Women in Leadership

T ans o ma ion, UJ (Ed.)
Book
Women in Leade ship
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
UJ P ess, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g (UJ)
Sugges ed Ci a ion: T ans o ma ion, UJ (Ed.) (2024) : Women in Leade ship, ISBN 9781776489817, UJ
P ess, Johannesbu g,
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Women in Leade ship
UJ T ans o ma ion
Women in Leade ship
Published by UJ P ess unde he Hoopoe P ess imp in
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Lib a y
Auckland Pa k Kingsway Campus
PO Box 524
Auckland Pa k
2006
h ps://ujp ess.uj.ac.za/
Compila ion © UJ T ans o ma ion 2024
Chap e s © Au ho (s) 2024
Published Edi ion © UJ T ans o ma ion 2024
Fi s published 2024
h ps://doi.o g/10.36615/9781776489817
978-1-7764898-0-0 (Pape back)
978-1-7764898-1-7 (PDF)
978-1-7764898-2-4 (EPUB)
978-1-7764898-3-1 (XML)
Language Edi o : Yumna Moosa
Co e design: Hes e Roe s, UJ G aphic Design S udio
Typese in 9.5/13p Me iwea he Ligh
Con en s
Fo ewo d  ........................................................................................... i
Ms Nolwazi Mamo a e
Chie Financial O ice , Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
& Woman Leade
Wo d om P o . Sehaam Khan   .................................................. iii
Depu y Vice-Chancello : Academic
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
D S ella B uma  ............................................................................... 1
Di ec o : Applied In o ma ion Sys ems,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Amanda Dempsey  ................................................................ 11
Senio Di ec o : School o Accoun ing,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p   ................................................................ 17
Execu i e Di ec o : Lib a y and In o ma ion Cen e,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Yl a Rodny-Gumede  ........................................................... 29
Senio Di ec o : Global Engagemen ,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Ms Tokoza Kwinana  ....................................................................... 35
Execu i e Di ec o : Human Capi al Managemen ,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Wai Sze Leung ........................................................................ 47
Senio Di ec o : Pos g adua e School,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
D Ndi huwo Lu uli  ....................................................................... 53
Execu i e Di ec o : Resea ch De elopmen and Suppo ,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Ms Nomsa Mahlangu  ..................................................................... 63
Senio Di ec o : Spo s, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Associa e P o . Ki i Menon  ......................................................... 71
Senio Di ec o : Di ision o Teaching Excellence,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
D Nompumelelo Mkhize   ............................................................ 77
Di ec o : T ans o ma ion, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Kammila Naidoo  ................................................................... 89
Execu i e Dean: Facul y o Humani ies,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Nadine Pe e sen  .................................................................... 103
Execu i e Dean: Facul y o Educa ion,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Ms Le a o Riba  ................................................................................. 115
Execu i e Di ec o : Financial Go e nance and Con ol,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Ms Kha hu Sibanda  ........................................................................ 125
Chie In o ma ion O ice , Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
P o . Mmase hunya Temane   ...................................................... 137
Execu i e Dean: Heal h Sciences,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
D Denyse Webbs ock   ................................................................... 145
Senio Di ec o : Ins i u ional Planning E alua ion &
Moni o ing, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
3
D S ella B uma
mo e up he ladde , p e en ing hem om ecei ing guidance
and inspi a ion. One o such obs acles is gende bias and
s e eo ypes, which o en associa e leade ship wi h men.
Women who exhibi leade ship quali ies a e o en labelled
as oo agg essi e o bossy, while men who display he same
ai s a e iewed as s ong, cou ageous, and bold. This double
s anda d emains a big p oblem.
D B uma was appoin ed as he Di ec o o he School
o Consume In elligence and In o ma ion Sys ems and
du ing he in e iew, she made i clea ha she did no wan
o be seen as an equi y candida e o ha e he appoin men be
conside ed a me e exe cise in gende equali y. She s ongly
belie es ha employe s should no be ocused on mee ing
ce ain a i ma i e ac ion quo as when hi ing. Ins ead,
hey should p io i ise compe ence and skill when making
appoin men s. This app oach unde mines women’s abili ies
and makes people assume ha hey we e appoin ed because
o a i ma i e ac ion ins ead o based on hei quali ica ions
andexpe ience.
D B uma p aised D Mkhize, he di ec o o he
T ans o ma ion Uni , o he inspi ing leade ship ha has
led o he empowe men o many women leade s. Th ough D
Mkhize’s leade ship, he T ans o ma ion Uni has es ablished
a ious women leade ship p og ammes o nu u e and suppo
women leade s. These ini ia i es ha e made signi ican
p og ess in p omo ing gende equali y and equi y.
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing ha equi e hem
o s ill ocus on.
In D B uma’s iew, he ques ion o whe he leade s a e bo n
o made bough ou wo po en ial esponses. On one hand,
he e a e indi iduals who seem o be bo n wi h he bene icial
cha ac e is ics o leade ship such as con idence, in elligence,
and social skills. She has obse ed his in he young people she
has mo i a ed and inspi ed who possess such ai s. Howe e ,

4
Women in Leade ship
hese inna e ai s a e no exclusi e o any gende and do no
au oma ically make someone a good leade . She belie es ha
leade ship is also a skill ha can be de eloped and honed
o e ime h ough expe ience, educa ion, and men o ing. I is
c ucial o acknowledge ha many women ha e he po en ial o
be g ea leade s, despi e biological ac o s.
D B uma belie es ha women can become excep ional
leade s by acqui ing he necessa y skills and knowledge
h ough hei ca ee s and expe iences. An example o
his can be seen wi h emale leade s who o en juggle he
esponsibili ies o aising child en and hei ca ee s. This
enhances hei empa hy and in e pe sonal skills. Child ea ing
in ol es nu u ing and unde s anding he emo ional needs
o o he s, which can bene i a leade ’s abili ies. Addi ionally,
o e coming pe sonal and p o essional challenges associa ed
wi h being a woman and a ca egi e can also build esilience.
Issues such as disc imina ion, lack o suppo o amily
esponsibili ies, and limi ed access o men o ship and
ne wo king can impede he ise o emale leade s. None heless,
he e is a g owing awa eness o he impo ance o gende
di e si y in leade ship, and e o s a e being made o de elop
leade ship quali ies in women and men alike.
D B uma belie es ha men also ace unique challenges
and possess s eng hs ha come wi h hei pe sonal
ci cums ances. To add ess hese challenges and s eng hs
posi i ely, in es ing in leade ship de elopmen p og ams
and c ea ing suppo i e wo kplace policies is necessa y.
Policies e lec he cul u e o he wo kplace and demons a e
whe he wo k-li e balance and employee well-being a e
alued. Leade s a e in e es ed in esul s, bu hey mus also
ensu e ha emale leade s ha e he inna e ai s and e ined
li e expe iences ha will enable hem o succeed. Gi en he
addi ional oles ha women o en ha e, he pa h o leade ship
may be complex.
5
D S ella B uma
4. A e women leade s mo e agg essi e han male
leade s? Wha is you iew on he s a emen and
kindly unpack i ?
“The pe cep ion o women in leade ship oles as mo e
agg essi e han men is a pe asi e gende bias.” D S ella
men ioned. Acco ding o he , his no ion is a pe cep ion, and i
s ems om socie al s e eo ypes and expec a ions ha women
should ollow adi ional gende no ms. Women leade s o en
ace obs acles like “double-bind”, whe e hey a e c i icized
o con o ming o eminine s e eo ypes and labelled as
agg essi e. D B uma belie es ha his bias is no ue, and
i ’s a pe asi eagenda.
