Women's Day: Ramaphosa laments poverty confronting black & coloured women

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa says black and coloured women in the country are still the hardest hit by poverty, 30 years into democracy. 

Ramaphosa said this cohort remained at the bottom of the economic ladder regarding jobs and opportunities. 

The president made the admission while giving a Women's Day commemoration speech at the Dennis Nel stadium in the Northern Cape. 

READ: On Women's Day, SA women reflect on their lived experiences 30 years into democracy

Ramaphosa said while the government had made great strides in improving everyone's lives, more work still needed to be done. 

"South Africa remains a highly unequal country. Poverty still has the face of a black woman. When you want to understand poverty in SA, you just need to look at the faces of a black and coloured woman. Those are the faces you need to look at and you will see poverty. 

"Black women are more likely to be unemployed, poor and unskilled. Cultural norms and practices, many of these, the products of colonialism and apartheid continue to hold our women back," said Ramaphosa.