in Development Studies in the Centre (MDS) Faculty of Economics and Management Science Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein Supervisor: Dr Deidre Van Rooyen DECLARATION I, Emily Kenalemang Kuzwayo, hereby declare that the report in this research dissertation for the degree of Masters in Development Studies is my own work. This works has not been previously submitted for assessment, qualification or examination at another institution of higher education. This thesis does not contain other persons’ writing, unless specifically acknowledged as been sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: i.) their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced; ii.) where their exact words have been used, their writing has been placed inside quotation marks, and referenced. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I hereby would like give glory to our heavenly Father for giving me strength and wisdom to complete this study. My sincere and special gratitude to my Supervisor, Dr Deidre Van Rooyen, for her guidance, inspiration, support and patience during the duration of this project. My heartfelt gratitude and love also goes to my family, both my sons, Katlego Ngake– Kuzwayo and Olebogeng Makhosini Kuzwayo, as well as my adopted sister Moliehi Nkunyane, for their support and encouragement. My colleagues and friends at SALGA, in particular Free State, Ms Mnukwase “Pinky” Sempe and Sibongile Joyce Mathibela, for their unwavering support and encouragement. Further gratitude goes to my study partner, Dikeledi Mosia, for her encouragement. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all staff members at the Centre for Development Support for their invariable support, especially Anita Harmse for her unrelenting support. ii DEDICATION The research is dedicated to my late parents, Oganne Johannes and Senyane Anna Ngake and elder sister; Majeng Melita Motlhaoloa, to whom in their memory and honour, I drew courage and strength to complete my studies. May their departed souls continue to rest in eternal peace and rise in glory. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AIDS ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME AU AFRICAN UNION CEDAW CONVENTION ON THE ELLIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN CGE COMMISSION FOR GENDER EQUALITY COGTA COPORATIVE GOVERMRNT AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS DPLG DEPARTMENT OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ECOSOC UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL GFP GENDER FOCAL PERSON HIV HUMAN IMMUNE VIRUS IDP INTERGRATE DEVELOPMENT PLAN MDGs MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS MSA MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS ACT NPO NON-GOVERMENTAL ORGANIZATION OSW OFFICE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN PJMC PARLIAMENTARY JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE RSA REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA SALGA SOUTH AFRICAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCITION SDBIP SERVICE DELIVERY and BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SDGs SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS STATS SA STATISTIC SOUTH AFRICA UNDP UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME iv UNIFEM UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN UNWOMEN UNITED NATIONS WOMEN v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ....................................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 : ORIENTATION OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY................................................................................................. 3 1.2.1 Profile of the study areas ......................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Establishment and institutional arrangements in the municipalities........... 4 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT ............................................................................................................ 4 1.4 AIM OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................................. 5 1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................................... 5 1.6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK.................................................................................................... 5 1.6.1 Women Empowerment .............................................................................................. 8 1.7 RESEARCH DESIGN .................................................................................................................. 9 1.7.1 Research method ....................................................................................................... 9 1.8 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGY ............................................................................................... 11 1.8.1 Interview and secondary data ............................................................................... 11 1.8.2 Sampling method ..................................................................................................... 11 1.9 RESEARCH ETHICS ................................................................................................................. 12 1.9.1 Confidentiality ........................................................................................................... 12 1.9.2 Informed consent ..................................................................................................... 12 1.9.3 Relationship ............................................................................................................... 13 1.10 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 2 : LITERTURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 14 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS TO GENDER EQUALITY ...................... 14 2.3 REGIONAL COMMITMENTS TO GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND GENDER EQUALITY ....... 16 2.4 GENDER EQUALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA .................................................................................. 16 2.5 CONTEXTUALISING GENDER, WOMEN CAPABILITIES AND FEMINISM ................................. 21 2.6 GENDER MAINSTREAMING: A VEHICLE FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND TRANSFORMATION . 21 vi 2.7 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA ........................................................... 23 2.8 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 24 Chapter 3 : RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ........................................................................ 26 3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 26 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................ 26 3.2.1 Unit of analysis ......................................................................................................... 27 3.2.2 Target population ..................................................................................................... 27 3.2.3 Sampling ..................................................................................................................... 27 3.3 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES ............................................................................................ 28 3.3.1 Interviews ................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.2 Document analysis .................................................................................................. 29 3.3.3 Data analysis ............................................................................................................. 29 3.4 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................................... 30 3.4.1 Confidentiality ........................................................................................................... 30 3.4.2 Informed consent ..................................................................................................... 31 3.4.3 Relationship ............................................................................................................... 31 3.5 LIMITATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 31 3.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 32 Chapter 4 : PRESESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ..................................................................... 34 4.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 34 4.2 FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................... 37 4.2.1 Understanding the gender mainstreaming strategy ....................................... 37 4.2.2 Analyses of the implementation of gender mainstreaming at local government in the Free State with focus on Matjhabeng and Mohokare local municipalities ............................................................................................................................ 38 4.3 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT – INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ........................................... 40 4.3.1 Lack of proper systems and commitment towards gender mainstreaming 41 4.3.2 Lack of targeted approach that advances women empowerment .............. 41 4.3.3 Lack of guidelines from regulatory departments (COGTA and National Treasury) .................................................................................................................................... 42 4.3.4 Location of the gender focal person in the Executive Mayor ...................... 43 4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ENABLERS ................................................................................................ 44 4.4.1 Lack of gender policy .............................................................................................. 44 4.4.2 Reproductive health, HIV and AIDS..................................................................... 45 4.4.3 Safety and security .................................................................................................. 46 4.5 EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................... 46 vii 4.5.1 Lack of participation in the municipal processes and procedures ............ 46 4.6 IDP ANALYSIS OF MOHOKARE AND MATJHABENG LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ........................ 46 4.7 ANNUAL REPORTS ANALYSIS ................................................................................................ 50 4.7.1 Matjhabeng Local Municipality analysis and findings of the Annual Report 50 4.7.2 Mohokare Local Municipality analysis and findings of the annual report 51 4.8 SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR GENDER MAINSTREAMING ................................................... 52 4.8.1 Institutional arrangements .................................................................................... 54 4.8.2 Integration of gender in the planning phase ..................................................... 54 4.8.3 Review of the planning framework and development of the gender policy 55 4.8.4 Improvement of reporting, monitoring and evaluation system ................... 55 4.8.5 Performance management system and agreement of executive /senior managers to include gender ................................................................................................. 56 4.8.6 Location and role of the gender focal person and special programme officer 56 4.8.7 Building an enabling environment ...................................................................... 56 4.8.8 Communication ........................................................................................................ 57 4.8.9 Municipality to get guidance from National Treasury on how to budget and report on gender mainstreaming ................................................................................. 57 4.8.10 Assignment of functions ........................................................................................ 57 4.8.11 Resources and power of the municipality to be increased .......................... 58 4.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 58 Chapter 5 : CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 59 5.1 CONCLUSION FROM THE LITERATURE AND FINDINGS ......................................................... 59 5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................ 64 5.2.1 Review the institutional arrangements and mend municipal systems and structure to be fit for the purpose ....................................................................................... 64 5.1.1.1 Administration .................................................................................................. 64 5.2.2 IDP processes and procedures ............................................................................ 66 5.2.3 Programming and projects .................................................................................... 66 5.2.4 Regulatory environment for sustainable approach ........................................ 66 5.2.5 Intergovernmental relations and assignment of functions ........................... 66 5.2.6 Municipal governance and oversight ................................................................. 67 5.3 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 67 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 68 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................................... 73 viii APPENDIX A: ETHCIAL CLEARANCE APPROVAL ......................................................... 73 APPENDIX B: REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (MATJHABENG LOCAL MUNICIPALITY) ........................................................................... 74 APPENDIX C: REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (MOHOKARE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY) ................................................................................ 78 APPENDIX D: STUDY INFORMATION LEAFLET AND CONSENT FORM ................... 82 APPENDIX E: GENDER MAINSTREAMING INTERVIEW SCHEDULE ......................... 87 APPENDIX F: LETTER FROM LANGUAGE EDITOR ........................................................ 91 APPENDIX G: TURN IT IN RECEIPT AND REPORT ......................................................... 92 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1: Breakdown of respondents ................................................................................. 36 Table 4.2: Themes and clusters of municipal processes and procedures ............................ 39 Table 4.3: Outcome of Matjhabeng Local Municipality IDP assessment .............................. 47 Table 4.4: Outcome of Mohokare Local Municipality IDP assessment ................................ 48 Table 4.5: Outcome of Matjhabeng Local Municipality - annual report analysis ................... 50 Table 4.6: Outcome of Mohokare Local Municipality - annual report analysis ..................... 51 Table 4.7: Suggestions made by participants and discussions that followed ....................... 53 x CHAPTER 1 : ORIENTATION OF THE STUDY 1.1 INTRODUCTION Throughout the world, gender inequality between men and women persists to exist and stalls the development of women. According to Robeyns (2003), inequality limits women access to the same opportunities as men, therefore, hinders their capabilities to perform and excel in the environment traditionally reserved for men. Labour division is predominantly along gender lines, wherein men are mostly found in both public and private sectors in positions that require strategic decision-making (Connell, 2006). In some parts of Europe and Africa the majority of women are found employed in the areas that are traditionally welfarism, health and social development without strategic decision-making powers where they care for others and are less paid (Omotosho, 2015). The traditional arrangements of division of labour alongside gender, fail to recognise the capabilities that each person possess without describing them in accordance to the system, as Sen (cited in Robeyns, 2003) that capabilities are people’s potential functioning, therefore it cannot be evaluated exclusively on utilities and income. Women often have to work harder, in order to attain the same accolades and recognitions as their men counterparts. Whilst there has been a noticeable effort and progress towards gender equality over the years, it is evidence that women remain at the periphery in terms of empowerment and equality as compared to men (Sen, 2000). Internationally there has been a concerted effort by UN to strengthen gender equality efforts. This has been amplified by the development of international gender protocols and instruments, such as CEDAW and Beijing Platform of Action in 1995 (Moser & Moser, 2005). The protocols created an enabling environment to achieve gender equality and transformation. These protocols are applicable to member countries that are signatories and had ratified UN protocols. According to the UN (2015), the evaluated progress made by member countries since the adoption of Beijing Platform of Action in 1995, have shown skewed progress made 1 by countries, which remained low as countries reported different achievements on different indicators. Part of the challenges towards the achievement of gender equality was the lack of a framework that guided all countries towards the achievement of gender equality. The 2000 Beijing review session adopted gender mainstreaming as the strategy to be implemented by member countries, to achieve gender equality and Empowerment. In 2000 UN adopted eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of which goal five (5) is, “women empowerment and equality became the cornerstone for redressing gender imbalances between men and women towards achieving gender equality”. However, the MDG fell short on addressing some of the indicators that addresses women’s socio-economic status, as it mainly centred on education and women’s representatives in parliament (Kabeer, 2017). Similarly, South Africa is a signatory and has ratified both the Beijing Platform of Action and CEDAW. It has since 1994 transformed from a system of governance that did not promote equality across race and gender to one that is entrenched in human rights, therefore promoting equal rights for all, irrespective of race, creed, including the commitment to gender equality. The constitution, which the supreme law of the country enshrines in Chapter 2, the Bill of Rights is a cornerstone to realise equality, including gender equality. Mechanisms were put in place post 1994 that ensured that governance systems across all spheres of government, entities and business, transform from an exclusive to inclusive system that promoted, amongst others, gender equality. The mechanisms included the development of legislations, such as an employment equity act that promoted gender equality, and further developed the National Gender Policy Framework. It has however been noted that the progress towards the implementation of gender mainstreaming in different spheres of government, including municipalities has been stalled. What causes the slow progress could be attributed to a lack of understanding the concept ‘gender mainstreaming’ (CGE, 2016) or internal systemic and structural mechanisms (Mompei, 2015) that enable gender mainstreaming, as a tool towards gender empowerment and equality to achieve transformation. This study would therefore determine how municipalities are implementing gender mainstreaming. The study would examine business processes and procedures, 2 knowledge of gender mainstreaming and internal mechanisms in Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. The study would therefore outline the background profile of Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities and the problem statement. Further outlines would be the aims and objective of the study. Literature review would be done to determine what other researchers have written and their findings about gender mainstreaming in internationally, regionally, and nationally and in the municipalities. The study would outline the research design, the method, which in this case would be qualitative. Further outlines would be data collection and sampling strategy, research ethics, measurement map, data analysis and timelines outlining the anticipated research period. 