D B uma o en hea s ema ks abou being he i s
black emale o hold he posi ion o Head o Depa men .
She inds his s a emen insul ing and belie es ha i pu s
unnecessa y pe o mance p essu e on women. In 2024, such
s a emen s should no be discussed. Women s ill ace limi ed
oppo uni ies and ne wo king challenges due o he male-
domina ed cul u e in boa d ooms. D B uma was o una e o
ha e a emale leade , P o esso Roelien B ink when she s a ed
in academia. P o esso B ink demons a ed a good wo k-
li e balance, which made i easie o D B uma o pu sue he
ca ee in academia. She belie es o add ess hese challenges,
ins i u ions and companies should os e an inclusi e cul u e
and no jus pay lip se ice o he idea o a wo k-li e balance
They mus implemen good bias aining o ensu e ha
women a e gi en equal oppo uni ies o succeed.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk you ha e had o
ake in you leade ship jou ney and why?
D B uma accep ed an in i a ion o se e as a boa d membe
o SITA - he S a e In o ma ion Technology Agency o Sou h
A ica, which is a go e nmen en i y. She became he depu y
chai o he cen e boa d in Sou h A ica which p o ided he
wi h a unique oppo uni y o in luence policymaking and
con ibu e o he public good. D B uma is passiona e abou
making a posi i e change. She saw he ole as a chance o se e
6
Women in Leade ship
as a ole model o young people and women, demons a ing
ha i is possible o wo k wi h he go e nmen in a posi i e
way and make a meaning ul con ibu ion o socie y.
D B uma was conce ned abou se e al isks, such as
poli ical a ou i ism, co up ion, and public sc u iny. She
was wo ied ha e en i someone is hones and has s ong
alues, hey migh s ill become en angled in hese issues.
Wo k-li e balance was also a conside a ion, as D B uma did
no wan o se e on he boa d jus o ick a box and p o e
he quali ica ions.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
D B uma belie es ha leade s, especially women leade s,
mus con inuously empowe hemsel es o mee he
public’s sc u iny. Consis en leade ship equi es a blend o
sel -awa eness, adap abili y, and dedica ion o he cause.
Educa ion is a li elong pu sui o he , and she s ill eads o
da e. Though she doesn’ ha e a ecipe o g ow h, D B uma
sugges s sel -assessmen as a daily p ac ice and egula ly
akes s ock o he s eng hs and weaknesses while seeking
men o ship o guide he .
D B uma has ecen ly been conside ing using o mal
assessmen s o elec onic ools o iden i y a eas in which she
can imp o e. This is essen ial o li elong lea ning. She a ends
wo kshops, en ols in cou ses, and explo es he wo ld a ound
he o expand he knowledge and skills. She se s clea goals
o pe sonal and p o essional de elopmen and applies he
Speci ic Measu able Achie able Rele an and Time-bound
(SMART) goal-se ing amewo k. Cul i a ing emo ional
in elligence is a key aspec o he leade ship s yle, which helps
he na iga e in e pe sonal dynamics. She sees he sel and
o he s as spi i s, which enhances he awa eness, empa hy,
and ela ionship managemen skills.
D B uma belie es ha con inuous lea ning should
no be jus a box- icking exe cise. I ’s impo an o ha e a
suppo ne wo k o people who challenge you o g ow and
7
D S ella B uma
p o ide di e se pe spec i es. Di e si y shouldn’ be ea ed,
as i ’s help ul o ha e a obus suppo ne wo k consis ing o
colleagues, amily, iends, and men o s.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
D B uma main ains ha women leade s ace challenges
ha a e simila o hose aced by hei male coun e pa s.
While managing ime and esou ces e ec i ely is c ucial o
leade s, main aining a balance be ween one’s pe sonal and
p o essional li e can be challenging o women due o socie al
p essu es and expec a ions. Women ace gende biases and
a e o en judged based on hei abili y o balance wo k and li e
commi men s. D B uma belie es ha success ul leade ship is
cha ac e ized by capabili y, adap abili y, ision, and he abili y
o inspi e and mo i a e o he s ega dless o gende . Juggling
di e en asks and esponsibili ies is c i ical o leade s, and
women ha e his o ically been good a his. While men end o
excel a p io i izing delega ing and making s a egic decisions,
hey o en s uggle wi h main aining a wo k-li e balance and
being p esen o hei amilies and communi ies. Women,
on he o he hand, end o be success ul a juggling mul iple
esponsibili ies. D B uma is an example o a woman who
managed o aise wo child en, comple e he PhD, and excel
in he academic ca ee while also being p esen o he amily
and communi y.
8. I you could pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
D B uma eckons he code o p ac ice o women leade s
would s a wi h in eg i y. This means commi ing o he
highes s anda ds o p o essionalism and e hical conduc
while making decisions based on me i a he han emo ions.
Sel -awa eness helps in dis inguishing be ween he wo.
Equali y and ai ness a e also c ucial ac o s. The second poin
would be o emb ace di e si y and inclusion. I is essen ial o
wo k owa ds an inclusi e cul u e whe e e e y oice is hea d
8
Women in Leade ship
and espec ed. Exclusion is a pain ul expe ience ha no one
should go h ough in an o ganiza ion. I is he e o e impo an
o p omo e di e si y and inclusion wi hin depa men s
o o ganisa ions.
The hi d poin is o lead wi h con idence and humili y.
I is impo an o emain open o eedback and he possibili y
o lea ning om o he s while being con iden in one’s own
abili ies. A ogance can be a u n-o , especially when leading
a di e se g oup.
Las ly, i ’s impo an o ensu e wo k-li e balance.
Women leade s should suppo and de elop hei eam, gi e
hem esponsibili y, and us hei capabili ies.
9. Wa in ’ Aba azi, Wa in ’ Imbokodo and Mosadi
O shwa a Thipa Ka Bo galeng. These a e a ew
s a emen s ha ha e exis ed alluding o he
s eng h o a woman. Wha is you iew on hem?
These wo ds hold g ea powe o D B uma. The wo d
“bogaleng” means holding he kni e a he sha p end and
chopping on he o he side. D B uma in e p e s his as
esilience and empowe men . A capable woman demons a es
esilience, compassion, and adap abili y. A woman should be
able o main ain and suppo o he women while being isible
and ocal abou whe e hey s and. In ellec ual and emo ional
dep h is also impo an , pa icula ly when na iga ing complex
si ua ions and managing mul iple oles. Pe sis ence and sel -
de e mina ion a e he keys o achie ing goals.
Women can build a s ong suppo i e ne wo k and
b idge cul u al, gene a ional, and gende gaps while p omo e
collabo a ion among di e se g oups. Fo D B uma, hese a e
e y powe ul wo ds. In ellec ual and emo ional dep h will
allow one o na iga e complexi ies, bu pe sis ence and sel -
de e mina ion a e e iden in he pu sui o goals one wan s
oachie e.

9
D S ella B uma
10. Wha is ad ice you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
As D B uma s a ed he academic ca ee a a young age, she
wished she had been su ounded by men o s who could ha e
guided leade ship and ca ee p og ession. She does no eg e
s a ing as a u o and s uden in he depa men as i allowed
he o wo k he way up o becoming a lec u e , HOD, and a
di ec o . When i comes o leade ship, D B uma belie es ha
being au hen ic and b inging “Ubun u Ness” (humani y and
compassion) in o he boa d oom is essen ial. She ecalls going
back o he mo he ’s ad ice o be ue o he sel , ulne able,
and au hen ic. D B uma sugges s ha one should ix any hing
ha needs o be ixed wi hin onesel and b ing all he illage
ades lea ned along he way.
