Speech delivered by the auditor-general at the W20 South Africa Summit

W20 South Africa Summit

I am because you are: Women shaping a just future

Date: 12 October 2025, Time: 18h00 to 20h00, Venue: Vivari Hotel & Spa, Johannesburg

Programme director

Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller: Head of Delegation and Co-chair W20SA-2025

Members of the diplomatic corps

Officers and officials of multi-lateral organisations represented

Honoured guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Thank you kindly for the invitation to be part of this critical conversation where your engagement group deals with the critical issue of economic empowerment of women and girls. Your theme of Women In Solidarity Towards Sustainable Socio-Economic Development promises lively discussion and resultant robust recommendations to the much anticipated G20 Summit.

The invitation alluded to the work that my office has been involved in generally, but also to the fact that in June this year, we successfully hosted the SAI20 Summit, which, like your W20, is an engagement group of the G20.

SAI20 brought together heads of supreme audit institutions of the member countries that exist to add value to the systems of government and ultimately deliver value and benefits to the citizens of our countries.

As Chair of the SAI20, I am proud to lead an engagement group that is an enabler to development, such that every bit of public resources available is used to the benefit of citizens and how our work – reports and our conversations – can help leaders in government to make better decisions. Our themes focused on infrastructure investments that drive economic growth and skills development, ensuring that citizens are active participants in the economy, today and tomorrow.

In many ways, this is about economic justice as is the drive for the inclusion of and access for women in the economy that you advocate for. I believe there is resonance in what we discussed then and that which you have made central points of discussion for this important gathering especially on topics like Women in Tech and AI, Women’s Health and Wellbeing as well as Women in Invisible Economies..

It is all about developing human capital to its full potential. It is about the ability of women to achieve their potential, with the knowledge that when women achieve their potential, history shows that they are more likely to widen that scope to include everybody, as well as drive a concerted campaign for improvement.

“When women thrive, their families, communities and economies flourish. Educated women often invest in their children's education, while financially independent women contribute to household stability and growth. The benefits are far-reaching, touching every aspect of society,”1 says the Women Reform Movement, and I couldn’t agree more.

Thirty years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most comprehensive and visionary agenda ever for gender equality and the realisation of human rights for all women and girls, which also happened in a world then that seemed a lot more attuned to hope rather than despair, there has been some progress and the UN Women2 notes that “countries have taken many steps forward towards gender equality and women’s rights and empowerment”.

But endemic and systemic issues stubbornly remain, such as gender discrimination embedded in the structures of economies and societies that sustain wide and unjust gaps in power and resources, imposing a chronic constraint for progress on women’s rights.

Lately, there seems to have been a drive against diversity and inclusion, which is sweeping what is called the developed world and finding resonance with other converts in the developing world, a world where “anti-rights actors are actively undermining long-standing consensus on key women’s rights issues. Where they cannot roll back legal and policy gains altogether, they seek to block or slow their implementation”. According to UN Women, in its appraisal of progress, almost one quarter of countries reported that backlash on gender equality is hampering the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.

That is why, such platforms like W20 are important and will continue to be for a long time to come. That is why your theme, I Am Because You Are: Women Shaping a Just Future is relevant, and there was no hesitation on my part to be part of this event today.

The theme talks to the interconnectedness of dignity, justice and progress. Just like the Beijing Call for Action advocated, the South African developmental blueprint, the National Development Plan, called for eliminating gender inequality in the workplace and society and for that, we are grateful, as South Africa is a leader in representation, with 46% of parliamentarians being women, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

But there are still some concerning statistics, like the reality as pointed out by our statistics agency, Statistics South Africa, which says women still earn on average, 30% less than men, which is a cause for concern because equal pay for work of equal value is not even a debate. Around the world, statistics are not too hopeful.

UN Women data for 2023–24 shows that:

• Women hold 28% of managerial positions worldwide.
• Only 23% of cabinet ministers are women
• The global economy forfeits USD 10 trillion annually by not fully integrating women (McKinsey, 2023).
• 41% of researchers are women, but just 24% are in top academic positions.

In diplomacy, where I am because of leaders like Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the world has not moved as fast as it could. Again, statistics show that:

• Only 25% of ambassadors worldwide are women.
• In the UN System (2022), women represented 44% of staff, but only 36% in senior leadership.

As women, there is much that we can offer even when the world does not think so. But we have proven that a just, better world is possible with women at the helm. In my role today and other roles where women have broken throught barriers: • I am (We are) because of Charlotte Maxeke of South Africa, who taught us that education is a tool of liberation.