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1.2.1 Profile of the study areas For purpose of the study, focus would be limited to the Free State municipalities, using Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities as case studies. Both municipalities are classified as category B local municipalities, however they differ significantly as Matjhabeng Local Municipality houses Welkom, which is an intermediary city with better socio-economic opportunities and a bigger population. Mohokare Local Municipality on the other hand, is found in the Xhariep District Municipality. The municipality is made of small towns in the eastern part of the Free State. Zastron is the bigger town. According to STATS SA (2011), Matjhabeng Local Municipality is one of the local municipalities under Lejweleputswa district in the Free State Province. The municipality is made up of six towns, namely Welkom, Allanridge, Hennenman, Virginia, Venterburg and Odendaalsrus. The municipality has a population of 406 461 of which 204 952 is female, making up 50.42% of the population and 201 509 is male making up 49.58% of the population. It has an unemployment rate of 37%, mainly affecting the youth. The economy is mainly driven by the mining sector, which is dwindling, followed by the agricultural sector producing vegetables, livestock, poultry and other crops. 3 STATS SA (2011) indicated that Mohokare Local Municipality is under Xhariep District Municipality in the eastern side of the Free State. The municipality incorporates three towns, namely Zastron, Smithfield and Rouxville. It has a population of 34 146, with the female population at 17 831, making up 52.22% and the male population of 16 314 making population of 47.78%. The economy of the municipality is driven by mainly livestock, vegetables, poultry and other crops. The municipality has an unemployment rate of 31.1% mainly affecting the youth. In order to understand the municipality and gender mainstreaming in the context of the institutional arrangements of the municipality, it is worth reflecting on the institutional arrangements of the municipality. 1.2.2 Establishment and institutional arrangements in the municipalities Municipalities are established by chapter seven of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to which section (152) and (153) provide the objects and developmental functions of local government (RSA Constitution, 1996). The primary function of the municipalities is to deliver basic services, such as water and sanitation, electricity, refuse removal and human settlement (land). It may also provide assigned functions, such as education, health and infrastructure (roads, sports facilities) development within its jurisdiction (RSA Constitution, 1996). Municipal functions are organized under five key performance, which are Infrastructure and Basic Services, Social and Economic Development, Institutional transformation, Governance and Municipal Finance (MSA, 2000). This is affected by the institutional systems and processes with delegates’ responsibilities to different business units. The systems spell out structures of authority (MSA, 2000). 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT South Africa has adopted a National Gender Policy Framework in 2000. Subsequently the Department of Provincial Local Government, now known as Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), further developed the Local Government framework for municipalities on gender mainstreaming in 2007. The framework guided 4 municipalities on processes and procedures, in order to put systems and structures in place, in order to mainstream gender in the planning, budgeting and implementation processes of the sector. However, the Gender Barometer report from the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE, 2016) indicated that gender mainstreaming in municipalities remains a challenge, as there is a lack of evidence that supports the implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework, which aims to guide implementation of gender mainstreaming in the municipalities. 1.4 AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the study is to explore how the municipalities have implemented gender mainstreaming and what guidelines exist in the municipalities, guiding gender mainstreaming implementation in Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities. This would enable both the municipalities to develop gender initiatives within their region. In so doing, this would enhance gender empowerment and equality. 1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY  To articulate gender mainstreaming through international literature;  To determine the importance of gender mainstreaming in South Africa;  To analyse the implementation of gender mainstreaming at local government in the Free State with focus on Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities; and  To develop a framework that can improve the implementation of gender mainstreaming in municipalities. 1.6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK This section explores concepts, such as gender, sex, gender mainstreaming, gender equality, gender equity and women empowerment and further discusses their interrelatedness. Cornwall (1997) defined gender as a socially constructed concept that gives meaning to men and women in the context of the relationship and social expectation, evident in 5 the division of labour responsibilities, linked to power relations between men and women. Society therefore constructs boundaries for men and women, based on the prevailing value system that determines what is socially and culturally acceptable and the attached meaning, values and expectations, based on men and women. Gender therefore differs from sex as the term “sex” defines the natural biological difference in men and women (Cornwall, 1997). Gender mainstreaming is a concept that has evolved over time, since its inception in 1997, following the Beijing Platform of action declaration. It was initially referred to as the (re)organization, improvement, development and evaluation of the policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies, at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in policy-making (Bendl & Schmidt, 2013). The definition of gender mainstreaming was later broadened, following submission of ECOSOC in 1997. Woelfle (2014) defines gender mainstreaming as the strategy that outlines the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels, with the goal to achieve gender equality. The focus of gender mainstreaming is therefore premised on targeting organizational systems and processes that disadvantage individuals, as compared to individual rights (Bendl & Schmidt, 2013). It is therefore the strategy (means) that is used to achieve the end (gender equality). It aimed at integrating gender into analysis, procedures and policies. Its main objective is to transform the status quo of the current structure and the process, in order to achieve gender equality for both men and women. Woelfle (2014) explained that due to the continuous failure to incorporate women in development policies to achieve equality between men and women, gender mainstreaming was introduced on the persistence of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and women’s movements and adopted by the United Nation as a strategy towards the attainment of gender equality. The adoption of gender mainstreaming, as a strategy towards the achievement of gender equality, therefore, calls on all UN member countries, including South Africa to integrate the gender mainstreaming strategy into planning processes of the individual country. Gender mainstreaming is therefore different from gender equality, as the latter is the ultimate 6 result of successful implementation of gender mainstreaming, which is the means towards the attainment of equality between women and men. Gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men, as well as girls and boys. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men (UN, 1997). Gender equality therefore concerns itself with provision of an enabling environment that exposes women and men alike to opportunities, such as skills development, resource allocations, appointment to decision-making positions, both politically and technically, with the ultimate equality. Gender equality is therefore the recognition that women and men have different needs and priorities, and that women and men should “experience equal conditions for realising their full human rights, and have the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from national, political, economic, social and cultural development” (Moser & Moser, 2005:12). It is premised on the human rights notion that recognises the inherent differences in both women and men, but believes that both genders are capable and therefore, if both are exposed to the same equal opportunities, they are capable of producing the same results. According to the UN (1997), Gender Equity is the process of being fair to men and women. To ensure fairness, measures must often be put in place to compensate for the historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from operating on a level playing field. Equity is a means and equality is the result. Gender mainstreaming is therefore an important strategy to promote gender equality. In the context of South Africa, the past system of oppression had a direct bearing on gender equality and equity, as women were oppressed by fuelled patriarchy, which resulted in triple oppression of poverty, inequality and unemployment for women. In order to reverse the effect of oppression it became important post 1994, which is the year the South Africa achieved democracy, that a new system and structure needed to be established that would enable equity and equality between men and women and between girls and boys. To undo the inequality that existed in the past, the gender machinery was set up by Parliament in 1997. The machinery comprised of the Office on the Status of Women 7 (OSW) in the Presidency, Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), Non-Governmental Organizations (NPOs) and the Parliamentary Joint Monitoring Committee (PJMC). The purpose of the gender machinery was to create an entry point to any government department, oversee transformation and track progress made, in relation to gender mainstreaming (African Development Bank, 2009) Gender mainstreaming as a strategy is therefore important, as it is a mechanism that aims is to prevent governments from introducing policies that create or accentuate inequalities between men and women (Cornwall, 2005). If well implemented, gender mainstreaming may contribute to the enhancement of the quality, effectiveness, coherence and transparencies of public policies. The strategy promotes good governance with a high level of objectivity that encompass women’s rights and human rights (Cornwall, 2005). The mainstreaming of the gender dimension in the definition and implementation of policies also falls within the framework of the principle of good governance or good administration, which implies a high level of transparency and objectivity in the management of public affairs. Gender mainstreaming as a strategy, is also important as it ensures that planners, implementers and evaluators incorporate gender in the planning cycles, allocate resources and continuously track progress to evaluate progress made in the implementation of the gender mainstreaming. The strategy furthers creates consciousness in the minds of many people if included in policies, improves knowledge through capacity-building and awareness campaigns that intend to eliminate discriminations between men and women. The strategy further ensures that men and women alike have the opportunity to unleash and realise their full potential on an equal scale or platform (Mukhopadhyay, 2014). 1.6.1 Women Empowerment Empowerment is defined as the ability of the least privileged people to have access to productive resources that enable them to increase their earnings and obtain the goods and services they need, in order to participate in the development process and the decision that affect them (Khan & Noreen, 2012). 8 According to Sen and Batliwala (2000), empowerment focuses on individual improvement and leads to a sense of self-worth and an improved outlook of the world and circumstances, therefore equips people’s capabilities to act on impeding circumstances. Empowerment has both the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits that ultimately enables people to achieve set goals without exerting power over others (extrinsic). Empowerment as a concept, cuts across all classes, gender and levels of society, however in this situation, it is contextualised to women empowerment towards the achievement of the intrinsic individual fulfilment, dignity, respect and self-reliance (Malhotra, 2002). 1.7 RESEARCH DESIGN The research would include an explorative and descriptive qualitative approach. The descriptive qualitative approach would assist in answering the how and what and when and the descriptive approach would enable to answer the why part of the research design (Babbie, 2007). 1.7.1 Research method In order to answer the research questions that need to determine the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy in the municipalities, and explain why it is or is not implemented, The researcher would use the qualitative research design, for it would allow the researcher to make a direct observation with the participants in their natural environment. It would give the researcher an opportunity to interpret the situation in the natural environment, be it established cultural and traditional practises, established so as to give meaning of the activities and in the same way to them (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). Qualitative research also allows the opportunity to probe and rephrase the questions, in order to get into the essence of the answer. Qualitative research is inductive and holistic (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). The researcher would use the Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities in the Free State as case studies and units of analysis. Matjhabeng Local Municipality is found in the Lejweleputswa District with a larger population and better economic prospects, whilst Mohokare Local Municipality is found in the Xhariep District 9 Municipality with lesser population and economic opportunities (STATS SA, 2011). The two municipalities are both category B, meaning they have executive authorities over their affairs. Qualitative research differs from quantitative research, which concerns itself with interpretation of statistical data and numbers to give meaning to a situation. Qualitative research further gives an explanatory meaning to understand participants’ attitudes and behaviours in answering pertinent questions as to, for an example, why gender mainstreaming is not implemented in the municipalities. In order to generate content for analysis in the municipalities, the researcher would ask questions in relation to IDP and budget processes, policies, programmes, organizational structures and corporate governance. The analysis of the content would allow for a careful consideration of interpretation and coding of the messages, which would give meaning to the findings. (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). Content would be generated and analysed from two categories of different sources, which would be qualitative data, gathered through an in-depth interview with participants and analysis of secondary data done through a literature review including journals, books and reports. Literature review would be done on gender mainstreaming, equality and equity concepts to determine the definitions, distinctions and interrelationship. It would also be done to outline development on gender mainstreaming at international, regional and national level to determine the scope of what constitutes gender mainstreaming, planning and budgeting processes, implementation, successes and challenges (CGE, 2016) Analyses of the Commission for Gender Equality reports would be done to determine their findings on the status of gender mainstreaming in sector departments at all spheres of government (national, provincial and local). Secondary documents would involve analysis of the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), policies, programmes and projects would be done to gather information on the extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in the municipalities. A tool of analysis would be developed and used, based on the international accepted definition of gender mainstreaming, which is in line with the United Nations. 