11
P o . Amanda Dempsey
Senio Di ec o : School o Accoun ing, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
P o esso Amanda Dempsey’s jou ney is a es amen o he
inspi ing and challenging pa h in o e coming gende - ela ed
esis ance and socie al no ms be o e becoming a P o esso
and Senio Di ec o a he Uni e si y o Johannesbu g’s School
o Accoun ing. He s o y showcases he pe se e ance and
de e mina ion equi ed o b eak h ough ba ie s. This s a ed
wi h he childhood d eam o a ending a uni e si y away
omhome.
Financial cons ain s had no de e ed he om
pu suing he s udies a he Rand A ikaans Uni e si y (RAU),
now pa o UJ. Du ing he a icles p og am, she had exp essed
he aspi a ion o wo k in he Depa men o Accoun ing a
RAU and demons a ed he commi men o he chosen ield.
Despi e encoun e ing gende - ela ed esis ance om he
new Head o he Depa men , she pe se e ed and e en ually
ecei ed an in i a ion o apply o a posi ion, b eaking gende
ba ie s in he Accoun ing Depa men .
The i ony o being excluded
om RAU’s pension und due
o he ma i al s a us, which
es ic ed pa icipa ion o ma ied
women, added ano he laye o
he jou ney. Today, as he chai
o he UJ pension und, she no
only showcases he p o essional
success bu also he abili y o
o e come pe sonal challenges.
P o esso Amanda’s s o y se es
as an inspi a ion and emphasises
he impo ance o pe sis ence,
12
Women in Leade ship
esilience, and b eaking socie al no ms o achie e one’s goals.
I also showcases he signi icance o di e si y and inclusion in
academic and p o essional se ings.
1. Ea ly Messages and Inspi a ions
P o esso Amanda Dempsey’s jou ney ook an unexpec ed
u n when he a he encou aged he o become a eache ,
conside ing i a sui able p o ession o a woman. A ending
Helpmekaa Gi ls School in Johannesbu g, he only A ikaans-
medium gi ls’ school, played a c ucial ole in shaping he
pe spec i e. Reconnec ing wi h o me classma es h ough
a Wha sApp g oup, she ealised he s eng h ha came om
an all-gi ls school en i onmen which allowed he and he
iends o h i e wi hou in imida ion.
Becoming a eache ul illed he a he ’s wishes and
aligned wi h he jou ney in o academia, pa icula ly in he
Accoun ing Depa men . Achie ing he d eam o becoming
a cha e ed accoun an while being in ol ed in eaching,
lea ning, and esea ch a a e ia y le el ep esen ed a
ha monious blend o he aspi a ions. P o esso Amanda’s
con en men wi h achie ing hese goals a a uni e si y le el
unde sco es he impo ance she places on educa ion, bo h as a
eache and a esea che .
3. Gla ing Obs acles Women Face in Leade ship
P o esso Amanda Dempsey candidly add esses he
signi ican challenge she aced du ing he 11-yea enu e
as Dean – he issue o ime. Socie al expec a ions assumed
ha , as a woman, she would bea he ull esponsibili y o
household managemen and childca e despi e he demanding
p o essional ole. T adi ional gende oles we e s ill p e alen
du ing he ime as Dean, bu he bu den was somewha
alle ia ed as he child en we e eaching adul hood when she
assumed he posi ion.
He exposu e o oppo uni ies du ing he i s 20 yea s
a he Uni e si y o Johannesbu g, coupled wi h suppo om
19
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p
e e yone’s oice, dis ibu e asks e ec i ely, and
main ain cohesion h oughou he p ojec unde sco ed he
o ganiza ional skills. Such expe iences honed he capabili y o
lead wi hou o mal au ho i y o he abili y o o e inancial
incen i es, an in aluable skill in se ings whe e powe and
mone a y ewa ds a e absen .
He jou ney in o leade ship also in e wined wi h
he commi men o he Ch is ian communi y, leading he
o become a p ies . In his ole she lea ned o mo i a e
olun ee s wi hin cong ega ions, emphasizing he
impo ance o encou aging o he s wi hou he le e age o
au ho i y o inancial compensa ion. Despi e he na u al
leade ship inclina ion, she aced challenges oo ed in socie al
expec a ions. Coming om a amily and cul u al backg ound
whe e women we e no adi ionally encou aged o assume
leade ship oles, she encoun e ed esis ance, pa icula ly
conce ning he pu sui o a Ph.D. He g andpa en s,
adhe ing o adi ional gende no ms, we e dismayed by he
unma ied s a us in he la e 20s, ques ioning he alue o he
academicpu sui s.
Na iga ing a school en i onmen ha p o ided
limi ed ca ee guidance o women in he 1980s, she ound
inspi a ion om wo suppo i e male lec u e s du ing
he s udies. Lamen ing he absence o s ong emale ole
models, she esol ed o lead in ways she deemed supe io o
wha she had obse ed. He leade ship jou ney is he e o e
no only a es amen o he na u al abili ies bu also a
na a i e o o e coming socie al expec a ions, os e ing
collabo a ion, and shaping he leade ship s yle in he absence
o con en ionalmodels.
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles o women
o ake up leade ship posi ions in he 21s Cen u y?
In e lec ing on he challenges women ace in hei
p o essional jou neys, P o Ma ia highligh ed a signi ican
obs acle which is childca e esponsibili ies. D awing a en ion
o he unequal dis ibu ion o childca e wo k wi hin he

20
Women in Leade ship
b oade social ci cle. She no es ha women, pa icula ly
hose in leade ship posi ions, o en g apple wi h he balance
be ween ca ee demands and he demands o mo he hood.
D awing on Malcolm Gladwell’s insigh s om “Ou lie s,”
she emphasizes he essen ial ole o in es ing ime o achie e
excellence, a luxu y ha women, in con as o men, may ind
challenging due o socie al expec a ions.
Obse ing appoin men s o senio di ec o posi ions
wi hin he Uni e si y o Johannesbu g, she no es a pa e n
whe e many women in execu i e leade ship, including he sel ,
a e hose women who a e wi hou child en and a e mos ly
unma ied. While acknowledging he alidi y o indi idual
choices, she unde sco es he di icul ies aced by mo he s
in dedica ing he necessa y ime and ocus o hei ca ee s,
essen ial o e ec i e leade ship.
P o Ma ia poin s ou ha he demanding na u e o
managemen posi ions, whe e long hou s a e expec ed, poses
a challenge globally.
The discou se ex ends o a compa ison wi h p e ious
gene a ions, ci ing he g and a he ’s wo k ou ine, which was
7 am o 4pm, which con as s sha ply wi h he cu en end o
ex ended wo king hou s. He amily’s con e sa ion highligh s
a collec i e ealiza ion ha he elen less pu sui o wo k
has become a de ining cha ac e is ic o he con empo a y
p o essional landscape, impac ing indi iduals globally. In
essence, P o Ma ia add esses he mul i ace ed challenges
women encoun e in balancing ca ee aspi a ions wi h amilial
esponsibili ies, shedding ligh on he b oade implica ions
o an inc easingly demanding wo k cul u e ha a ec s
indi iduals ac oss di e en pa s o he wo ld.
21
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and child ea ing
ha s ill equi e hem o ocus on.
P o Ma ia o e s a nuanced pe spec i e on he na u e o emale
leade ship, challenging he dicho omy o whe he leade s a e
bo n o made. While acknowledging ha some indi iduals
may possess an inhe en disposi ion o leade ship, she
con ends ha he majo i y o people in leade ship posi ions
acqui e hei skills h ough educa ion, coaching, and lea ning.
The emphasis is on he belie ha e ec i e leade ship is a
cul i a ed ai , and indi iduals, ega dless o gende , need
guidance o excel in hese oles.
