Women as agents of development: an assessment of Modimola Village in the North West Province of South Africa through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)

Abstract

Women were, in the past, perceived as instruments of development in Africa. This is concretised by the religious roles accorded to them as a gender that can only play a supportive role for men in their communities. They also serve as agents of underdevelopment when contextualised within the South African perspective. The role of women in a selected village, Modimola, North West Province of South Africa is examined in this paper. Due to their participation in EPWP with special focus on the agricultural sector, women were able to earn a living and learn how to embark on subsistence farming in order to alleviate poverty in the village. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 22 female participants during the study and data collected confirm the invaluable roles of women in terms of food production, and engines of sustainable development in the community under study. It is concluded that women in development are indispensable as men are always on the move looking for non-existent jobs in the metropolis. The same explains the futility of 'determinism' as agents of role play in society.