10 1.8 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGY 1.8.1 Interview and secondary data The researcher would develop a schedule comprising of semi-constructed questions, with an awareness “to direct the discussions to pursue a specific topic” (Babbie, 2007:300) and allow participants to do more of the talking to present responses. The researcher would employ both individual and focus group interviews. Participants’ knowledge would be tested on gender mainstreaming, policy, strategy, internal and external processes, corporate governance and organizational structures. Secondary documents would involve analysis of the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), policies, programmes and projects would be done to gather information on the extent to which gender has been mainstreamed in the municipalities. A tool of analysis would be developed and used, based on the international accepted definition of gender mainstreaming which is in line with the United Nations. 1.8.2 Sampling method Sampling would be purposive as it would target individuals responsible and involved in the implementation of gender mainstreaming in municipalities. This would include a gender focal person, municipal managers, directors’ corporate governance, community services, municipal planning, technical services, chief financial officers, as well as councillors responsible for gender programmes and the chairpersons of the women caucuses. A total of eighteen (18) participants from both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities with nine (9) participants from each and one (1) per mentioned target would be involved. Purposive sampling is selected on the basis of known characteristics, which may be roles, demography, age or profession and therefore it is the deliberate choice of a participant, due to the qualities the participant possesses (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). 11 1.9 RESEARCH ETHICS 1.9.1 Confidentiality This research is about determining whether gender mainstreaming is taking place in the municipalities and what are the causal factors. The research would be considerate of the environmental and political factors that may jeopardise the individual participants. The environmental factor in this case may be the organizational requirements that enforce all employees to follow certain standards when communicating organizational information outside the association to other stakeholders. The organization may require that the information be signed off by the municipal manager in the case of the municipality. This therefore may mean any employee that do not follow the established business standards may be charged with misconduct. Secondly, the municipal environment is highly politicised and gender debate is a subject for political power, therefore any information given by the Municipal officials may be used against established practices and culture by others, therefore if any employee is found to have given out the information on why the gender mainstreaming is not being implemented, she or he might be victimised and end up losing her or his employment. Therefore, Bryman (2016) outlined principles that the researcher needs to be aware of; one being to protect participants from any harm. The researcher would therefore employ confidentiality in protecting to the extreme information that participants would have revealed, thus limiting the risk of misconduct and political victimization. Because the sampling is purposive, it would therefore be impossible to maintain anonymity. 1.9.2 Informed consent Information would be given to participants on what the research aim, objectives and processes (recordings and the rights to access records) are and outline the rights of participants with regard to voluntary information, complete withdrawal from research or refraining from answering certain questions. The issuing of the information would therefore ensure that participants sign informed consent forms and ensure that 12 information is given to the researched that the reliability and validity of the research findings are protected (Babbie, 2007). 1.9.3 Relationship Because the municipal environment is close to the political space, it may sometimes be factional, therefore the research would be cognizant of the relationship that it may establish with participants. Babbie (2007) cautioned that relationship should be established on the basis of a research project and emotional relationships should be avoided, as it may tend to people being informants. This would limit biasness and promote objectivity on the side of the researcher, which would result in the validity and reliability of the findings. 1.10 CHAPTER SUMMARY This research wants to explore how municipalities implement the gender mainstreaming strategy and what mechanisms are in place to empower women and achieve gender equality. The study would use Mohokare and Matjhabeng Municipalities as case studies. Specific identified officials in the municipalities would be interviewed face-to-face, using semi-structured questionnaires. Officials from CoGTA and SALGA, which are two entities that have mandates to oversee and support the work of the municipalities, would also be interviewed. Further analysis of municipal documents would be done. Information gathered would be coded and thematised according to interpretation of their meaning. 13 CHAPTER 2 : LITERTURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter would explore the international protocols and treaties that South Africa signed and adopted, which informs the mechanisms to be implemented in gender mainstreaming and the achievement of gender equality. Further reflections on studies conducted on different variables (gender equality) would be explored, as well as how the means (gender mainstreaming) are intended to be achieved and how they can influence gender mainstreaming in the municipalities. Further focus would be placed on the national policy framework that guides the implementation of gender mainstreaming. Institutional arrangements in the public sector, mechanisms that enable gender mainstreaming, such as systems, policies, processes and programmes and how the province and the municipalities have fared in the implementation of gender mainstreaming strategy, would be investigated. This would be done to contextualize the gender mainstreaming status in the province and the municipalities and what areas are to be explored, based on the aims and objectives of the study. This chapter would end with a summarized section of what the literature review was about. 2.2 UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS TO GENDER EQUALITY According to Moser and Moser (2005), most governments in the world are signatories to the 1995 Beijing Platform Action, which aimed at achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. Gender mainstreaming was identified as the mechanism towards the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Decades later there is no clear indication whether gender mainstreaming had yielded the desired goal. What had been the challenges over decades across governments, are the implementation of the gender mainstreaming (Moser & Moser, 2005). The challenge to achieve gender mainstreaming could be attributed at a policy level to poor planning and implementation processes (Moser & Moser, 2005). At a project level 14 there is a lack of institutional and operational capacity, as well as organizational culture and attitude that is resistant towards gender equality (Schmidt, 2013). There is notable progress made by other countries in mainstreaming gender beyond policy measures (Rao & Kelleher, 2005). Burundi for example, made significant progress in the area of peace processes and the establishment of networks to promote gender equality. Botswana had also in the meanwhile achieved including gender mainstreaming into the National HIV and AIDS policy. Rwanda has achieved 49% of women in parliamentary posts, after the 1994 civil war that saw many women raped and murdered (Omotosho, 2015). Whilst these achievements are commendable, Rao and Kelleher (2005) argued that these practices were not institutionalised, as there was still resistance towards women’s perspectives and rights. Further, there are no enforcement mechanisms in place for accountability in case of failure to allow women to access resources and services (Rao & Kelleher, 2005). The UN adopted the Millennium Development Goals in 2000. Goals three of the MDG specifically dealt with gender equality and empowerment. Kabeer (2005) arguably agreed that the MDG felt short in addressing the means to an end, which is gender mainstreaming, as the focus was mainly on the end result which is the achievement of the gender equality; however, he acknowledged that it was a step towards the right direction. The end of the period of MDGs, which came to effect in 2015 led to the UN development and adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 17 goals in 2015. According to the UNDP (2015), goal five of the SDGs, which focuses on gender equality and empowerment, it aims to end to discrimination against women and girls everywhere in the world. The end to discrimination and achievement of gender equality is therefore the end result of a process, which if the gender mainstreaming strategy is amplified and well-resourced, both by human and financial capital and implemented correctly, is bound to be achieved. 15 2.3 REGIONAL COMMITMENTS TO GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND GENDER EQUALITY Fifty-three members’ states of the African Union (AU) have ratified both the convention on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform of Action and the declaration (Omotosho, 2015). The AU adopted the African Women Protocol in 2003 with focus on the girl child, widows and elderly, unequal rights in marriage, unequal treatment of women in land distribution, exclusion from decision-making, gender policy in 2007 and the declaration on Gender Equality in Africa in 2009 (Omotosho, 2015). The institutionalization of the AU gender policy recognises the gender mainstreaming strategy, as the means toward the achievement of the gender equality and empowerment. The AU has set up the political structure that oversees the implementation of gender mainstreaming and technical structures that drives the implementation of gender mainstreaming and reporting back to the political structure (Omotosho, 2015). 2.4 GENDER EQUALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA According to Van Dijk and Morwamohube (2015), the Republic of South Africa adopted the Constitution in 1996, to which human rights is enshrined in the Chapter 2, Bill of Rights. Chapter nine (9) of the South African Constitution, established the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), which is legally assigned the responsibility to monitor gender mainstreaming in both public and private sectors. Following the adoption of the Constitution, South Africa adopted the National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in 2000, and the Strategic Framework for Gender Equality within the Public Service in 2006. “The Public Service strategic framework for gender equality centralised gender mainstreaming as part of good governance. The framework is therefore critical for all management levels to integrate into all aspects of their work including policies, activities and programmes” (Van Dyk & Morwamohube, 2015:269). The National Gender Policy Framework had suggested the establishment of gender machinery across all spheres of government and laid out coordination processes under which such machinery would function. Each department is to appoint the gender 16 focal person who would advise the department on areas of gender mainstreaming, equality and women’s empowerment. The level of the gender focal person should be at Director’s level, in line with skills and qualifications of the appointed. For the local government sphere the policy advocates for “A council gender committee or task team and a gender desk in the office of the Mayor or the Chief Executive Officer” (OSW, 2000) The then Department of Provincial Local Government and Traditional Affairs (DPLG), which is now the Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), developed a National Gender Policy Framework in 2007. The purpose of the Gender Policy Framework was to guide municipalities on their roles and responsibilities on gender mainstreaming (CGE, 2012). The policy framework directs that ultimate responsibility for the work of the municipal GFP be located in the office of the mayor, who may delegate the Municipal Manager to supervise the GFP, as a section 57 post, which is an equivalent of Director’s post the public sector (2007). Gender mainstreaming has become a worldwide phenomenon strategy to bring about changes in the quality of life of men and women, in order to achieve equality. However, it remains a difficulty strategy to implement. On the face value, the strategy targets existing processes and procedures of an organization from planning, analysis, review, resourcing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases. The study done on gender mainstreaming in smart cities found that even though opportunities are present to implement the strategy, there is generally a lack of commitment by those in power authorities, mainly citing financial and budgetary constraints as it was in the case of a smart city with regard to environmental development (Nesti, 2019). Gender mainstreaming has therefore been reduced to administrative compliance duty with a lack of consideration for the inclusion of women’s actual needs in decision-making. Although gender equality is enshrined in the South African Constitution, “the gap between promises and reality on gender equality exits, as patriarchy is high and violence against women is increasing, and power in the formal government institutions is with people who are inexperienced in gender mainstreaming and equality” (Rao & Kelleher, 2005:58). According to CGE (2012), the national picture of gender mainstreaming in the public sector revealed that those that are charged with gender mainstreaming are placed in lower levels, therefore they are not participating in the 17 highest structures where decisions are made. CGE (2016) further indicated that those that are charged with gender mainstreaming, had been given added responsibilities and to do many other tasks, such as disability and children programmes. Secondly, lines of reporting are diversified, as there is a lack of a gender responsive budget and little efforts are made to build capacity of the workforce, including those that are charged with the gender programmes. Policies and strategies are nonexistence, and where they do exist, they are outdated. According to Bangani and VyasDoorgapersad (2020), in the public sector the institutional mechanisms are fragmented, as more males still occupy executive positions with high salary levels. There is no single coherent approach towards gender empowerment, equality and mainstreaming, as some departments are externally focused and others internally focused. Therefore, gender mainstreaming, equality and empowerment remain an elusive reality. The lack of progress on gender mainstreaming is however not only particular to South Africa. The study done on mainstreaming in Ethiopia within the Agricultural Led Industrialization found that there is still a slow implementation of the gender policy, due “to the lack of cohesiveness, smooth linkages and power relations between administrative structures and policy implementers, as well as the lack of administrative or bureaucratic rationality” (Tsige et al., 2020). South Africa previously had a system of exclusivity compounded by the laws that promoted discrimination and oppression by race. Black people were generally excluded from participation on matters of governance and administrations. Whilst this was the situation affecting both men and women, women were more excluded and oppressed than men. The previous system was not based on wider participation and consultations and not democratic. The current governance system of South Africa is premised on democratic principles of citizen participation, consultation, including women and men (Mc Ewan, 2005). Participative citizenship requires more than inviting or inducing people to participate or simply collecting voices. It requires that people should have access to information about an issue to mobilize, in order to assert their rights. It further requires creating spaces for involvement and building capacities for political engagement. Thus, understanding how citizenship is played out in practice, for different people, in different contexts, in the different areas of their lives, are crucial (Gaventa, 2002). 