She del es in o he socie al dynamics ha hinde he
de elopmen o emale leade s, poin ing ou he challenges
posed by socie al s uc u es ha make i di icul o women
o assume execu i e leade ship posi ions. P o Ma ia
unde sco es he impac o ime cons ain s, especially in oles
ha demand ex ensi e hou s, on he eme gence o emale
leade s. She ques ions why, despi e he o ic and suppo
o women in middle managemen , he ep esen a ion o
women in boa d ooms and execu i e posi ions emains
disp opo iona ely low.
The discussion ouches on he con lic ing p io i ies aced
by women, whe e he demands o execu i e oles o en clash
wi h he desi e o alloca e ime o amily esponsibili ies.
P o Ma ia sugges s ha he choice o p io i ize amily
o e pu suing execu i e oles is a ac o con ibu ing o he
unde ep esen a ion o women a highe leade ship le els.
She acknowledges he excep ional women who can balance
ex ensi e wo k hou s and amily commi men s bu highligh s
ha such a ea is no easible o he majo i y.
In essence, P o Ma ia ad oca es o a mo e
comp ehensi e unde s anding o leade ship de elopmen ,
emphasizing he need o suppo i e s uc u es ha add ess
he ime cons ain s and socie al ba ie s p e en ing mo e
women om ascending o execu i e leade ship posi ions.
22
Women in Leade ship
4. “Female leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s”, Wha is you iew on he s a emen ?
P o Ma ia challenges he no ion ha leade ship ai s
a e inhe en ly gende -speci ic, asse ing ha ce ain
en i onmen s end o a ou indi iduals wi h asse i e
quali ies o leade ship posi ions. Dispu ing s e eo ypes
abou gende oles, she con ends ha bo h men and women
can excel in men o ing and de eloping o he s. Howe e , she
obse es ha socie al challenges aced by women can lead
hem o adop mo e asse i e beha iou s in esponse o he
di icul ies hey encoun e .
An icipa ing a shi in socie al no ms o he nex
gene a ion, she sugges ed ha aising boys migh be
mo e challenging han aising gi ls a p esen . She sha es
he pe sonal expe ience, being 6 ee all and con iden ,
highligh ing he con idence ad an age men adi ionally
enjoyed. Re lec ing on he dyslexia and public speaking
skills, she acknowledges ha con idence plays a c ucial ole
in leade ship, bu she cau ions agains mis aking agg ession
o con idence.
P o Ma ia emphasizes ha e ec i e leade ship is no
abou knowing e e y hing o being he mos liked bu a he
enabling o he s o unlock hei po en ial. She c i iques he
socie al alue placed on agg ession, iewing i as a sign o
insecu i y a he han con idence. She ad oca es o leade s
who a e sel -awa e, unde s and hei limi a ions, and
p io i ize collabo a ion.
Na iga ing he complexi ies o leade ship, P o Ma ia
acknowledges he challenge o making decisions ha no
e e yone may comp ehend due o con iden iali y o s a egic
o esigh . She s esses he impo ance o communica ion,
aluing di e se oices, and making e e yone eel hea d o
a oid eso ing o agg essi e leade ship s yles.
In he con ex o an academic en i onmen wi h limi ed
esou ces, she an icipa es a ise in e i o ial and esou ce-
ela ed agg essi eness. She calls o a shi in he p e ailing
23
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p
agg essi e app oach, u ging o collabo a i e ways o sha e
esou ces o he g ea e good. P o Ma ia challenges he
p e ailing mindse ha p aises agg ession, p oposing a mo e
inclusi e and collabo a i e app oach o decision-making
inmee ings.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk you ha e had o
ake in you leade ship jou ney and why?
P o Ma ia sha es insigh s in o he leade ship expe iences
and emphasizes he inhe en isks associa ed wi h emb acing
echnology and implemen ing inno a i e app oaches in
a ious educa ional se ings. She ecoun ed ins ances o aking
isks bo h a Gus in College, wi hin he Facul y o Humani ies,
and now in he lib a y.
In he ealm o educa ion, P o Ma ia ook he isk o
ee alua ing adi ional eaching me hods in eligion s udies.
Ins ead o solely elying on essays, she in oduced a no el
app oach by ha ing s uden s c ea e wo-minu e ideos o
explain di e en concep s. This inno a i e me hod no only
equi ed s uden s o de elop ideo-making skills bu also
encou aged pee - o-pee eaching. P o Ma ia unde sco es he
isk in ol ed in us ing s uden s o ake owne ship o hei
lea ning, acknowledging he unp edic able ou comes ha can
a ise. Despi e he unce ain y she emphasizes he impo ance
o us in he lea ning p ocess.
T ansi ioning o he UJ lib a y, P o Ma ia desc ibes a
my iad o echnologies and changes implemen ed in ol ing
a shi in job oles o ensu e u u e eadiness. This s a egic
mo e, al hough isky, aimed a making he lib a y ope a e
di e en ly om adi ional models o lib a ies in Sou h A ica.
P o Ma ia exp esses g a i ude o colleagues who emb aced
he ision and highligh ed he collec i e e o in na iga ing
his ans o ma i e jou ney.
The posi i e ou come o hese isks is highligh ed by he
lib a y’s abili y o a oid layo s, a end seen in many academic
lib a ies globally. P o Ma ia emphasized he impo ance o
aligning jobs wi h u u e needs and os e ing a cul u e whe e
24
Women in Leade ship
indi iduals a e encou aged o e ol e and mo e in di e en
di ec ions. By epu posing posi ions and ensu ing ha e e y
job is deemed c i ical, he lib a y has success ully adap ed o
change wi hou comp omising job secu i y.
P o Ma ia ad oca es o aking calcula ed isks in
educa ional and o ganiza ional se ings while us ing
he po en ial o indi iduals o adap and inno a e. Thei
expe iences showcase he success ul implemen a ion o
ans o ma i e measu es, esul ing in a u u e- eady lib a y
and a wo k o ce ha emains essen ial and secu e.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
P o Ma ia unde sco es he impo ance o con inuous
lea ning and sel - e lec ion in he ealm o leade ship. She
ad oca es o a mul i ace ed app oach ha in ol es eading
ex ensi ely on leade ship, consuming a ious media o ma s
such as ideos, a ending con e ences, and ac i ely engaging
in con e sa ions wi h o he s. This commi men o ongoing
educa ion is seen as ins umen al in honing leade ship skills.
She also places a pa icula emphasis on he signi icance
o e lec ion, del ing in o he easons behind bo h successes
and ailu es, unde s anding why ce ain app oaches wo k o
some indi iduals bu no o o he s, and comp ehending he
a ied eac ions o people in di e en si ua ions. The ac o
e lec ion is p esen ed as a key p ac ice o gain insigh s in o
he dynamics o leade ship and in e pe sonal ela ionships.
Addi ionally, P o Ma ia highligh s he impo ance o
g ounding onesel in pe sonal iden i y o a oid eac ing solely
om a place o ego. This in ol es cul i a ing sel -awa eness
and main aining hones y wi h onesel . By being a uned
o one’s co e alues and p inciples, leade s can na iga e
challenges and in e ac ions wi h a mo e g ounded and
au hen ic pe spec i e.
In essence, P o Ma ia app oach o e ec i e leade ship
in ol es a con inuous cycle o lea ning, e lec ion, and

25
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p
sel -awa eness. This mul i ace ed s a egy is p esen ed as
essen ial o s aying adap able, unde s anding he nuances
o leade ship dynamics, and os e ing genuine and e ec i e
connec ions wi h o he s.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
Fo P o Ma ia, e ec i e leade ship in ol es c ea i i y,
o wa d-looking ision, and a p oblem-sol ing mindse .
