Women's Month

Getting young people into business

"When young people and young girls look at me, I want them to see what is possible," says Deidre Baartman, the Minister for Finance in South Africa's Western Cape Province. As I enter her office, her welcoming smile and confident demeanour immediately set the tone. Dressed in all black, she emanates a presence that speaks of both authority and approachability. Our meeting takes place in the building of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and Western Cape Government, where Baartman has served with distinction, chairing various committees over the past few years. Now, she's embarked on a new chapter, transitioning from an oversight role to leading her own department.

Baartman's roots trace back to Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape Province. After finishing school, she went on to pursue a degree in law at Stellenbosch University (SU), where she joined student politics at the time. Upon completing her degree, Baartman’s political career officially took off in Cape Town, where she worked at South Africa’s National Parliament, advising members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) on motions, debates, legislation, and parliamentary rules.

"While I was doing that, I ended up being admitted as an advocate to the High Court. Life was a little topsy-turvy, and I ended up on an election list. So, my life changed quite a bit, especially when I got elected to serve in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament."

Her rise in politics was swift; she became the chairperson of several committees, including the Budget Committee and the Finance, Economic, and Tourism Committees. "Not long after that, I was elected as the Deputy Chief Whip, and so I had to deal with a lot of media-related matters and other parliamentary matters such as rules of the provincial parliament," she recalls.

From Oversight to Governance

Never one to sit still, Baartman pursued her master's degree while actively participating in the political arena. "I pursued my Master's in Public Procurement Law, and then, again [in the 2024 elections], I got re-elected to the Provincial Parliament and, before I knew it, appointed as Provincial Minister for Finance."

Baartman says she is enthusiastic about her new role, especially the opportunities it presents to streamline processes often made difficult by bureaucracy in South Africa. "I think that type of experience and my background equipped me quite well for the position. Interestingly enough, I had to do a bit of a mindset shift because I had to go from being a chairperson where I was doing a lot of oversight over the law to now being Minister of Finance where I have to look at it from a governance lens."

Running a department, particularly finance, is no easy job. Baartman acknowledges the challenges but finds the work rewarding. "It can be overwhelming, but I do think I enjoy the work because I've always enjoyed finance and budgeting work and working with finance legislation and money bills type of legislation. I think it's going to be a wonderful term because there are so many opportunities for us to improve in government."

Baartman Wants Young People in Business

The recent legislation that allows provincial governments to create their own procurement policies excites Baartman, especially given her expertise in Public Procurement Law. She is determined to make procurement more accessible for Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs).

"I think what's exciting is, as the Western Government, what does it mean for us? What is going to go into our policy? Things that I would like to see more is how do we assist SMMEs more within the procurement space? I truly believe SMMEs are the heart of an economy."

She firmly believes that supporting SMMEs will help put more food on the table and encourages young people to venture into business. "Youth also have a very big role to play because tertiary education isn't necessarily what you want to do, but you might want to be an entrepreneur. You might want to start your own SMME, and you might want to also do business with government."

Baartman says her department is ready to assist SMMEs in realising their potential, emphasising that cutting red tape benefits both entrepreneurs and the government.

On Women in Politics

The journey toward equal rights and opportunities has made significant strides globally and in South Africa. Baartman reflects on the progress made in advancing women to leadership positions, noting that while much has been done, the journey is ongoing.

"I think there's always room for improvement. I think something that I would love to see is that through our schooling system, we try better to create more access."

For Baartman, empowering young girls and youth means providing them with the access and opportunities necessary to stand on their own. "What I've learnt is that if you make the pool bigger, it's much more likely that you're going to achieve the outcomes you want. If you give people the opportunities, if you train people well enough, they will show up for themselves. But also we must empower people so that they don't need government."

She envisions a future where more women are present in both politics and other sectors, asserting that the choice should be theirs. "Freedom is the ability to choose what you want without all these constrained elements. So I think we would consider, or at least I would consider it an achievement if a woman can say, actually, I chose this path."

On Being a Woman in Politics

Being a woman in the political arena comes with its challenges and rewards, as Baartman reflects as our conversation draws to a close. "Sometimes it is difficult. Sometimes I have to remind myself that how someone treats me is not a reflection of myself; it's a reflection of who they are. But there's also the wonderful aspect of being a woman."

Baartman's journey from a young woman in politics to a provincial minister is a testament to her resilience and determination. Her achievements are a source of pride, especially when she thinks of her maternal grandmother.

"I wish she was alive to see what has happened because she always spoke about, if you have any way to put your money, you must put it in your education, or you must go travel. Those were things that she was very passionate about."

Her grandmother's words resonate with her even today: "She used to say, no one can take your education away from you. And when you travel, it's like buying something that you can't quantify. It's the experience, the diversity, learning how other people live, learning their mindset.

It doesn't matter whether you don't want to change your religion, but you must go learn what someone else might think about their particular religion, about their particular culture, about the way they live. People think differently, you know. And I think those types of learnings are really important in my life."