18 In order to effect gender mainstreaming, the strategy makes a number of assertions that would take any country or organization towards the realizations of gender equality. The strategy itself focusses is on processes and procedures that are applied when policies, strategies and decisions are made, with the assumptions that people would be consulted including men and women, and a budget would be allocated having taken into consideration the unique needs of women and men. The gender mainstreaming strategy further asserts that when decisions are taken and priorities are identified, it would be done in accordance with the identified needs of women and men. The strategy further spelled out that the reporting culture in any organization should demonstrate that gender difference was a factor in programmes, projects and services’ implementation thereof. This therefore should be demonstrated by provision of data segregated by gender (women and men) report. One of the key determinants of gender mainstreaming, is the gender responsive budget. Budlender (2006) found that since the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy, many countries, including South Africa had not succeeded with the gender responsive budget. This is due to different country frameworks that have not aligned their fiscal policy to be gender deliberate. This is due to a number of factors, such as diversity in gender responsive budget initiatives, political and social climate of different countries, understanding and the goal of the role players. Whilst the success of responsive budget in mainstreaming gender is yet to be realised, the learning that comes from the civil society experience on microfinancing and women abuse can be a lesson learnt as women participants shared their experiences of empowerment at two levels: first their independence to make decisions for themselves, because they had access to finance and secondly, that knowledge empowerment made them realised their worth, capabilities and contribution to the economy. Some left their abusive relationships. The finding demonstrated budget and funding, based on women’s and men’s needs, which could have a multifaceted outcome to women empowerment in terms of knowledge and skills and gender equality ,demonstrated by access to resources, decision-making and participation in the economy (Kim et al., 2007). The status of gender mainstreaming in the Free State Province, according to CGE (2016) resembles the national picture, as those that are charged with gender mainstreaming are in lower positions and cannot influence decision-making, as there 19 is a lack of knowledge and understanding of gender mainstreaming concepts, systems and processes, as well as a lack of capacity and a lack of policies and strategies for gender mainstreaming. Findings on gender mainstreaming in the Free State Province indicates that the institutional arrangements in departments remain a challenge (CGE, 2016). Though there is a Gender Unit in the Department of the Premier, which is responsible to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework in all 10 line function departments, the Unit itself is not well capitated to fully implement its mandate. There is lack of adherence to gender mainstreaming mechanisms, such as employment equity committees. This has a bearing on established business processes not being followed. Compounding the situation in municipalities with Mantsopa Local Municipality in the Free State being the case, namely that the gender focal person (GFP) was doing 30% gender work whilst the remaining 70% was spent on any other work assigned to her. (CGE, 2012). Gender focal persons responsible for gender mainstreaming in the municipalities are linked to the office of the Mayors and have little, if no interaction with the administrative duties in the municipalities (SALGA, 2012). They lack the capacity, skills, knowledge and understanding of gender mainstreaming, gender systems and processes. There is no policy, strategy, gender structures and systems that institutionalise gender mainstreaming. Institutional mechanisms are weak with a lack of both political and administrative commitments. Gender programmes are events- driven and only linked to national calendar days for celebration or commemoration. The Employment Equity Plan of municipalities are not reviewed to include the changes and also not adhered to. Results from an audit outcomes report, upheld the 2012 gender audit outcomes, found that the institutional arrangements in the municipalities remained weak and lacked purpose (SALGA, 2018). Compounding the situation is the five-year contract that is linked to the mayor’s term, for both the gender focal person and senior managers in the municipalities. In South Africa it is generally assumed that IDP remains the most relevant planning tool of the municipalities to be used as a mechanism towards gender mainstreaming. This IDP framework sets out processes and procedures to be followed to achieve gender mainstreaming. According to Penceliah (2019), the city’s key development challenges are identified. Here too, there is no reference to gender equity or gender mainstreaming. The study found that this could be due to expectations of 20 what the IDP should be and the realities of how the framework itself is regulated and framed. 2.5 CONTEXTUALISING GENDER, WOMEN CAPABILITIES AND FEMINISM The definition of gender is globally acceptable as a socially constructed concept, representing men and women, in relation to division of labour. The feminist theorists view gender from the entrenched socially constructed concept of patriarchy, which is traceable from societal and family practices of power relations between men and women and therefore have spilled over to other institutional performances and practices. Whilst the two theories have been conceptualised from different viewpoints, similarities could be drawn that shows that men and women are not equal, therefore they do not possess the same capabilities to perform exclusive functions. The situation is further compounded by the power conferred and accepted in the society that men have over women, which in practise became the yardsticks that measured women’s capabilities. These societal assertions of men and women being defined in terms of division of labour and in the context of power relations, present itself in institutions wherein performance and practices are normally organised along gender and work reserved for men and women (Kenny, 2007). One could argue that the division of labour perpetuates stereotypes between men and women and continues to disadvantage women in the society and institutions. This presents an opportunity for change and the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy becomes necessary to overcome expectations and attributions of male and female workers (Bendle & Schmidt, 2013). 2.6 GENDER MAINSTREAMING: A VEHICLE FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND TRANSFORMATION Gender mainstreaming strategy as a UN tool for transformation, was intended to achieve gender equality and ultimately transform society and institutions (Bendle & Schmidt, 2013). According to Daly (2005), the strategy was thematised on five policy- 21 oriented approaches, namely integrationist, limited transversality, highly fragmented endeavour, agenda setting and transformative. Since the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy in 2000, research conducted in twenty-seven (27) countries of Europe, had shown that the strategy produced less results and declined with the exception of Sweden. The results and decline was attributed to a lack of systematic and comprehensive approaches, related to structures, processes and agencies of policy within and across domains (Bendle & Schmidt, 2015). Walby (2005) attributed the failure of gender mainstreaming to its ambiguity, as different countries in Europe had different understandings of what the concept was, its complexity to defining the terms “gender and mainstreaming,” confrontational stances, suspicions and threats it posed to the gender activists and its transformative intentions that challenged to unsettle power relations between men and women. South African history of apartheid created a polarised society, which was marred by inequalities, poverty and unemployment of which women were mostly affected (Kornegay, 2000). The change from apartheid to a democratic government warranted total overhaul of governance systems, performance and mechanisms that would transform society and both public and private institutions to bring equality between race and gender (CGE, 2016). The membership and signing of international protocols by South Africa was compelling to its commitment towards transformation (Mukhopadhyay, 2014). The adoption of the Constitution, which is based on human rights was sacrosanct towards change and the vision that the country set to achieve (CGE, 2016). The adoption of legislations, such as the Employment Equity Act, as well as broad- based empowerment yielded little results, as the implementations were done parallel and in isolation to gender mainstreaming. There is little information to show that the reforms are supplementary, therefore they are implemented within the strategy of gender mainstreaming (Mukhopadhyay, 2014). In South Africa, according to CGE (2012), the national picture of gender mainstreaming in the public sector revealed that those that are charged with gender mainstreaming are placed in lower levels, therefore they are not participating in the 22 highest structures where decisions are made. CGE (2016) further indicated that those that are charged with gender mainstreaming, had been given added responsibilities to do many other tasks, such as disabilities and children programmes. Secondly, lines of reporting are diversified, as there is a lack of a gender responsive budget and little efforts are made to build capacity of the workforce, including those that are charged with the gender programmes. Policies and strategies are nonexistence, where they do exist, they are outdated. The status of gender mainstreaming in the Free State Province, according to CGE (2016), resembles the national picture, as those that are charged with gender mainstreaming are in lower positions and cannot influence decision-making, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the gender mainstreaming concept, systems and processes, a lack of capacity and a lack of policies and strategies for gender mainstreaming. It could therefore be that South Africa, as a complex country with diversity, has a different understanding of what gender mainstreaming is and therefore needs a new design of gender mainstreaming to achieve transformation (Bendl & Schmidt, 2013) 2.7 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA The South African public sector is organised, according to Siswana (2007), as a traditional public administration characterised by structures, rules and processes. Structures of authority are arranged along power and delegation. Power is concentrated at the top and delegated down to different levels (Kenny, 2007). The top levels, which are in management are traditionally occupied by men, whilst women are at low levels. Rules and processes support power and are organised along different levels. Division of labour is traditionally organised around gender lines, wherein men are in top positions, charged with making decisions and women in lower ranks, either implementing the decisions of top management or providing support to management. Connell (2006) made an assertion that such organizational arrangements inherently reproduced and perpetuated inequalities, which are a reflection of a societal 23 arrangement. The arrangement, if unchallenged, remains a threat to gender equality, empowerment and transformation. The finding of the research conducted in Australia (Connell, 2006) made a strategic proposal that, in order to manage the organizational difficulties, gender mainstreaming should be routine and visible, top management should lead and support all the organizational commitments to the course, there should be integration of those experienced in the gender field to manage diversity in the organization, organizational constituency should be inclusive of both and men, in order to drive and champion gender programmes and there should be ethos and standards on gender mainstreaming that build the organizational image. Research done by Kabeer (2005) on goal three of the Millennium Development Goal; “gender equality and women empowerment,” argued that gender equality should be driven from a multidimensional perspective, as one set of priorities would not have been able to achieve the goal. Resources, women participation and monitoring and evaluation by women’s structures themselves, came highly recommended by the study as a general approach toward gender equality. If gender mainstreaming has to change systems and procedures, it has to interrupt traditionally processes that perpetuate gender inequalities, and prevent women empowerment and organizational transformation. 2.8 CHAPTER SUMMARY Many countries, including South Africa, had made a commitment towards gender equality and empowerment, by signing and ratifying international treaties, such as CEDAW and Beijing Platform of Action in 1995. South Africa also as an AU member, had signed and ratified the AU gender policy. The aim of the AU policy is to for all African member states to achieve gender equity and equality and women empowerment (AU, 2009). Both the UN and AU had identified gender mainstreaming as the strategy to serve as enabler towards gender equality, equity, women empowerment and ultimately transform institutions and society. The gender mainstreaming strategy targets systems and procedures, in order to achieve equality and transform the organization. Since the implementation of gender mainstreaming there is, however little evidence of its successes. 24 Research reveals in Australia that institutional bureaucracy entrenches inequalities between men and women. Power and labour division is still organised along gender lines, as certain responsibilities are reserved for men or women, which mirrored societal systemic arrangements and practices. Whilst the intention of gender mainstreaming is to redefine the processes and procedures to integrate the gender component, most countries, with the exception of Sweden, have been unable to report positively about progress made. In South Africa alike, the constitution is based on human rights and made a commitment to the promotion and achievement of an equal society, including gender equality. South Africa had developed a National Gender Policy and CoGTA developed a framework in 2007 for gender mainstreaming to be implemented at local government level. Despite all the efforts, both the SALGA (2012) and CGE (2016) reports indicated the lack of internal mechanisms in local government that actively ensured gender equality, equity, women empowerment and transformation. There was a lack of understanding of what gender mainstreaming is about and what mechanisms need to be put in place to achieve gender equality, women empowerment and transformation. The lack of systems, mechanisms and understanding are also found in provincial and national government. The fact that there is slow implementation of gender mainstreaming could be attributed to how institutions are legally constituted, practices, culture in the organizations and power relations that are built into the organizational design. But also compounding the situation could be clarity on what are the key systems, processes and indicators are, in relation to gender equality, women empowerment and transformation, that gender mainstreaming are to target to bring about transformation. 25 CHAPTER 3 : RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 3.1 INTRODUCTION The previous chapter considered and contextualised information regarding the gender mainstreaming strategy internationally and nationally, and it also outlined the objectives that it set out to achieve. This chapter elaborates on the research methodology employed in the study. 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN Babbie (2007) explains the research as a scientific plan that determines what is going to be observed and analysed, why and how. Bryman (2016) defines the research design as the framework for a generation of evidence that is chosen to answer questions. This research would explore how the municipalities have implemented the gender mainstreaming strategy and why the strategy yielded certain results with the aim to develop framework to guide the municipalities. The research would therefore employ qualitative research in gathering the information, using the case studies of Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. According to Babbie (2007), qualitative research is used to gather information and understand people’s behaviours and attitudes in their natural environments or settings. Furthermore, according to Bryman (2016), qualitative research is used to give narrative and explains phenomenon in-depth. Qualitative data were obtained from interfacing with employees in different business units of the municipalities, the municipal manager who is the accounting officer and the councillors who provided oversight over the implementation of municipal legislations and policies. A qualitative study presents the opportunity to subjects to elaborate generously on their social experiences. Furthermore, the study used Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities as case study to generate a body of knowledge on gender mainstreaming. According to Bryman (2016), a case study is used to gather an intensive examination of a single case, which generates information against theoretical 26 analysis. A case study is associated with a location and intensive examination of a setting (Bryman, 2016). This study was confined to Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. The similarities between the two municipalities are that they are categorised as type “B”, however are in different places in the Free State Province. That meant on the legal classification of municipalities, they were measured under the same category, with regard to population and functionality and competency. The municipalities’ case study represent, according to Bryman (2016), unique features of the cases. 3.2.1 Unit of analysis The unit of analysis was the municipality as the organization. The study explored processes, policies and programmes of the municipalities towards the gender mainstreaming strategy, which aims to empower women in order to achieve gender equality. Babbie (2007) explains units of analysis as the things that are examine in order to create a summary description of all such units. 3.2.2 Target population The target population for the study was Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities in the Free State Province. Babbie (2007) defines target population as the theoretically specified aggregation of study elements. 3.2.3 Sampling Sampling participants are a representation of selected individuals from the targeted population of the municipalities studied (Mohokare and Matjhabeng). A sample in this research study was purposive sampling design. Bryman (2016) describes purposive sampling design in qualitative research as a non-probability form of sampling, which means not all in a targeted population has an equal opportunity of being included in the study. Contrary to the probability sampling form, which employs random sampling, non-probability sample participants are selected in a strategic way that is based on the relevancy to the research questions to be asked (Bryman: 2016). In this study the 27 sample included the gender focal persons, municipal managers, directors from corporate governance, community services, municipal planning, technical services, chief financial officers, councillors responsible for gender programmes and the chairpersons of the women caucuses. There were eighteen (18) participants in all, one (1) per mentioned category from each municipality. 