Juggling di e en oles and esponsibili ies equi es he
abili y o add ess challenges and p e en po en ial issues om
de ailing p og ess. The analogy o juggling di e en balls is
used o illus a e he need o leade s o main ain balance and
p oblem-sol e, ensu ing ha no hing c ucial alls h ough
hec acks.
P o Ma ia emphasizes he ole as a leade in emo ing
oadblocks o he colleagues, acili a ing hei abili y o ul il
he esponsibili ies. This, in u n, in ol es cons an p oblem-
sol ing and he managemen o a ious expec a ions—bo h
in e nal and ex e nal. P o Ma ia acknowledges ha juggling
hese expec a ions while main aining a ealis ic amewo k is
a c i ical aspec o e ec i e leade ship.
In essence, “juggling a ew balls” o P o Ma ia
encompasses he dynamic and mul i ace ed na u e o
leade ship, whe e p oblem-sol ing, balancing esponsibili ies,
and managing expec a ions a e key componen s o na iga ing
he complexi ies inhe en in leade ship oles.
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
P o Ma ia discusses he cha ac e is ics she belie es a e
essen ial in a leade ship code o conduc , emphasizing
ha hese quali ies a e no speci ic o any gende bu a e
uni e sally applicable o anyone in a leade ship ole. They
highligh he ollowing key a ibu es:
26
Women in Leade ship
•Lis ening and Re lec ion: The candida e unde sco es
he impo ance o ac i ely lis ening and e lec ing wi h
hones y as c ucial elemen s o e ec i e leade ship.
•Good Communica ion: Clea and e ec i e communica ion
is iden i ied as a undamen al aspec o a leade ship code
o conduc .
•Agili y: The candida e emphasizes he need o leade s
o be agile, adap able, and esponsi e o changing
ci cums ances.
•E hical Beha iou : The signi icance o e hical beha iou
is highligh ed, wi h an emphasis on leade s holding
hemsel es o he same e hical s anda ds expec ed
omo he s.
•G ounding Onesel : Leade s a e encou aged o ind ways
o g ound hemsel es, os e ing con idence based on
eali y and u h a he han ego-d i en con idence.
•Fo wa d-Looking Vision: Ha ing a o wa d-looking
ision and cla i y abou he u u e is iden i ied as an
essen ial ai o e ec i e leade ship.
•Decision-Making and Di ec ion: The candida e s esses
he impo ance o making decisions and p o iding clea
di ec ion o he eam o p e en agmen a ion.
•C ea i i y and Tole ance o Failu e: The code o conduc
p omo es c ea i i y and acknowledges he ine i abili y o
ailu e in he c ea i e p ocess. Leade s a e u ged o allow
indi iduals o ail, emphasizing he impo ance o lea ning
and mo ing o wa d.
•Symbolic Ges u e: The candida e sha es a symbolic
ges u e om P o Ma ia, who p o ided execu i e leade s
wi h pens ea u ing e ase s, symbolizing he idea ha
mis akes a e na u al and co ec able. This ges u e
encou ages a cul u e o expe imen a ion and lea ning
om ailu es.
In summa y, P o Ma ia en isions a leade ship code o conduc
ha encompasses a holis ic se o p inciples p omo ing
e hical beha iou , e ec i e communica ion, adap abili y,
c ea i i y, and a o wa d-looking ision, wi h an emphasis on
27
P o . Ma ia F ahm-A p
lea ning om ailu es and os e ing a posi i e and inno a i e
wo kcul u e.
9. “Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo” “Mosadi
o shwa a hipa ka bo galeng”, hese a e bu a
ew s a emen s ha ha e exis ed, alluding o he
s eng h o a woman, wha is you iew on hem?
P o Ma ia exp essed ese a ions abou s a emen s
celeb a ing he s eng h o women, cau ioning agains
using such s a emen s o o e look socie al demands. While
acknowledging he his o ical con ex o women’s s eng h,
pa icula ly in he Sou h A ican mig an wo king sys em,
she aised conce ns abou he unin ended consequences on
amilys uc u es.
The celeb a ion o women’s s eng h, acco ding o P o
Ma ia, migh inad e en ly unde mine he amily uni , no
limi ed o he nuclea amily bu encompassing di e se amily
s uc u es ha once unc ioned e ec i ely. She ques ioned
he socie al expec a ions ha ha e placed a disp opo iona e
bu den on women o be s ong, especially in aising
child enalone.
P o Ma ia exp essed discom o wi h he idea ha
celeb a ing women’s s eng h migh le men o he hook,
leading o a lack o accoun abili y o men in suppo ing hei
amilies. She posed c i ical ques ions abou he p e alence
o gende -based iolence, jux aposing he acknowledgmen
o women’s s eng h wi h he oubling eali y o abuse
agains  hem.
The conce n oiced by P o Ma ia e ol es a ound he
po en ial misuse o s a emen s abou women’s s eng h as
jus i ica ions o men no adequa ely suppo ing women in
socie y. She called o a b oade celeb a ion o bo h men and
women showing up o hei amilies and each o he and
emphasized he need o sha ed esponsibili ies wi hou
elying on gende ed expec a ions.
28
Women in Leade ship
In summa y, P o Ma ia’s pe spec i e challenges he
con en ional celeb a ion o women’s s eng h, p omp ing
a deepe examina ion o socie al dynamics and he need o
sha ed esponsibili ies wi hin amilies, i espec i e o gende .
10. Wha ad ice you wish someone had gi en you a
he beginning o you ca ee and why?
P o Ma ia exp esses a wish o ha ing had a good men o
h oughou he ca ee , someone who could ha e p o ided
guidance on whe e o ocus hei ene gy, wha o p io i ize,
and wha a eas o a oid. Despi e he exis ence o leade ship
p og ams a UJ, he candida e no es ha he pe sonal
expe ience wi h such p og ams was no pa icula ly help ul,
and he did no ecei e any o mal men o ing du ing he
jou ney a UJ.
Re lec ing on hei own pa h a UJ, P o Ma ia desc ibes a
jou ney o s epping ou independen ly, being c ea i e, making
hings happen, and lea ning on he job. She highligh s he
lack o men o ship, suppo , o encou agemen h oughou
hisp ocess.
This pe sonal expe ience has uelled P o Ma ia’s
passion o men o ing younge academics. She emphasizes
he po en ial impac o ha ing good men o s who can
p o ide guidance on s a egic ocus, na iga ing he academic
landscape, and making in o med decisions. P o Ma ia
unde sco es he impo ance o basic guidance, such as
ocusing on a cohe en esea ch a ea o op imal impac and
unde s anding he nuances o he academic sys em.
In essence, P o Ma ia’s pe spec i e unde sco es he
alue o men o ing in p o iding c ucial guidance, suppo , and
p ac ical ad ice ha can signi ican ly impac an indi idual’s
academic and p o essional jou ney.
35
Ms Tokoza Kwinana
Execu i e Di ec o : Human Capi al Managemen ,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
Ms Tokoza Kwinana, a na i e o Du ywa in he Eas e n Cape,
began he academic jou ney a he Uni e si y o Wes e n Cape,
whe e she pu sued a Bachelo o Adminis a ion. Following
he unde g adua e s udies, she mo ed o Johannesbu g
o unde ake he pos g adua e s udies a he Uni e si y o
Wi wa e s and. La e , she joined RAU o he BCom honou s in
employmen ela ions. In 1998, Ms Kwinana emba ked on he
p o essional ca ee as a ainee in he mining indus y whe e
she gained aluable expe ience in a ious oles o e a span o
ou yea s. Subsequen ly, she ansi ioned o he B i ish High
Commission in P e o ia and assumed he ole o HR manage .
