WOESA was officially launched at the International Conference Centre in Durban on the 9th March 2002. The Ministers in the Department of Minerals and Energy have all supported WOESA as part of their areas of focus. The establishment of the new department of Energy presents greater opportunity for WOESA mandate to expand to include all forms of energy and to reach a broader community of women entrepreneurs. WOESA's aim is to facilitate and promote business opportunities for and enhance the participation of South African women in the oil and energy sector. Black women in South Africa have either been at the lowest end of any form of business opportunity, or totally excluded. It therefore is imperative for women to focus cohesively on addressing their unique position in order to address these facts. WOESA’s first priority is to facilitate women’s participation in business opportunities in the oil, gas and other energy sector in South Africa. WOESA offers services to its member companies, organisations and individuals, that focus on developing a knowledge base and building capacity amongst women through education and training. We facilitate access to business opportunities; we do advocacy work for women by participating in drafting legislation and policies. WOESA further endeavours to facilitate access to funding for women. WOESA strives to be the leading organisation in facilitating the participation of women in business ventures in the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors