The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority (KZN TAFA) is set to prioritise numerous initiatives to help women in the province grow in the tourism and film industries.

This will mean focused support for SMEs such as training and education courses, targeted funding and participation in skills development programmes.

The entity's five-year strategic plan particularly targets women's participation in all KZN TAFA’s programmes and outcomes. KZN TAFA wants at least 50% to 70% of participants to be women.

“There is a renewed enthusiasm to ensure that we meet these targets and improve the lives of women. There have been a lot of achievements in both the tourism and film industries, and more are in the pipeline. While these should be celebrated, a more concerted effort is necessary to ensure that female empowerment extends even further,” said KZN TAFA, Interim CEO Sibusiso Gumbi.

 He added: “We are intentional in our efforts to transform the tourism and film industries and grant access to areas that were previously inaccessible to black individuals, particularly women. We want a tourism and film industry that is transformed, competitive and sustainable and women have an important role to play.”

Achievements in tourism

 Tourism KZN and KZN Film Commission’s achievements to date include:

• Women-owned SMMEs were supported through a partnership with the Tourism Grading Council of SA.

• TGCSA created a Basic Quality Verification mechanism for non-grading institutions to engage in the market, with 80% of the 151 participating enterprises being women-owned.

• From 2022 to 2024, 44 women-owned businesses received market access opportunities, including attendance at trade, consumer and roadshows.

• Ten of the 20 businesses that received tourist project support, including marketing, networking, and technical equipment help, were women-owned.

• Twenty-seven women from Ugu and uMzinyathi Districts now have Airbnb-listed homestay lodging accommodation, after receiving training. 

Success for women in the film sector

• The KZN Film Fund gave funds to 172 films between 2020 and 2021, and 2022 and 2023, with a significant rise in female recipients from 38% to 48%.

When it came to Industry Skills Development, women did well in the following areas:

• There was a 70% participation of women in the location scout programme.
• There was 72% participation in the Film in Transformation Initiative which aims to increase specialised skills in key areas of the industry value chain.
• Eighty-five per cent of women were awarded bursaries in the 2024 bursary programme, an increase from 60% in 2023.
• Eighty-two per cent of women were enrolled in the National Qualifications Framework learnership programme in Umzimkhulu and 66% in Mbazwana.

Jackie Motsepe,  Chief Operations Officer of KZN TAFA, said the organisation had already been instrumental in the development of industry skills to guarantee that the KZN film industry is staffed by a competent workforce.

‘’We want to encourage small black-owned enterprises by supporting their activities and plans. We want to increase the number of emerging women film makers attending markets and festivals, where there is the opportunity to source funding and clinch distribution deals.

“And we want to increase the number of isiZulu made-for-TV movies funded and the number of jobs and bursaries awarded.’’

Motsepe pointed out that the five-year plan not only intended to increase the number of women professionals in both industries, but it is also aimed at improving the quality of films and tourist offerings.

‘’This nurturing, training and development of women will aid the growth of a talent pool. I cannot stress it enough that skills development is a huge priority in both sectors.’’

Motsepe said it was important to note that more than 70% of the films screened at last month’s Durban International Film Festival featured women in the main roles of production, direction, scriptwriting, and performance.

Management and operational aspects of the festival were overseen by 95% black African women. There are also several women out of the seven festival directors and managers who are being incubated at the Centre for Creative Arts, sponsored by KZN TAFA.