3.3 DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES The study used qualitative face-to-face interviews, focusing on individual participants and documents analysis to provide more information. 3.3.1 Interviews Semi-structured questionnaires were used to gather in-depth information from the participants. Semi-structured questions in qualitative research, according to Bryman (2016) are the approach centred on the interviewee’s point of view, it therefore affords the researcher greater flexibility to probe for more information not scripted on the questionnaire, following on the respondents’ answers. According to Bryman (2016), face-to-face interviews afford the researcher a greater opportunity for a high response rate, as well as to observe respondents’ behaviour and attitudes in their own settings. In this study face-to-face interviews with sampled respondents from the two municipalities were conducted. Respondents were given an opportunity to express their views relating to questions posed and observations were made with regard to their languages, behaviour, body postures and attitudes towards a question. This afforded the researcher to observe and identify dissociation of views and behaviour, and she thus probed for more information, in order to draw relations. The semi-structured questionnaire was categorised into three sections, which sought to determine respondents’ understanding and knowledge of firstly gender mainstreaming, empowerment and equality. Secondly, it determined institutional arrangements, thirdly, legal and policy frameworks that enables the municipal environment to operate accordingly, fourthly, gender programme designs and 28 implementation and lastly, respondents’ views on the municipal progress, successes and challenges towards gender mainstreaming. 3.3.2 Document analysis In order to gather more information, municipal documents, such as Integrated Development Plans, Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP), as well as annual reports of the past three years from 2016 until 2019 were analysed as secondary data sources. Integrated Development Plan is an important five-year business plan for the municipalities. The business plan affords the municipalities to do situational analysis of communities and the area, in order to identify the needs so as to enable planning and budgeting or allocate resources over five years. The Integrated Development Plan gets implemented annually through Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP). 3.3.3 Data analysis According to Bryman (2016), data in the qualitative study, are derived from interviews or participants’ observation, therefore produce a large corpus of unstructured textual material, which becomes difficult to analyse, which simply means that to analyse raw data properly, a systematic format is required that would interpret and produce an information which would induce the purpose and objectives of the study to answer the research question. This study used qualitative data analysis since the information generated was narrative and a lot of information that required careful systemic analysis and interpretation. The information collected was classified to make meaningful interpretation of the raw data. The information was coded and thematised to induce the meaning of the information. Babbie (2007) described qualitative data analysis as the non-numerical assessment of information made through participants’ observation, content analysis, in-depth interviews and other qualitative research techniques. The inductive information was produced through qualitative data processing of concepts, mapping and coding. Babbie (2007) describes coding as a process of 29 classification and thematising of individual piece of data. Varied concepts with similar interpretations, meanings and expression were categorised in order to produce a body of inductive information. Since the study focused on two municipalities within the Free State Province, a case- oriented analysis was done. A case-oriented analysis, according to Babbie (2007), involves an examination of more than one case, with the aim to understand a particular case by looking closely at the details of each. Raw data collected through semi-structured questions and recordings were interpreted after coding and categorization to arrive at findings to support other studies done by other researchers and make recommendations. 3.4 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Bryman (2016) assets that ethical considerations arise out a variety of stages in social research. Ethical considerations are sets of principles that the researcher needs to observe throughout the study, which protects the subjects in order to produced quality work (Babbie, 2007). 3.4.1 Confidentiality Participants to this study were purposive samples as they were drawn from the two Municipalities, based on their job profile criteria, therefore it was difficult to conceal their identity. However, the study ensured confidentiality with regard to the information and data they provided. Whilst gender mainstreaming as a strategy and process do not pose any harm to any participants, the researcher was sensitive to the political environment, corporate policies, such as communication policy and organizational culture that may be prejudicial to participants’ wellbeing, therefore steps were taken to make sure the information provided was confidential. This was done to protect individual participants from any harm. 30 3.4.2 Informed consent In this study participants were provided with information regarding the purpose and the objective of the study. Provision of information enabled participants to make informed consent with regard to voluntary participation, in order to make a choice to participate in the study or not. In this study participants voluntarily gave information, having understood the purpose and the objectives of the research. 3.4.3 Relationship The study took into cognisance the municipal environment, which is highly politicised, due to different political interests that exist as a result of how the municipality is legally constituted. Political environments may be characterised by factionalism, which may present difficulty to access participants, due to gatekeeping at different levels of management, organizational processes that need to observed, the actual intentions of the study and restriction to publication (Bryman, 2016). The municipal environment has the potential to harm relationships between participants, researcher and the municipality as the employer. Babbie (2007) cautioned that relationships should be established on the basis of a research project and emotional relationships should be avoided, as it may cause people to be informants. This would limit biasness and promote objectivity on the side of the researcher, which would result in the validity and reliability of the findings. In this study relationships with participants were limited to the project and caution was exercised by the researcher not to dwell into the organization culture and practises, which are personal and not organizational processes. 3.5 LIMITATIONS It is assumed that studies have limitations that the researcher is to take into consideration before starting with the research, so as to put corrective measures in place. The limitations could be the availability of participants, socio-economic or environmental factors or the data collection tool. 31 The study is limited to Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities as case studies and the findings cannot be interpreted as reflecting the situation in all municipalities in the Free State or broader South Africa, but can be useful to organizations or municipalities with the same characteristic to the one studied. The focus of the study is to determine gender mainstreaming in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities, therefore it is concerned with the internal business processes and procedures of the municipalities and does not include the general external environment of the Municipalities. In this research the limitation was that all participants were suspicious and reluctant, because in the mist of all the investigations in the country on corruption and fraud in the public sector and the municipalities, it might be that this research is a ploy and therefore the information could be used against them to get them into trouble, therefore they were extremely careful about the information they provided and did not consent to be recorded. On a number of times in Mohokare, participants requested postponements of the interviews. The suspicions and reluctance might have brought their responses into question. On the other side, it was difficult to get participants, due to Covid-19 lockdown regulations, as most participants worked on dates and days determined by the employer to be at the office, so as to avoid full capacity in the office, and therefore they had to manage their time to prioritise work commitments for the day as opposed to being interviewed, and consequently the time allocated to fieldwork was extended to a longer period, because of the postponements. In Mohokare the researcher proposed to hold Zoom interviews, however the area had a network connectivity problem and therefore they could not connect. In both municipalities respondents did not agree to cell phone interviews, as they wanted to personally see the face of the researcher. 3.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter dealt with the research methodology used in this study and the qualitative approach adopted, using a case study design methodology. The main purpose of the chapter was to explain the methodology used. A purposive sampling approach was used to select participants and the ethical considerations were identified and explained. The chapter also explained the limitations of the study. This research wants 32 to explore how municipalities implement the gender mainstreaming strategy and what mechanisms are in place to empower women and achieve gender equality. The study would use Mohokare and Matjhabeng Municipalities as case studies. Specific identified officials in the municipalities would be interviewed face-to-face using semi- structured questionnaires. Also officials from CoGTA and SALGA, which are two entities overseeing and supporting the work of the municipalities, would be interviewed. Further analysis of municipal documents would be done. Information gathered would be coded and thematised according to the interpretation of their meaning. 33 CHAPTER 4 : PRESESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 4.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the findings of the research. The data for this study were collected by use of an interview guide with semi-structured questions collected from a total of eighteen (18) respondents, nine (9) from each municipality. Respondents were purposeful based on the work that they do in the municipalities, which are points of interaction with the processes, procedures, budgeting, accountability, programme designs and implementation and corporate governance, which literature had suggested are important for gender mainstreaming. Face-to-face individual interviews were conducted with different respondents from Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. Most participants did not want to be recorded for fear of reprisal. However, they consented to the interview. The data analysis is divided into three parts. The first part is based on the respondents’ answers, the second part is based on review and analysis of the IDPs, which is a planning strategic tool of the municipalities and the third part is based on the annual reports assessment. The researcher interviewed respondents on their understanding of gender mainstreaming, mechanisms that municipalities use to create an enabling environment for gender mainstreaming to happen, processes and procedures that the municipalities follows, inclusion of both women and men during the planning and the budgeting processes. On the analysis of the IDP the researcher used the same guide of questions to analyse the IDP. The IDP was checked whether in the definition of concepts ‘gender’ and ‘gender mainstreaming’, were included and defined properly, whether there is a section in the IDP that outlines municipal processes and procedures, specifically for men and women. Are there mechanisms, such as policies and strategies that are included in the IDPs that accommodate the specific needs of both gender (women and men) in the municipalities? An analysis of the annual report was measured against the reporting of the Municipalities, whether the municipalities report their segregate data to indicate services and programmes rendered to women and men in the community they are 34 serving, as well as in the municipal internal environment for both employees and councillors. The 2017/18 IDP of the municipality as found on the Matjhabeng Local Municipality website and was analysed in relation to meeting the requirements of gender mainstreaming. The information received were coded, thematised, analysed and interpreted, according to the key objectives of the study, which are:  To determine and understand how key participants comprehend the gender mainstreaming strategy (This not a primary objective, however it is important as it would the lay the groundwork as key determinants of gender mainstreaming);  To analyse the implementation of gender mainstreaming at local government in the Free State with focus in Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities;  To recommend the solution to be included in the municipal framework to implement gender mainstreaming (i.e. this is not included in the main objectives, however important as it would inform the areas of focus when developing a gender mainstreaming framework); and  To develop a framework that can improve the implementation of gender mainstreaming in municipalities. The below discussion presents the findings from the respondents. The responses are a mixture of verbatim and paraphrased answers, as most information had to be sorted through from too much information that the respondents gave on a single question. Some responses, for example on internal and external services and budget processes, were mixed up, but explained the by respondents under a single response which compelled the researcher to paraphrase. Below is a breakdown of purposeful respondents, their positions and the municipalities they are based in. 35 Table 4.1: Breakdown of respondents Municipality Position Number of Municipality Position respondents Matjhabeng Local Chairperson 2 Mohokare Local Chairperson multiparty women Municipality multiparty women caucus caucus Acting director 2 Community community service director service Gender focal 2 Special person programmes officer Manager LED 2 Manager LED Chief financial 2 Chief financial officer officer Manager IDP 2 Manager IDP Director corporate 2 Director corporate services services Municipal 2 Municipal manager managers Director technical 2 Director technical service/ project service/ project management unit management unit Total number of 18 participants Table 4.1 above shows the nature of participants, which were purposeful per Municipality. The information shows that all participants are respondents. The information collected is balanced from the two Municipalities, which are both category B municipalities, which subjected them to the same legal requirement of municipal governance and administration, however they are situated in two distinct areas of the socio-economic status of the province. The objectives of the study never assumed a comparative study of the two Municipalities, but needed to do case study of two category B municipalities in the Free State, in order to make a determination of how the gender mainstreaming as 36 strategy, has been implemented and what could be learnt and strengthened through the development of the guidelines for the municipalities in the same category B. 4.2 FINDINGS 4.2.1 Understanding the gender mainstreaming strategy The research was conducted with the knowledge of gender mainstreaming processes and procedures, as outlined in the literature review, as a means to achieving the end. The researcher enquired about the extent to which the participants were chosen purposefully, because of the importance of their positions they held to which the mainstreaming ought to happen in the two Municipalities. This was asked with the relevance that an understanding of what the concept means, would set out a conscious path on the employee in that position towards the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy. The study found that the most participants, including the most senior executives of both the Municipalities, used concepts such as women empowerment, gender equality, as well as 50/50 policy, to define and emphasised their understanding of what gender mainstreaming means. Below are some of the explanations that were given. “Gender mainstreaming is the balance between men and women in the workplace to achieve similarities. This is because traditionally many positions are occupied by males. For examples, there are more male directors in the municipalities and only one female Acting Director is a female.” “Understood gender mainstreaming as gender equality, brought about by 50/50 policy of the political and it has to do with implemented to advance the women and men. Whilst this is the case in Matjhabeng, it is not happening, because the Mayor, Speaker and the Chief-whips all are men. Further, when a woman dies or resigns in the municipality they are placed by men, therefore there is no commitment as far as gender equality and mainstreaming is concern.” There were a few participants that used concepts, such systems and structures, processes and procedures. Below are some of the explanations that were given. 