She was esponsible o he Sou h A ican egion, and pa s
o Leso ho.
In 2009, Ms Kwinana joined he Uni e si y o
Johannesbu g as he Di ec o o Business Pa ne ing and held
he posi ion un il 2019. Following his, she was appoin ed as
he Execu i e Di ec o o Human
Capi al Managemen .
Apa om he p o essional
endea ou s, Ms Kwinana, a
de o ed wi e and mo he o h ee,
emphasizes he impo ance o
ai h in he li e. She belie es in he
powe o p aye and unde sco es
he need o seek suppo du ing
challenges. He philosophy cen es
a ound main aining a heal hy
mind and hea , and she ecognizes
he in e connec edness o he wo.

36
Women in Leade ship
Ms Kwinana acknowledges he complexi ies o dealing
wi h people in he HR oles. Despi e he p e alence o policies
and p ocesses, she emphasizes he signi icance o ace- o- ace
in e ac ions. Acco ding o he , hese pe sonal connec ions a e
essen ial as hey allow one o ha e a deepe unde s anding o
indi iduals, beyond he o mali ies o policies and p ocedu es.
Re lec ing on he jou ney, Ms Kwinana ad ises o he s o
o e come challenges p omp ly, sa egua ding one’s hea and
mind. She emphasizes he alue o connec ing wi h people on
an indi idual le el while ecognizing he unique and di e se
na u e o each pe son.
1. Wha a e he ea ly messages ha you we e hea ing
abou he gi l child? Messages ha came om
people you look up o and messages ha ended up
inspi ing you in you leade ship jou ney.
Re lec ing on he upb inging and li e expe iences, she sha es
aluable insigh s ha ha e in luenced he pe sonal and
p o essional jou ney. G owing up in a u al a ea, Ms Kwinana
encoun e ed messages ha ein o ced gende s e eo ypes
wi h socie al expec a ions dic a ing ha ce ain ields we e
ese ed o men. Despi e hese challenges, she emb aced a
mindse o de e mina ion and esilience, aspi ing o succeed
in he chosen pa h. These ea ly messages only uelled he
de e mina ion o b eak h ough gende s e eo ypes.
Messages om Ms Kwinana’s mo he played a pi o al
ole in shaping he alues. Key lessons such as ‘do no ush
o ha e child en’ and ‘educa ion is impo an ’ unde sco ed
he impo ance o pa ience and academic pu sui s. Ms
Kwinana acknowledges he impac o being su ounded by
s ong women, pa icula ly he g andmo he s, who played
a signi ican ole in he upb inging. Raised in a communi y
whe e mu ual suppo was ing ained in all, she lea ned he
impo ance o li ing o he s as one ises. This communi y
spi i ins illed in he he belie ha success is no an indi idual
endea ou bu a collec i e achie emen .
37
Ms Tokoza Kwinana
Quo ing Maya Angelou, Ms Kwinana emphasizes
he powe o pe sonal agency in shaping one’s des iny.
The message ha “you may no con ol all he e en s ha
happened o you, bu you can decide no o be educed by
hem” esona es deeply wi h he . This philosophy guides
he esponse o challenges, ein o cing he commi men o
o e coming ad e si y.
Rejec ing he no ion ha ce ain oles a e exclusi e
o a pa icula gende , Ms Kwinana sha es he childhood
expe iences whe e she engaged in ac i i ies adi ionally
associa ed wi h boys. In he g andmo he ’s house,
esponsibili ies we e no gende -speci ic, os e ing a belie
in he capabili y o women o un households independen ly.
Ms Kwinana lea ned he impo ance o sel - eliance and
esou ce ulness om he g andmo he . The idea ha one
does no always ha e o depend on o he s bu can o ge hei
own pa h and seek help when needed has become a guiding
p inciple in he li e.
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles o women
o ake on leade ship posi ions in he 21s cen u y?
Ms Tokoza Kwinana sheds ligh on pe sis ing gende
s e eo ypes and biases ha con inue o impac women in
a ious p o essional sec o s. Ms Kwinana unde sco es he
linge ing bias ha ques ions women’s abili y o ap in o
hei in ellec ual capaci y. She no es he p e alen belie ha
women may be pe cei ed as less compe en and less asse i e
in hei p o essional oles, acing scep icism abou hei
capabili ies compa ed o hei male coun e pa s.
A no able s e eo ype, acco ding o Ms Kwinana, is
he belie ha women a e p ima ily esponsible o amily
ca e, po en ially hinde ing hei p o essional g ow h. This
pe cep ion con ibu es o unde ep esen a ion in leade ship
posi ions and can esul in gende pay gaps. Ms Kwinana
highligh s he exis ing unde ep esen a ion o women in
leade ship oles ac oss a ious sec o s. Addi ionally, she
poin s ou he challenges women ace in men o ship, as some
38
Women in Leade ship
male leade s shy away om men o ing women due o conce ns
abou po en ial ha assmen issues. She emphasizes ha his
hampe s he p og ess owa ds achie ing gende di e si y.
Add essing he s e eo ype o women being iewed as
emo ional, Ms Kwinana challenges he nega i e conno a ion
associa ed wi h his pe cep ion. She a gues ha leading wi h
emo ions is a s eng h and an aspec o au hen ic leade ship:
i is an essen ial quali y ha emale leade s can b ing o he
able, enhancing hei e ec i eness in leade ship oles.
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing.
Ms Tokoza Kwinana’s pe spec i e on leade ship is oo ed
in he belie ha leade s a e inhe en ly bo n wi h ce ain
quali ies. Acco ding o he , hese inna e ai s o m he
ounda ion o leade ship po en ial. She emphasizes ha he
ealiza ion o leade ship abili ies is a con inuous p ocess ha
in ol es exposu e and expe ience. Ms Kwinana con ends ha
leade ship quali ies a e no acqui ed h ough o mal educa ion
bu a e inhe en ai s. She belie es ha indi iduals a e bo n
wi h he po en ial and abili y o lead, and hese quali ies se e
as he g oundwo k o e ec i e leade ship.
While acknowledging he inna e na u e o leade ship, Ms
Kwinana s esses he impo ance o con inuous de elopmen .
Exposu e o a ious expe iences and lea ning oppo uni ies
is c ucial in ha nessing and e ining hese inna e leade ship
quali ies. Indi iduals need o imme se hemsel es in si ua ions
ha allow hem o unde s and key s a egies, heo ies, and
e ec i e leade ship p ac ices.
Ms Kwinana illus a es he pe spec i e wi h he example
o he g andmo he , who assumed a leade ship ole wi hou
o mal educa ion in he ield. He g andmo he ’s leade ship
ai s we e inhe en , and she de eloped hem o e ime by
na iga ing h ough a ious challenges and expe iences. This
39
Ms Tokoza Kwinana
highligh ed he no ion ha leade ship is no con ined o
o mal educa ion bu in ol es a con inuous lea ning jou ney.
Fo Ms Kwinana, leade ship de elopmen is a
g adual and ongoing p ocess. I in ol es ecognizing and
unde s anding he inna e quali ies wi hin onesel and hen
ac i ely seeking oppo uni ies o enhance and apply hese
ai s. I is no a quick p ocess bu a he a jou ney o sel -
disco e y and e inemen .
4. Women leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ? Kindly
unpack i .
