Premier diverts WOMEN'S MONTH Events funds to bursaries

By Ofentse Mokae
13 August 2009

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, says they have decided to cancel all of the Women’s Month celebrations and instead use the funds for bursaries for primary school girls.

In a media statement Zille, who’s also leader of the opposition party Democratic Alliance, says when her government came to office, they found plans and budgets for two big jamboree and talk-shop events.

“We decided that it would serve gender empowerment better by canceling these events, and allocating the money to four bursaries for girl learners in primary schools,” said Zille.

She says more than R300 000 of the funds saved will be divided into four bursaries of R80 000 each, to pay for the schooling of four girl learners.

“The schools where the learners will be chosen are going to be selected from across the Province, on the basis of set criteria,” she said.

Zille concluded that individual beneficiaries will then be selected within each school with needs and achievements being the most important criteria.