37 “Gender mainstreaming means the municipality should be conscious of the difference between men and women and include women during planning and implementation phase, so as to achieve gender equality. Also the municipality to set aside budget for women and ensure training and promotion of women employees.” “Gender mainstreaming is the strategy of government that serves as the vehicle for integration of men and women in the planning and implementation of the municipal programmes and project, employment to achieve gender equality and empowerment of women.” According to the literature review, Woelfle (2014) defines gender mainstreaming as the strategy that outlines the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels, with the goal to achieve gender equality. The explanation given by participants, indicated the blurry lines between understanding what the “means to achieve the end” was. Participants understood that women and men need to be treated equal, and that women should be given the capacity to improve their skills and knowledge. Participants also acknowledged that there was an unequal system that disadvantaged women more than men, therefore the system needed to change. But what became more evident was that there is little acknowledgement of how to achieve gender equality and women empowerment and what are the processes and procedures that need to be changed to achieve gender equality. 4.2.2 Analyses of the implementation of gender mainstreaming at local government in the Free State with focus on Matjhabeng and Mohokare local municipalities The researcher analysed the processes and procedures that legally gave justification to municipalities to conduct the business of the Municipalities. These processes and procedures were thematised, according to the internal and external environment. The processes and procedures were in relation to the development of the Integrated Development Plan at different stages, policy development, budgeting, decision- making, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation. 38 The study further analysed the systems and structures that enabled the environment created by the Municipalities. The study found that there are established Municipal processes and procedures. However, the processes and procedures are effected in accordance with what had become the traditional way of conducting the municipal business in compliance with the regulatory frameworks of Local Government, otherwise known as municipalities. The municipal processes and procedures were thematised as per the table below. Table 4.2: Themes and clusters of municipal processes and procedures Theme Element Issues Cluster Internal Environment Regulatory framework ˗ Municipality does Institutional not have gender mechanisms equality policy ˗ Threat of safety and security for women ˗ Location of the gender focal person in the executive mayor Budget ˗ Lack of guidelines on budgeting ˗ Lack of monitoring and for gender ˗ Lack of dedicated budget Internal enabler ˗ Planning and implementation of projects in the municipalities depends on the executive mayor’s preference ˗ Political interference, 39 ˗ Non- implementation of the Employment Equity Plan ˗ -Policy not frequently reviewed, ˗ Lack of relationship between the office of the mayor and administration ˗ Location of the gender focal person, ˗ Reproductive health and safety External Environment IDP Consultation ˗ During the IDP Processes and consultations procedures women and men are consulted as a homogenous group. ˗ Lack of participation by community members 4.3 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT – INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS The study found that poor institutional arrangements, which by default in both Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities, contributed to a lack of proper systems and commitment of the municipalities towards gender mainstreaming. There is also a lack of a targeted approach that advances women and the lack of guidelines from CoGTA and National Treasury, which are two national departments that have legislated and regulatory mandate over the Municipalities. The issues that are stemming from the institutional arrangements in the municipalities as per the findings, are discussed below. 40 4.3.1 Lack of proper systems and commitment towards gender mainstreaming The systems in the municipalities are established in the general governance and administration of Local Government for an example the integrated development plan framework which is the regulated planning tool that establishes the planning cycle and phases that the municipalities should comply with. The plan does recognise consultations of different categories of people in the community however, it does not emphasise or spell out gender consultations as a regulated requirement for gender mainstreaming. “The municipality consult all community members during IDP processes; women corporatives and businesses are included in the broader consultation.” “The municipality consult wider community during the IDP consultation processes, including women. The municipality also consult with organised women structures, such as women in mining and disabled people of South Africa to make inputs in the IDP. We also consult sector departments and include their plans in the IDP.” “The IDP does not have a dedicated area for gender mainstreaming, which most of the time makes it difficult to the municipality to comprehensively capture and achieve the gender objectives. Perhaps the Department of Corporative Governance needs to review the IDP framework.” “The municipality has a database of small medium and micro enterprise for women and men businesses. The municipality uses the database to link women with opportunities that sector departments has that includes capacity development. There is no separate consultation that IDP held with women SMMEs. During public participation all are invited.” “The municipality follows the IDP processes laid out in the IDP when consultations are done and projected costed and budget allocated, according to the mandate of local government, which is service delivery.” 4.3.2 Lack of targeted approach that advances women empowerment The study found that there is a lack of a targeted approach towards the advancement of women, the gender focal person and the central person who advise the Matjhabeng Local Municipality on gender mainstreaming, indicated their frustration on how there is no proper and coordinated planning system as far as gender mainstreaming is 41 concerned. They indicated that projects and programmes for women are left to the discretion of the executive mayor. “Currently planning and implementation in the municipalities depends on the executive mayor’s preference. The previous executive mayor was consultative as far as development and identifications of programmes and project and would approve and allow me to organise all community engagements with Women and people living with disabilities in the municipality.” “As the municipality we give women companies business, though having followed legal competitive bidding process of acquiring quotations for all potential service. Whilst is not intentional, you would find most women companies are in the catering services, stationery supply and office furniture. The Municipality therefore is compelled to follow the legal processes and procedure to the latter, which somehow hinders the capability of the municipality to be intentional in implementing women empowerment.” “As the chairperson of the multiparty women caucus I am not aware whether we have a gender mainstreaming and supply chain management policies, because I am a ward councillor. Multiparty women caucus for instance do not have a dedicated budget, the operational budget for gender is with the member of the mayoral committee who is the head of section 80. Multiparty women caucus activities clash with the activities of section 80 which often gets budget. I am not aware of any women companies that gets municipal tenders as part of municipal women empowerment. I believe this is what the multiparty women causes must fight for.” 4.3.3 Lack of guidelines from regulatory departments (COGTA and National Treasury) The study also found that there are no guidelines from the Department of Corporative Governance (CoGTA) and National Treasury, which are two government department legally mandated to regulate the governance and administration of municipalities. “The municipality do not have budget set aside specifically for women. We are a struggling municipality with shortfall and we are unable to collect rates and taxes, because majority of the people in the municipality are poor. The equitable share of the municipality is shrinking, because of the population size. That also affect municipal 42 infrastructure grant to the municipality. The MIG is has conditions attached so cannot be used anyhow.” “The municipality also get revenue from equitable share of National Treasury, as well as municipal infrastructure grants. The conditions on the municipal infrastructure grants is that it is to be used for the purpose it is ring fenced for, for example provision of water infrastructure. Therefore, projects, programmes are identified during the business planning processes of the municipality. Projects and programmes get costed and included in the IDP plan which eventually gets approval from the municipal council. Municipality do not make provision for a separate budget for women and men. The framework does not provide for women and men only budget based on identified projects and programmes.” “There must be a gender policy guideline by treasury, which guides municipality to include gender in their reporting template. Currently the tools we having have some limitations. More trainings are needed for the executive management and politicians.” “Municipality to get guidance from National Treasury on how to budget and report on gender mainstreaming. Capacity building to be held for municipalities.” 4.3.4 Location of the gender focal person in the Executive Mayor The study found that the gender focal person in Matjhabeng and the special programmes officer in Mohokare are located in the office of the executive mayor and mayor respectively. Both the gender focal person and the special programmes officer had no relationship and interaction with the administrative part of the municipality. Both the officers work on projects that are determined by the executive mayor and the mayor. They do not form part of the decision makers and their work is not known by the executives and middle management of both municipalities. Both the gender focal person and special programmes officer have no dedicated operational budget. Both the officers expressed their level of frustration with the situations during the interviews. 43 4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ENABLERS 4.4.1 Lack of gender policy The study found that there is no gender policy in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities that indicates the intentions and commitments of the municipalities on gender mainstreaming, empowerment and equality. Even though the accounting officers, who are municipal managers and the executives (CFOs and Directors Corporate Services) knew about “gender equality and empowerment” there was nothing that compelled them to exercise their decision-making capacity, authority and knowledge to make concerted efforts to create an enabling environment. Executives in the administrative wing of the municipality indicated that: The gender focal person in Matjhabeng and the special programmes officer in Mohokare Local Municipalities are in the office of the executive mayor and mayor respectively, and are responsible for the identification of women’s needs in the community for the intervention of the executive mayor and mayor. Both Matjhabeng and Mohokare depend on the Employment Equity Act as the guiding legislation that compelled the municipalities to achieve gender equality and empowerment. Below are some statements made by the executive. “The municipality has a special programmes officer in the mayor’s office. The officer works mostly with the communities. The role of the officer is to identify the needs of communities and develop interventions for the mayor’s attention.” “The municipality has an Employment Equity Forum responsible to look at the Municipal Equity plan. There is no specific policy for gender, but have policies that recognises the municipal responsibility to empower women. There is a policy on preferential procurement, bursary, leave and recruitment.” “There is an Employment Equity Forum, Local Labour Forum to oversight municipal transformation. Municipality do not have a stand-alone gender policy, but though existing policies that is recruitment and selection, leave, preferential procurement policies the Municipality.” 44 4.4.2 Reproductive health, HIV and AIDS The study found that reproductive health in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities was left to the office of the executive mayor and mayor’s office. The office of the executive mayor and mayor are political offices whose focus was mainly to coordinate HIV and AIDS stakeholders’ programmes for community members. There were no units designated to manage reproductive health programmes for employees in the municipalities. However, Matjhabeng Local Municipality indicated that the position for wellness manager was funded and would be filled soon. The study found that in both municipalities there were leave policies that provided for maternity leave for pregnant female employees and paternity leave for male. The study also found that there were initiatives by different line function departments and a multiparty women caucus in Matjhabeng Local Municipality to hold information session on health matters. However, the initiatives are not consistent, as they were held seldom as indicated below. “The municipality do hold wellness programme even though the municipality has not yet appointed the wellness manager. The wellness responsibility is vested in the executive director corporate services.” “I have invited Cancer Association to speak on cancer, especially breast and cervical affecting women. The session was for both women councillors and officials in the administrative wings of the municipality.” In Mohokare Local Municipality initiatives were also not consistent. “The municipality has local AIDS Council, which is under the office of the mayor. There is a special programmes officer who also is the coordinator for HIV and AIDS in the municipality. The HIV and AIDS council works with local NGOs and the Department of Health. The council sits sometimes. The council hold health campaigns for communities especially during World AIDS Day that is the only time it is visible.” “There are male condoms in the municipal toilets, but you do not get female condoms.” 45 4.4.3 Safety and security On safety and security, the study found that Matjhabeng Local Municipality uses a buddy practise system (pairing a woman and a man to be on the same duty schedule) for women in traffic management and protection of infrastructure, to protect women from possible violent attack by criminals. The municipality also has applied a shift system where women in traffic management and security are on fixed day duties. Furthermore: “The multiparty women caucus, which is an internal committee comprised of women councillors from all political parties of the municipal council in Matjhabeng Local Municipality, held a march to hand over a memorandum to the Department of Justice on gender-based violence to request changes of the prosecution laws, especially bail application for perpetrators”. The researcher was made aware that the march on gender-based violence would form part of the calendar activities that the municipality would frequently pursue to create community awareness. 4.5 EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT 4.5.1 Lack of participation in the municipal processes and procedures The study found that there is a lack of participation by community members during IDP consultations. In both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities there were less community members that attended IDP consultations and few written submissions made, despite the widely published IDP sessions, done through the local newspapers and radio stations in Matjhabeng Local Municipality and loud hailing by the speaker’s offices. It was indicated that community members had verbalised loss of interest as their needs are never prioritized. 