Ms Tokoza p o ides a nuanced pe spec i e on he pe cep ions
o women in leade ship oles, challenging he s e eo ype ha
labels asse i eness as agg ession. He insigh s unde sco e
he complexi ies women ace in asse ing hemsel es wi hin
p o essional con ex s. Ms Kwinana ejec s he no ion ha
women leade s a e inhe en ly agg essi e, coun e ing he
s e eo ype wi h he belie ha women possess empa hy and
compassion. She emphasizes ha while mos women leade s
embody hese quali ies, he e a e ins ances whe e some adop
a colde and mo e dic a o ial app oach.
Acco ding o Ms Kwinana, when women exhibi
asse i eness, i is o en misin e p e ed as agg ession. She
highligh s he challenge women ace in na iga ing socie al
expec a ions, whe e hey may be expec ed o ake a backsea ,
leading o issues o inequali y and gende bias.
Ms Kwinana challenges he con en ional expec a ion
ha women should emain passi e in leade ship oles. She
con ends ha women s anding up o hemsel es should
no be pe cei ed as agg ession bu a he as a legi ima e
asse ion o hei igh s and capabili ies. This challenge o
adi ional gende oles can, a imes, lead o su p ises and
misconcep ions. Despi e he s e eo ype, Ms Kwinana asse s
ha women leade s can be bo h empa he ic and asse i e. She
belie es ha women b ing empa hy o hei leade ship oles
40
Women in Leade ship
bu may need o asse hemsel es o claim wha is igh ully
hei s o when ad oca ing o hei posi ion a he able.
Ms Kwinana sugges s ha e en in cases whe e
women leade s may adop a dic a o ial app oach, a deepe
examina ion may e eal ha hei beha iou is o en a
esponse o speci ic ci cums ances. These leade s may be
s i ing o change, pushing a pa icula agenda, o adap ing
o a si ua ion ha equi es a di e en app oach.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk ha you ha e had
o ake in you leade ship jou ney and why?
Ms Tokoza Kwinana p o ides a unique pe spec i e on alen
e alua ion wi hin he human esou ces domain, emphasizing
he alue o aking calcula ed isks in ec ui men . He
insigh s challenge con en ional expec a ions and highligh
he po en ial o success in indi iduals who may no ini ially
expec edly p esen hemsel es. She iden i ies a common
challenge in he ec ui men p ocess, pa icula ly in human
esou ces. She also no es ha indi iduals who may no ini ially
appea o possess “polished communica ion skills” expec ed
o a ole a e some imes su p ised by excelling once appoin ed.
Exp essing a willingness o ake calcula ed isks, Ms
Kwinana sees he ec ui men o candida es who may no
showcase hei skills e ec i ely du ing in e iews as an
oppo uni y. Despi e he ini ial p esen a ion, she belie es
in he po en ial o hese indi iduals o excel and con ibu e
signi ican ly once hey a e gi en he chance. Ms Kwinana
challenges he no ion ha a icula e communica o s always
ansla e in o success ul employees. She obse es ha some
candida es, despi e p esen ing hemsel es well e bally,
may al e when allowed o demons a e hei ac ual
capabili ies. This highligh s he impo ance o looking beyond
su aceimp essions.
Ms Kwinana acknowledges ha aking a chance on
indi iduals who may no i he adi ional mould can be
pe cei ed as isky. Howe e , she i mly belie es ha , mo e
o en han no , hese isks a e jus i ied, as he appoin ed

41
Ms Tokoza Kwinana
indi iduals end o exceed expec a ions and pe o m
excep ionally well in hei oles.
In he iew, he p ocess o aking chances on indi iduals
whose skills may no be immedia ely appa en is a s a egic
mo e ha pays o in he long un. Ms Kwinana emphasizes
ha he po en ial o success in uncon en ional candida es
ou weighs he pe cei ed isks associa ed wi h de ia ing om
adi ional ec ui men no ms.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
Ms Tokoza Kwinana unde sco es he signi icance o
con inuous lea ning, p o essional de elopmen , and he
in e connec edness o pe sonal well-being in he app oach
o he ield. He commi men o s aying in o med, emb acing
change, and os e ing he g ow h o o he s highligh s he
dedica ion o posi i e in luence wi hin he wo kplace. She
places g ea impo ance on s aying cu en in he ield,
u ilizing he accessibili y o social media and ac i ely
pa icipa ing in semina s and wo kshops. This commi men
allows he o emain in o med abou indus y ends, os e ing
an en i onmen whe e lea ning, elea ning, and unlea ning
become essen ial componen s o p o essional g ow h.
Fo Ms Kwinana, con inuous lea ning is no jus a
pe sonal endea ou ; i is a powe ul ool o posi i e in luence
wi hin he wo kplace. She ecognizes ha he abili y o adap
and e ol e posi i ely impac s he in luence, con ibu ing o a
dynamic and o wa d- hinking wo k en i onmen .
Ms Kwinana emphasizes he holis ic app oach o
main aining bo h physical and spi i ual well-being. She
asse s ha he connec ion be ween he mind and hea
is c ucial, as i di ec ly in luences he quali y o wo k and
in e ac ions wi h o he s. This holis ic pe spec i e aligns
wi h he belie ha pe sonal well-being is in ica ely ied o
p o essional success. A sense o p ide in one’s wo k is ano he
co ne s one o Ms Kwinana’s philosophy. She belie es ha
aking p ide in one’s ou pu con ibu es o a posi i e wo k
42
Women in Leade ship
en i onmen and, consequen ly, a posi i e in luence. This
p ide is oo ed in a dedica ion o con inuous lea ning and a
commi men o deli e ing high-quali y esul s.
Ms Kwinana ac i ely wo ks wi h and suppo s hose
a ound he , ecognizing he impo ance o collec i e g ow h.
He leade ship philosophy e ol es a ound he idea ha
pe sonal and p o essional de elopmen should ex end beyond
onesel . She s i es o ensu e ha he g ow h posi i ely
impac s o he s, c ea ing an en i onmen whe e e e yone has
he oppo uni y o ad ance.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
Ms Tokoza Kwinana impa s aluable insigh s in o e ec i e
leade ship, emphasizing s a egic planning, accoun abili y,
and he impo ance o sel -ca e. He guidance cen es
a ound os e ing in e dependence wi hin eams, ensu ing
cla i y o ins uc ions, esilience in he ace o challenges,
and he necessi y o sel -lo e o long- e m success. Ms
Kwinana highligh s he signi icance o e ec i e planning,
acknowledging ha while plans may e ol e, ha ing a well-
hough -ou s a egy is c ucial. She emphasizes he need o
wo k wi h and h ough o he s, os e ing in e dependence
wi hin he eam. The delica e balance o accoun abili y ensu es
mu ual suppo whe e she elies on he di ec o s, and hey, in
u n, depend on he .
Keeping onesel and he eam accoun able is a
co ne s one o Ms Kwinana’s leade ship philosophy. She
s esses he impo ance o ollowing up and ollowing
h ough on ma e s, especially when dealing wi h mul iple
esponsibili ies. This commi men o accoun abili y ensu es
ha asks a e comple ed e icien ly and p e en s issues om
alling h ough he c acks.
Ms Kwinana ad oca es o s a egic guidance wi hin
a eam, emphasizing he need o clea ins uc ions.
Resilience is iden i ied as a key quali y, acknowledging he
challenges aced in he p o essional ealm. She encou ages
43
Ms Tokoza Kwinana
he acknowledgemen and o gi eness o mis akes and aking
accoun abili y when necessa y.
The impo ance o sel -ca e is a cen al heme in Ms
Kwinana’s app oach. She s esses he need o leade s o
allow hemsel es ime o es and echa ge, acknowledging
ha con inuous unning can ha e nega i e long- e m e ec s.
