​Lerato Mailoane
As South Africa kicks off Women's Month, a pivotal conversation unfolded at the University of Johannesburg, spotlighting the transformative role African women play in reshaping the mining and agriculture sectors.
MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, used the occasion to emphasise the need to dismantle systemic barriers and foster equal opportunities to make these industries more inclusive.
Speaking at the T20 dialogue, a platform uniting leading thinkers to elevate African priorities on the global stage, Ramokgopa stressed that the G20 must be a defining moment for Africa to shape its agenda.
"We cannot allow the G20 to be remembered as an event that simply happened in Africa. It must be remembered as the moment Africa stepped forward to shape the agenda, to set the priorities, and to ensure that the outcome of this process serves the people."
Ramokgopa said the T20 dialogue is not a side conversation. 
"It is the space where ideas must be sharpened, where solutions must be crafted, and where the voices of the most affected by the issues on the G20 must be heard."
Across the continent, over 70% of Africa's agricultural production is carried out by women, yet they hold less than 20% of land titles.
Painting the stark realities that persist in mining, Ramokgopa said: "Women remain severely under-represented in leadership and ownership, while being over-exposed to the most dangerous conditions – hazardous work, displacement from ancestral lands, and gender-based violence."
The MEC called on delegates to build a new vision for women in these sectors by addressing the question of land ownership, inclusivity, and fair and equal labour practices.
"What would it mean to build economies where women's knowledge and leadership inform every decision? Where do they hold ownership over the land they cultivate, the mines they work in and the resources their labour sustains?"
She said in many sectors, women are already showing us what transformation looks like.
Women farmers are building climate-resilient seed banks and leading co-operatives that feed communities. 
On the other hand, the MEC said women in mining are pioneering safer, more ethical practices, leading environmental rehabilitation projects, and creating businesses that value dignity alongside profit.
Ramokgopa called on the women to ensure the T20 dialogue gives them a mandate as it is an opportunity to shape a blueprint for transformation that is feminist, inclusive, and Pan-African at its core.