4.6 IDP ANALYSIS OF MOHOKARE AND MATJHABENG LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES  Definition of gender mainstreaming under the section dealing with concepts and elsewhere in the content; 46  Institutional arrangements organogram, systems and structures to check the decision-making processes;  Programmes and projects of internal and external stakeholders;  Budget allocation;  IDP processes; and  Reporting, monitoring and evaluation. Table 4.3: Outcome of Matjhabeng Local Municipality IDP assessment Item Process Outcome Contents report on The researcher analysed the ˗ Gender mainstreaming as a concept gender mainstreaming whole content of the IDP to was not mentioned in the IDP, only assess whether the gender equality under goal 5 of the municipality mentioned development and gender empowerment gender mainstreaming was used in the body context. ˗ The municipality aligns to Twelve Government Outcomes, including gender equality and the Free State Growth and Development Strategy on gender equality ˗ IDP analysis phase outlined population by age and gender, and indication made that gender was a factor during consultations. Decision-making ˗ The decision in the municipality is delegated to the executives Programmes and ˗ Programmes and projects are reported projects internal with no indication of who the beneficiaries were in relation to gender, ˗ Mentioned provision of employee wellness and HIV and AIDS support programmes. Programmes and ˗ Programmes and projects are reported programmes external with no indication of who the beneficiaries were in relation to gender. Budget allocation ˗ Standardized budget allocation to programmes and services 47 IDP process ˗ Process and procedures outlined according to the stages in the IDP framework Reporting M & E ˗ Established system of reporting on an ongoing basis, annually to Council, CoGTA and Provincial Treasury and Legislature The table above shows that there are three main elements that were considered when the IDP was analysed, namely the item, processes and the outcomes. The study found that the IDP document did not reflect gender mainstreaming as a concept, rather concepts such as gender equality and empowerment were captured as part of the situational analysis of the municipality. The document captured HIV and AIDS and wellness and other service delivery programmes and projects to be implemented, however there was no mention of who was going to benefit in terms of women and men from the programmes and projects. Budget allocation followed the standard budget practise of accounting, therefore gender was not a determining factor. The study found that reporting, monitoring and evaluation are components built into the performance system of the municipality for accountability to the executive management, CoGTA, Provincial Treasury and Legislature, however the municipality report did not reflect services rendered by gender. Table 4.4: Outcome of Mohokare Local Municipality IDP assessment Item Researcher Process Contents report on The researcher analysed the ˗ There was alignment to Free gender mainstreaming whole content of the IDP to State growth and development assess whether the municipality strategy which acknowledges mentioned gender mainstreaming gender equality and empowerment Decision-making ˗ The decision in the municipality is delegated to the executives 48 Programmes and ˗ Human resources mentioned programmes internal compliance to Employment Equity Act. Programmes and ˗ SCM section reflected that 70% of programmes external businesses would be awarded to local enterprise. ˗ Mentioned provision of basic service to the indigents which are mostly women Budget allocation ˗ Standardized budget allocation to programmes and services IDP processes ˗ Process and procedures outlined according to the stages in the IDP framework ˗ IDP processes acknowledge wider consultations with all community members including NGOs, women and men Reporting M & E ˗ Indicated reporting lines administratively to municipal manager, municipal council, CoGTA, Provincial Treasury, Legislature. The table above shows that there are three main elements that were considered when the IDP was analysed, namely the item, processes and the outcomes. The study found that Mohokare Local Municipality did not include gender mainstreaming in the concepts’ definition nor in the contents of the IDP. The municipality captured only gender equality and empowerment. The IDP included an allocation of 70% to local businesses and a provision of basic services to indigents, which are mostly women. The study found the budget allocation and reporting lines remained standard and did not take into consideration the different needs of men and women, therefore gender is not a determining factor. 49 4.7 ANNUAL REPORTS ANALYSIS In order to have an almost complete picture of the municipalities, 2017/18 annual reports of both Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities were also analysed to determine how the municipalities report on the services they have provided to the community. The reports were analysed against the schedule tool with focus on the following areas, which were captured in Table 4 below:  Content-reporting on gender mainstreaming;  Outcomes of the decision-making processes;  Outcomes of the programmes and projects; internal and externa stakeholders and its impact to beneficiaries;  Budget expenditure on programmes and projects; and  Reporting, monitoring and evaluation. 4.7.1 Matjhabeng Local Municipality analysis and findings of the Annual Report Table 4.5: Outcome of Matjhabeng Local Municipality - annual report analysis Item Progress Outcome Content-reporting on gender The researcher analysed the Gender mainstreaming as a mainstreaming whole content of the report to concept was not mentioned in assess whether the the report municipality mentioned gender mainstreaming Outcomes of the decision- Decisions communicated did making processes not indicate how the decision affected men and women differently Outcomes of the programmes Programmes and projects are and projects; internal and reported without details of how externa stakeholders and its women and men benefitted. impact to beneficiaries The project under the Internal executive mayors were reported Outcomes of the programmes Internal programmes under and projects; internal and skills development and 50 external stakeholders and its expenditure indicated impact to beneficiaries beneficiaries per gender External Reporting, monitoring and Reports reflected gender evaluation segregated data on programmes mentioned above. The study found that Matjhabeng Local Municipality did not include gender mainstreaming in the concepts’ definition nor in the contents of the annual report. The municipality captured only gender equality and empowerment. The annual report included an allocation of 70% to local businesses and a provision of basic service to indigents, which are mostly women. The study found the budget allocation and reporting lines remained standard and did not take into consideration the different needs of men and women, therefore gender is not a determining factor. 4.7.2 Mohokare Local Municipality analysis and findings of the annual report Table 4.6: Outcome of Mohokare Local Municipality - annual report analysis Item Progress Outcome Content reporting on gender The researcher analysed the Gender mainstreaming as a mainstreaming whole content of the report to concept was not mentioned in assess whether the the report only indigents, municipality mentioned gender gender equality and women mainstreaming empowerment Outcomes of the decision- Decisions communicated did making processes not indicate how the decision affected men and women differently Outcomes of the programmes The municipality provided and projects; internal and statistics of SMME support externa stakeholders and its programmes under a growth impact to beneficiaries Mohokare project and a Internal number of LED projects supported indicating gender composition of those projects 51 Outcomes of the programmes Internal programmes under and projects; internal and skills development and externa stakeholders and its expenditure indicated impact to beneficiaries beneficiaries per gender, a External number of beneficiaries of municipal bursary per gender and the qualification they are pursuing. Reporting, monitoring and Annual report reflected gender evaluation segregation data on the programmes mentioned above. The study found that the annual report of Mohokare Local Municipality had more similarities with Matjhabeng Local Municipality, as it did not include the gender mainstreaming concept anywhere in the content. It only mentioned the gender equality and women empowerment. The decisions were communicated along the line function in the administration and municipal governance did not consider gender as a factor, but approved reports based on the general compliance. The municipality only reported programme benefits separately to women and men under skills development and expenditure. The annual report captured limited information, which the researcher had deduced that was consistent with the IDP. What became glaring to the researcher was the limited information as per the annual report on the actual work of the special programme officer in the office of the mayor, which during the data collection phase, was the most mentioned position central to gender mainstreaming. Mohokare Local Municipality was reported under a growth Mohokare project supported by SMMEs and with a bursary, with a number of women and men that benefited from the projects. 4.8 SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR GENDER MAINSTREAMING The study participants were requested to make suggestions to gender mainstreaming. 52 Table 4.7: Suggestions made by participants and discussions that followed Thematic Area Factor Issue Category Participants Institutional Integration of gender in Institutional suggestions arrangements the planning phase arrangements Systems and structures Review of the planning framework for planning and reporting template to include women and men Improvement of monitoring and evaluation system Performance Management System and agreement of executive /senior managers to include gender Location and role of gender focal person and special programme officer Change management/ Capacity building Build an enabling culture Training environment Change of attitude. Training for executives and politicians Communication Municipality to get guidance from National Treasury on how to budget and report on gender mainstreaming. Capacity-building to be held for municipalities Policy review 53 National Treasury and CoGTA to develop review the reporting system Inadequate resource review of municipal systems and structure Inter-Governmental National and province Assignment of relations to give the municipality functions full responsibility with funds to implement project such as EPWP Resources and power of the municipality to be increased The respondents in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities appreciated the researcher’s explanation of what the gender mainstreaming strategy is and the purpose. The researcher explained to all participants, at the end of each interview, to share knowledge. It became evident that the lack of implementation of gender mainstreaming was misinterpreted to mean gender equality and women empowerment, whereas the two concepts are the end product. 4.8.1 Institutional arrangements A number of respondents held the opinion that there was a need to re-arrange how both municipalities have been doing business. They felt that they are overly regulated, as such there was a few space left for municipalities to manoeuvre and become creative and innovative. 4.8.2 Integration of gender in the planning phase The respondents felt that because gender was not taken as a key factor in the municipalities, it was left out as a project in the political office, therefore they did not see it as that important. Some participants from the planning units of the municipalities 54 felt that the gender focal person should assume an advisory role at planning phase of the IDP for all line function departments, in order to guide municipalities towards the right direction. They felt the relationship between the political office and administration should be strengthened. Participants also felt that the office of the municipal managers should guide the integration and the gender focal person should be located in the office of the municipal manager. 4.8.3 Review of the planning framework and development of the gender policy The respondents in the executive management of both municipalities felt that the reasons for not including gender mainstreaming as part of the municipal processes and procedures and not achieving gender equality and women empowerment, was related to the limitations of the IDP framework. It is expected that all municipalities comply with the framework. Deviation from the framework might firstly raise an audit query for municipalities, and secondly the framework itself do not have a provision to include gender, except in the situational analysis part of the IDP. Most respondents in both municipalities felt that there should be a standalone gender policy, which would compel management to take gender mainstreaming serious as it would be a document with municipal intention to which, if there is no compliance, municipalities would be held accountable. 4.8.4 Improvement of reporting, monitoring and evaluation system Respondents felt the reporting system of municipalities needed to be improved by the regulatory government departments, which is CoGTA and National Treasury. Respondents felt that the format of the reporting template limits municipalities to provide more information on gender. Respondents in the economic development from both municipalities felt that more information, which is segregated by data as per the EPWP, do not get to be reported as such in the reporting and monitoring system of the municipalities, and there is no systemic correlation of the sector departments with the municipal reporting system, whilst municipalities are actively taking part in EPWP. 55 4.8.5 Performance management system and agreement of executive /senior managers to include gender Respondents from both the municipalities suggested that objectives of the national priorities on gender should be included in the performance management system and agreement of the executive management. In that way executive and senior management would take gender serious. Respondents, especially in the political office, felt that the IDP as a planning tool of the municipalities still has an opportunity for better planning, however it is lack of commitment from the side management. 4.8.6 Location and role of the gender focal person and special programme officer Respondents felt that the role of the gender focal person or the special programme officer is not clear. The position is located in the office of the executive mayor and the mayor in Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities, respectively. Their value in the municipalities has been reduced to assessing the needs of the communities, which is in contradiction with the prescription of the Gender Framework policy that started in 2000. Both the gender focal person and the special programmes officer are externally focused, therefore are not assisting the municipalities to deal with strategic issues with regard to gender. Respondents therefore felt that the location of the gender focal person and special programmes officer are to be in the office of the municipal manager to assume the advisory role in the municipality. 4.8.7 Building an enabling environment Most of those interviewed in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities felt that all councillors and management levels are to be given capacity-building training on gender mainstreaming. It is the view of the respondents that training would improve their understanding on what gender mainstreaming ought to achieve and what processes and procedure to follow. The knowledge gained would change the attitudes of councillors and management. Respondents believed that high internalised knowledge would assist the municipalities to develop strategic interventions to achieve gender equality and women empowerment. 56 4.8.8 Communication Some of the respondents in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities proposed that frequent communication, especially on implementation of employment equity plans, recruitment and selection processes within the municipalities, would instil confidence in management by employees. Respondents felt that women are not awarded better career opportunities and development against those of their men counterpart. They are of the view that men are given preferential treatment over women, therefore frequent communication would create and improve trust in management. 4.8.9 Municipality to get guidance from National Treasury on how to budget and report on gender mainstreaming Respondents dealing with municipal finance in both the municipalities were of the view that National Treasury should develop a gender budget guide, in order to assist municipalities to allocate budgets for gender programmes. They felt that the existing standard practice of budgeting does not make provision for a gender line item, therefore the purpose of gender equality and empowerment is diminished, as it is left to the discretion of the authority and management. 4.8.10 Assignment of functions Respondents in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities were of the view that the role of local government in SMME development and EPWP to promote local economic development is minimal, as it is to coordinate participation of local businesses and sector departments. Further, municipalities are to register SMMEs in their data base. They felt that that function should be assigned through a signed agreement between the sector departments and its business agencies. They indicated that they spend more time doing the work of the other sector departments, using the municipal resources, however the reporting by the municipality remains limited, but the sector has the full right to report about that work. Respondents felt that that deprives municipalities of reporting fully about the gender empowerment and equality. 57 4.8.11 Resources and power of the municipality to be increased Respondents in both the municipalities shared their experiences of service delivery expectation as per the local government mandate and also funded and underfunded responsibilities. They are of the view that budget allocation to local government is too little and does not afford them space to be innovative. Some of the municipal funds are allocated for a specific project, therefore not usable for the need that might arise at that time. Respondents felt that if the municipal power and the resources could be increased, it might also change the commitment of the municipalities towards he gender equality agenda. 4.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter was mainly about the analysis and findings of the research. The research findings revealed the statuses of gender mainstreaming in Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities. That included among others institutional arrangements and the policy environment, powers and functions with regard to decision-making, budget allocation, internal and external municipal environment, stakeholders’ relations, planning and consultations, reporting lines, monitoring and evaluation, as well as the capacity of the municipality with regard to gender mainstreaming. 