The KZN MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mike Mabuyakhulu has called on the financial services industry and other sectors to ensure that more women entrepreneurs are created.

He was speaking to delegates at a Women Economic Empowerment Conference at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.

The two day event which was co-sponsored by Ithala sought to come up with solutions to challenges which hindered women from participating meaningfully in business.

Mabuyakhulu said although women were making inroads into the economy, a lot more needed to be done to overcome challenges hampering their development.

"It should be our mission to create women entrepreneurs that can hold their own in any global market.

This means that we must invest the necessary resources and make sacrifices to ensure that this becomes a reality,” he said.

In her address at the conference, the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana said one of government’s focus areas was the provision of agricultural support programmes for women.

“For rural women in particular, the key issue is access to land for women to engage in development initiatives…this includes provision of developmental finance, access to market and skills development,” said Xingwana.