• I am (We are) because of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, who shows us that integrity and global leadership go hand in hand. (This is the first African and first woman to lead the World Trade Organization.)
• I am (We are) because of Kamala Harris of the United States, who broke barriers in the highest corridors of power. (First black and South Asian woman to serve as Vice President of the United States).
• I am (We are) because of Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state who has used her position to highlight failures of global governance from Gaza to Ukraine, showing how civilians, especially women and children pay the highest price because of strife and wars – former President of Liberia
• I am (We are) because of Tony Morrison, the Nobel winning author who famously said: The function of freedom is to free someone else which urges to lift as we rise – always • I am (We are) because of Thuli Madonsela of South Africa, who reminded us that truth is a public good and it triumphs in the end.
• I am (We are) because of Benedita da Silva of Brazil, who rose from the margins to lead with courage and compassion as the first black woman to serve as Governor of Rio de Janeiro.
• I am (We are) because of Kenyan Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner for her environmental work and advocacy especially tree planting, through her organisation Green Belt Movement, to conserve the environment and improve the quality of life. The movement led to the planting of over 51 million trees in Kenya.
• I am (we are) because of Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, who believes that tapping the huge potential of women can be a game changer in growing economies and reducing inequality.
• I am (we are) because of Dilma Vana Rousseff, the only woman to have held the Brazilian presidency until her impeachment and removal from office in what she called a “coup d’Etat’”.

These women, from the different corners of the world; from South Africa to the United States, Nigeria to Brazil, Kenya to Liberia, have shaped a foundation for a just future not only for themselves, but for all of us.

We are because of their sacrifices, their foresight, their courage and above all, their commitment to worthy causes, whether it is education, environment, leading with a heart or going out of their way to prove that women are just as capable of achieving greatness despite the obstacles in their way.

These leaders have taught us, or at least their lives should teach us, that when we elevate and share our experience of womanhood, we inspire young girls to search for and find their purpose in life.

It does not matter what our titles are, whether we are presidents, auditors, entrepreneurs, or caregivers; we are first and always women.

We face common challenges: safety, dignity, emotional labour, and the constant need to prove our worth.

There is an unspoken sisterhood that binds us. We know what it means to be overlooked, to be underestimated, and to rise despite this. When we extend a hand to another sister, it should be with this in mind and not because we want to be the first and last.

I am privileged to lead an organisation that unashamedly prioritises women and the youth and avails all opportunities within its ambit to make sure that the dreams of young women thrive. That is why we are the third largest trainer of chartered accountants, the highest designation accredited by South African Institutes of Chartered Accountants (Saica), in the industry and in the 2 281 CAs we have produced, the slant has been towards women who make up 1262 against the male quotient of 1019.

Our work, as the national audit office, is to audit the systems that shape people’s lives; health, education, social development, sectors central to the economy; share our insights that highlight the root causes and the recommendations for changes that will invariably impact the lived experiences of citizens.

We shine a light on where public funds fail to serve the people, especially women and caregivers, with our belief that accountability is not just technical but also has a real human impact or cost where it is not being practised.

Programme director

Gender equality is not a women’s issue; it is a societal imperative. Men are essential partners in this journey and they have a moral obligation to be gender justice champions. I make this point: I am here because of men who led the institution before me consciously and intentionally worked towards the possibility of a Tsakani one day being in charge of the AGSA.

What that means is that men are and should be allies in this effort. Men can enable change when senior male leaders use their influence to support gender equality and push for policies, for equal opportunities, sponsorship and mentoring of women while consciously working themselves out of those positions long ring-fenced for men. As Toni Morrison says, the function of freedom is to free others. Men have a responsibility to free women from the clutches of institutionalised oppression of women.

Men should and can challenge biases and culture and in doing so recognise and call out unconscious bias, micro-inequities (for example, who gets invited to leadership spots, who gets visibility), and change organisational norms.

It is also important for men who are already sitting at the power table to share power & platforms which will ensure that women are given opportunities to lead committees, to represent the organisations and companies externally and to participate in decision-making bodies.

Conscious and intentional mentorship and sponsorship of female colleagues especially sponsoring them to succeed rather than simply advising.

All of this will succeed if there are supportive environments that promote flexibility, which take into consideration that women may have caregiving responsibilities and champion the design of workplace policies allow for that; ensuring safe, inclusive spaces for women to speak.

In diplomacy, they have a role of ensuring inclusive delegations and equal speaking space so that women are exposed to multilateral organisations and that they get the opportunity to represent with confidence.

It is also important to recognise that the home environment is important and where men share care responsibilities, this allows women the opportunity to pursue their careers fully. Data shows that in organisations where men actively support gender equality initiatives, there is better progress and those organisations achieve stronger results (UN Women, HeForShe data, 2022). A just future requires men to use their influence and privilege to dismantle barriers that hold women back.

Shaping a just future involves acknowledging that justice and progress must be economic, social, and diplomatic. It will thrive on the foundation of gender-responsive budgets and policies; where there is equal access to finance, land and technology; where there is parity in leadership across political, corporate, and diplomatic spheres; where men and women partner to co-lead in building inclusive futures.

Programme director

In closing, allow me to make the following call. We need to build institutions that see us not only as professionals, but as whole people. We need to actively shape the future where being a woman is not a barrier or an impediment but a badge of honour.

In whatever we do, in whatever industry we are involved in, in whatever position of power, trust that we have been placed in, we must always remember that we need to rise together because that is what will positively shape the future we want to see.

Governments, the private sector, all have a responsibility whether it is gender-responsive governance and policy delivery or investment in women’s leadership and innovation.

Men must step forward as allies and champions in shaping women’s leadership and in the diplomatic world, those in charge must ensure that women are not only included but are agenda-setters in global decision-making.

Together, men and women, we can shape a just future where every girl knows her dreams are valid, her voice matters, and her tomorrow is limitless.

Thank you