58 CHAPTER 5 : CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 CONCLUSION FROM THE LITERATURE AND FINDINGS It can be concluded, based on the findings and the literature review that the gender mainstreaming is an important strategy to be implemented to achieve gender empowerment and equality, however, since the implementation of gender mainstreaming strategy in 2000, and research conducted in twenty-seven (27) countries of Europe, had shown that the strategy produced less results and declined, with the exception of Sweden. The results and decline were attributed to a lack of a systematic and comprehensive approach, related to structures, processes and agency of policy within and across domains (Bendle & Schmidt, 2015). The study has achieved its objectives. It was able to determine the knowledge of key participants on the ender mainstreaming strategy (this was not a primary objective, however it was important to get participants’ understanding of the concept for the purpose of determining underlying factors in the municipalities). The study further did an analyses on the implementation of gender mainstreaming at Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities, which are both in the Free State Province, by eliciting participants’ knowledge on established processes and procedures in the municipalities that enhance gender mainstreaming. Further, the analyses of IDPs and annual reports of both the municipalities was done to determine how both municipalities have implemented gender mainstreaming. The study was also able to stimulate the views of the respondents on what solutions they consider would be in order to improve and strengthen gender mainstreaming in their respective municipalities. This was done to include participants’ view in informing the areas of interventions and focus when municipalities develop a gender mainstreaming framework. The study found two broad areas, which were categorised into internal and external environments. The internal environment includes the institutional arrangements, as well as the business processes and procedures in both municipalities. The external environment was concerned with municipal processes and procedures, with regard to 59 stakeholders’ relations, which are communities. It is worth noting the limitations of the study with regard to the completeness of the external environment, as the community was not part of the research design. The perspective was only gathered from internal personnel. The study found that most participants, including the most senior executives of the municipalities used concepts, such as women empowerment, gender equality, 50/50 policy, interchangeably to define and emphasise their understanding of what gender mainstreaming is. Participants spoke of power dynamics that exit in the municipalities where even the municipal council in Matjhabeng for example, had all the positions of executive mayor, municipal speakers, chief whip and the municipal managers occupied by men. The view was an indication of a lack of commitment by those in charge of making decisions in the municipality. Few participants could relate to gender mainstreaming as a strategy that focuses on processes and procedures. The study found that there are established municipal processes and procedures. However, municipalities are not fully taking an advantage to become deliberate to consult women and men separately, internally and externally during analysis and consultation phases. The Matjhabeng Local Municipality indicated that they do consult with organizations of women and people with disabilities, whilst Mohokare local municipality consult the community as a homogenous group. The difference in the approach of the two municipalities indicates that the level of awareness on the gender issues as one national agenda, is not the same across all municipalities. What the study found is that municipalities want as much as possible to remain compliant to the regulatory frameworks of local government (municipalities). The lack of a targeted approach that advances women, guidelines from CoGTA and National Treasury, which are two national departments that have legislated and regulatory mandate over the municipalities, also contribute to non-committal on gender mainstreaming by municipalities. The study found that the IDP document did not reflect gender mainstreaming as a concept; rather concepts, such as gender equality and empowerment were captured as part of the situational analysis of the municipality. The document captured HIV and AIDS, wellness, other service delivery programmes and projects to be implemented, 60 however there was no mention of who was going to benefit in terms of women and men from the programmes and projects. Budget allocation followed the standard budget practise of accounting, therefore gender was not a determining factor. The study found that Mohokare Local Municipality did not include gender mainstreaming in the concepts’ definition nor in the contents of the IDP. The municipality captured only gender equality and empowerment. The IDP included an allocation of 70% to local businesses and a provision of basic service to indigents, which are mostly women. The study found that the annual report of Mohokare Local Municipality had more similarities with Matjhabeng Local Municipality, as it did not include the gender mainstreaming concept anywhere in the content. It only mentioned the gender equality and women empowerment. The decisions were communicated along the line function in the administration and municipal governance did not consider gender as a factor, but approved reports based on the general compliance. The municipality only reported programme benefits separately to women and men under skills development and expenditure. The annual report captured limited information, which the researcher had deduced was consistent with the IDP. What became glaring to the researcher was the limited information as per the annual report on the actual work of the special programme officer in the office of the mayor to which, during the data collection phase, was the most mentioned position central to gender mainstreaming. Mohokare Local Municipality was reported under a growth Mohokare project supporting SMMEs and with a bursary, with a number of women and men that benefited from the projects. The study found the budget allocation and reporting lines remained standard and did not take into consideration the different needs of men and women, therefore gender is not a determining factor. The study found that reporting, monitoring and evaluation are components built into the performance system of the municipality for accountability to the executive management, CoGTA, Provincial Treasury and Legislature, however the municipality report did not reflect services rendered by gender. 61 The study found that poor institutional arrangements, which by default in both Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities, contributed to a lack of proper systems and commitment of the municipalities towards gender mainstreaming. The issues that are stemming from the institutional arrangements in the municipalities as per the findings, are discussed below. The systems in the municipalities are established in the general governance and administration of local government, for example the Integrated Development Plan Framework, which is the regulated planning tool that establishes the planning cycle and phases that the municipalities should comply with. The plan does recognise consultations of different categories of people in the community, however it does not emphasise or spell out gender consultations as a regulated requirement for gender mainstreaming. The study found that there is a lack of a targeted approach towards the advancement of women, and even the gender focal person, who is an important and central person to advise the Matjhabeng Local Municipality on gender mainstreaming, indicated her frustration on how there is no proper and coordinated planning system as far as gender mainstreaming is concerned. She indicated that projects and programmes for women are left to the discretion of the executive mayor. The study found that the gender focal person in Matjhabeng and special programmes officer in Mohokare are located in the office of the executive mayor and mayor respectively. Both the gender focal person and the special programmes officer had no relationship and interaction with the administrative part of the municipality. Both the officers work on projects that are determined by the executive mayor and the mayor. They do not form part of the decision-making processes as they are junior officers. Their roles and performance are unknown and unaccounted for by the executive and middle managements of both municipalities. Both the gender focal person and special programmes have no dedicated operational budget, job functions, or tools of trade, such as laptops and cell phones. Both the officers expressed their level of frustration of the situations during the interviews. The study found that there is no gender policy in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities that indicated the intentions and commitments of the municipalities on gender mainstreaming, empowerment and equality. Even though the accounting 62 officers who are municipal managers and the executives (CFOs and directors corporate services) knew about “gender equality and empowerment”, they do not see it as a priority and there is less efforts to create an enabling environment. Both Matjhabeng and Mohokare depend on the Employment Equity Act as the guiding legislation that compelled the municipalities towards achieving gender equality and empowerment. Whilst that is the case, the municipalities are not adhering to the Employment Equality Act. The executive managements remain more men than women. More women are still occupying the roles traditionally reserved for them, such as housekeeping and office assistance to management. This is indicative of the cultural stereotypes under which the municipalities operate. The employment equity targets are not achieved and affirmative action in terms of building skills and knowledge of women for strategic positions are not adhered to. The study found that reproductive health in both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Municipalities was left to the office of the executive mayor and mayor’s office. The office of the executive mayor and mayor are political offices whose focus was mainly to coordinate HIV and AIDS stakeholders’ programmes for community members. There were no units designated to manage reproductive health programmes for employees in the municipalities. However, Matjhabeng Local Municipality indicated that the position for wellness manager was funded and would be filled in soon. The study found that in both municipalities there were leave policies that provided for maternity leave for pregnant female employees and paternity leave for males. The study also found that there were initiatives by different line function departments and a multiparty women caucus in Matjhabeng Local Municipality to hold information session on health matters. However, the initiatives are not consistent as they were held seldom as indicated below. On safety and security, the study found that Matjhabeng Local Municipality uses a buddy practise system (pairing a woman and a man to be on the same duty schedule) for women in traffic management and protection of infrastructure to protect women from possible violent attack by criminals. The municipality has also applied a shift system where women in traffic management and security are on fixed day duties. However, it is left to the discretionary of the management in that directorate. 63 The multiparty women caucuses in the municipalities were established to conduct oversight on the different portfolio committees of the municipalities with regard to gender mainstreaming. The study found that the work of the caucus is not properly institutionalised, and there is no clear plan of action. In the Matjhabeng Municipality the multiparty women caucus marched to the court to hand over a memorandum on gender-based violence, which was an external work rather than internally focused. The study found that there is a lack of participation by community members during IDP consultations. In both Matjhabeng and Mohokare Local Municipalities there were less community members that attended IDP consultations and a few written submissions made, despite the widely published IDP sessions, done through the local newspapers, radio stations in Matjhabeng Local Municipality and loud hailing by the speaker’s offices. It was indicated that community members had verbalised loss of interest as their needs are never prioritized. 5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS In view of the findings captured and in line with the literature review, the following recommendations are proposed to improve gender mainstreaming for municipalities. 5.2.1 Review the institutional arrangements and mend municipal systems and structure to be fit for the purpose 5.1.1.1 Administration  The municipalities should review its organogram and locate the Gender Focal Person and Special Programmes in the administrative wing of the Municipality.  Develop the job profile of the Gender Focal Person and Special Programmes Officer (Mohokare Local Municipality). It is noted that the Special Programmes Officers are responsible for a number of programmes, i.e. gender mainstreaming, youth development, disability mainstreaming, children’s rights and the elderly’s welfare. This is due to the financial and human capacity effected by the way the municipalities are legally funded and categorised. In that instance it is recommended that the municipality introduces a resource 64 optimization strategy to capacitate existing employees in respective directorates and decentralise the functions to line managers.  The job profile of the Gender Focal Person should be classified under the municipal organogram as a technical professional with a NQF level qualification to be determined, at the level of management as per the National Gender Policy of 2000 to enable the appointed to be part of the decision-making management of the Municipalities.  The Municipalities are to establish a gender committee that would serve as an advisory structure to all the directorates and functional areas of the Municipalities as per the gender policy.  Develop a stand-alone gender policy that commits the municipalities towards gender equality. The gender policy would serve as an enhancement to the existing human resource policies, Employment Equity plan, and the preferential procurement policy. The gender policy should identify safety, security and health risks affecting women and men differently and provide interventions that would overcome the risks.  Gender mainstreaming should be a part of the orientation programme of the Municipalities for all new employees and be on-going in job-training to empower all employees on any development that may be introduced by national priorities.  A comprehensive gender skills and knowledge development programme should form part of the executive management course provided for by CoGTA, Provincial Treasury and SALGA.  Gender programmes should be a Key Performance Indicator for executive management in the Municipalities.  Both the Municipalities are to review its Employment Equity Plan as required by law and comply with it. Furthermore, municipalities should identify strategic skills and capacity-building programmes as part of the affirmative action to empower and prepare women for the next management position, should an opportunity present itself in the Municipalities.  Both Mohokare and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities are to develop a template that they would use in their internal meetings and improve their culture of reporting to include segregated data for women and men. 65  Both Municipalities should establish effective monitoring and evaluation systems within the wider Municipal Monitoring System. 5.2.2 IDP processes and procedures  Both the Municipalities should develop internal mechanisms to include women, men and people with disabilities in all stages of the IDP processes. The recommendation is considerate to the long term recommendation under the regulatory environment for CoGTA to review the IDP Framework.  Both the Municipalities should develop a reporting attendance register template that captures women and men that participated in the IDP process. 5.2.3 Programming and projects  Municipal programmes and projects should be consulted with the Gender Focal Person and Special Programmes Officer in both the Municipalities’ multiparty women caucus and with women employees in the Municipality, at a certain stage. 5.2.4 Regulatory environment for sustainable approach  National Treasury should review the budgeting formula to include gender as a line item and a factor in equitable shares and the municipal conditional grants, as well as further review the reporting guidelines to include gender. In that way it would guide the Municipalities to budget and report better on the progress of gender mainstreaming, empowerment and equality  CoGTA should review the IDP framework to have sections that allow the inclusion of women and men to participate in all the phases of the IDP development and implementation processes. 5.2.5 Intergovernmental relations and assignment of functions  The Municipalities should develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Service Level Agreement (SLA) to seal the partnership they entered into with 66 sector departments, such as the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Department of Small Business, Tourism and Economic and Environmental Affairs, government entities, such as Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and other business sectors. 5.2.6 Municipal governance and oversight  Gender mainstreaming, equality and women empowerment should be a module for orientation and induction-training for new councillors after every local government election.  All councillors in the Municipalities should be given on-going training on national priorities on gender equality, mainstreaming and women empowerment to enable their oversight role of holding administration accountable to national commitments in relation to gender.  CoGTA as a regulatory sector department for Municipality should develop guidelines on gender that include the areas recommended above to be adopted by Municipalities. 5.3 CHAPTER SUMMARY The chapter focused on the recommendations arising from the findings of the study. 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The definition (s) of Gender Mainstreaming: From International Organizations to the Belgian Federal State (Master's thesis). Utrecht University. 72 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: ETHCIAL CLEARANCE APPROVAL 73 APPENDIX B: REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (MATJHABENG LOCAL MUNICIPALITY) 74 75 76 77 APPENDIX C: REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH (MOHOKARE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY) 78 79 80 81 APPENDIX D: STUDY INFORMATION LEAFLET AND CONSENT FORM 82 83 84 85 86 APPENDIX E: GENDER MAINSTREAMING INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 87 88 89 90 APPENDIX F: LETTER FROM LANGUAGE EDITOR 91 APPENDIX G: TURN IT IN RECEIPT AND REPORT 92