Thembela Khamango

Thembela Khamango

North West is the place to find powerful female civil servants in the country.

Survey results released on Friday declared North West the leading province with more women in high positions.

The survey, conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC), said South Africa lacks women in high positions.

A lot has to be done to empower women, the PSC said.

"Critical in this endeavour is the creation of an environment to ensure women's talents and potential are harnessed and nurtured for the benefit of South Africa.

"The challenge for the public service is to change its organisational culture to be more responsive to the needs of women civil servants," the report said.

The study was conducted between April 2005 and March last year. It found that women's access to executive power and decision-making had improved since the 1994 elections. Women held on average 31,2percent of senior posts in national government departments - more than the 30percent target.

There were even higher numbers of women in senior positions in traditionally male-dominated departments such as Public Works and Transport.

In provincial departments, women held 29,8percent of senior positions. Most were in North West at 33,4percent, followed by Limpopo at 32,5percent, and Gauteng and Mpumalanga at 30,6percent each. Western Cape was lowest at 23 percent.