Sel -lo e is iden i ied as an essen ial elemen o success and
emphasizes ha a leade ’s well-being is he ounda ion o he
success o he eam.
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
Ms Tokoza Kwinana a icula es he leade ship philosophy
wi h a code i led ‘Au hen ic Leade ship,’ which cen es on
being genuine, ue o one’s con ic ions, leading by example,
and inspi ing o he s. This code emphasizes he co e alues
o in eg i y and excellence, conside ing hem as essen ial
d i e s o e ec i e leade ship and undamen al aspec s o
humani y. Ms Kwinana’s code unde sco es he impo ance o
au hen ici y, u ging leade s o be hemsel es and esis he
emp a ion o mimic o he s en i ely. While acknowledging
he alue o lea ning om di e en leade ship s yles, she
ad oca es o inco po a ing hese lea nings in a way ha
aligns wi h one’s indi iduali y.
The code encou ages leade s o lead by example, se ing
as ole models o hei eams. The aspi a ion is no only o
guide bu also o inspi e o he s as hey p og ess along hei
leade ship jou ney. Ms Kwinana emphasizes he powe o
inspi a ion in cul i a ing a posi i e and mo i a ed wo king
en i onmen . In eg i y and excellence a e iden i ied as he
bed ock o leade ship, o ming he e hical ounda ion upon
which e ec i e leade ship is buil . Ms Kwinana conside s hese
p inciples o no only be in eg al o leade ship success bu also
undamen al o de ining humani y.
44
Women in Leade ship
Ms Kwinana in oduces a me apho ical pe spec i e
wi h he “dance loo and balcony” analogy. Leade s a e
encou aged o ac i ely pa icipa e on he “dance loo ,” being
engaged and pa o he eam. Simul aneously, hey should
in e mi en ly s ep on o he “balcony” o gain a b oade
pe spec i e, assessing he dynamics, ecognizing di e en
paces, and e alua ing whe he adjus men s a e needed.
The balcony pe spec i e allows leade s o obse e he
dance loo om a di e en angle, iden i ying a eas ha
may need adjus men . Ms Kwinana no es he impo ance
o ecognizing indi iduals no ollowing he s eps, hose
domina ing he loo , and hose who may need a change o
pace o song. This insigh enables leade s o os e an inclusi e
and adap able en i onmen . As a speci ic call o women
leade s, Ms Kwinana encou ages hem no only o be on he
dance loo bu also o s and on he balcony. This dual ole
allows o ac i e engagemen wi h he eam while p o iding
he necessa y dis ance o s a egic obse a ion. I also
p omo es he idea o empowe ing new oices by making space
o esh pe spec i es and oppo uni ies.
9. Wa hin a Aba azi, Wa hin ’ Mbokodo? Mosadi
O swa a Thipa ka Bo Galeng. These a e a ew
s a emen s ha ha e exis ed, alluding o he
s eng h o a woman. Wha is you iew on hem?
Ms Tokoza Kwinana passiona ely a i ms he inhe en s eng h
and esilience o women, celeb a ing hei abili y o o e come
ad e si y wi h de e mina ion, cou age, and adap abili y.
Howe e , she challenges he common na a i es ha po ay
women solely as s ong and esilien , emphasizing he
impo ance o ecognizing and emb acing he so e aspec s
o hei na u e. Ms Kwinana acknowledges he undeniable
s eng h o women, emphasizing hei capaci y o conque
any ad e si y ha comes hei way. She highligh s hei
esilience, de e mina ion, and cou ageous leade ship, ai s
ha showcase he o midable na u e o women.
51
P o . Wai Sze Leung
and lea n om hem. Ul ima ely, i ’s abou ge ing a sea a
he able and being able o con ibu e. She said.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
P o esso Leung is a s ong p oponen o eamwo k and
belie es in he impo ance o leade ship esponsibili ies.
She emphasizes he need o keep an eye on he collec i e
goal and encou ages he eam o lead by example. Al hough
she is unde s anding o colleagues wi h amilies, she insis s
ha each eam membe mus be diligen in ul illing hei
esponsibili ies, which o en equi es wo king om 08:00 o
16:30. Despi e se ing high pe o mance s anda ds P o esso
Leung alues amily esponsibili ies abo e all else and is a
amily pe son he sel . A he end o he day, he leade needs o
us he eam and guide hem when necessa y.
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
P o esso Leung a gues ha women ha e di e se li e
expe iences and ci cums ances. She belie es ha while some
women ace simila challenges, he e a e equally as many
women who ace di e en challenges. In he opinion, women
a e gene ally hesi an o admi when hey a e unsu e and
o en eel o e whelmed by leade ship oles. This is pa ly due
o socie al expec a ions and he un ealis ic expec a ions ha
women place on hemsel es. P o esso Leung does no belie e
ha men gene ally place hemsel es unde he same le el o
p essu e as women; he male colleagues o en say, “Fake
i un il you make i .” In he inal analysis, she belie es i ’s
al igh o women o no know e e y hing all he ime, o make
mis akes, and lea n om hem.

52
Women in Leade ship
9. “Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo” and
“Mosadi o shwa a hipa ka bo galeng”, a e sayings
om he pas ha allude o he s eng h o women.
Wha is you iew on hem?
P o esso Leung sha es ha he A ican saying highligh s he
s eng h o women. She d aws upon he expe iences o many
women who a e he heads o households in Sou h A ica and
ha e he sole esponsibili y o ca ing o hei amilies. This
is a pe ec example o how s ong women can be. She also
alks abou he g andmo he who was a s ong woman and
challenged he cul u e o opp ession. He g andmo he le
he illage in China wi h an umb ella in one hand and a ew
bu ons in he o he , in sea ch o a be e li e in Hong Kong.
He cou age and de e mina ion ha e been a guiding o ce o
P o esso Leung in momen s o he own s eng h. Women
play a c ucial ole in Sou h A ican socie y. P o esso Leung
encou ages all women o ha e ai h in hemsel es, ega dless
o hei ci cums ances. People may b ing up you ailu es,
bu hey a e a necessa y pa o g ow h. Keep ying un il you
succeed and i you ail, dus you sel o and keep going. She
belie es ha socie y has gene ally ailed women and ha
women should suppo each o he . She is p oud o he sis e
who wo ks in human igh s and ad oca es o women’s igh s.
10. Wha ad ice do you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
P o esso Leung ecommends ha women who a e beginning
hei ca ee s should ha e ai h in hemsel es. Despi e he
challenges and ba ie s, hey may ace, and e en i hey
expe ience ailu e, hey should main ain hei con idence and
always se a ainable and p ac ical objec i es o hemsel es.
Accomplished women who hold leade ship posi ions mus
p o ide guidance and assis ance o young and aspi ing women
leade s. I is hei sha ed esponsibili y owa ds o he women.
53
D Ndi huwo Lu uli
Execu i e Di ec o : Resea ch De elopmen and Suppo ,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
D Ndi huwo Lu uli was bo n and aised in a illage called
Mauluma si ua ed in he Nzhelele a ea o Venda. She spen
he i s 18 yea s he e un il she comple ed he ma ic. She
spen he ea lie yea s wi h he g andmo he , Vho-Masindi,
siblings and cousins. He upb inging was cha ac e ized by
a ypical u al li es yle engaging in he cus oma y ac i i ies
and expe iences ha a young gi l in such an en i onmen
would encoun e . This ou ine con inued un il she comple ed
high school in 1999, a which poin she began he s udies a
S ellenbosch Uni e si y.
As an adul , she is now he mo he o wo daugh e s –
Anza (13) and Vhu hu (11) who keep he ac i ely engaged.
She is ma ied o Nyambeni, whom she me du ing he
ime a S ellenbosch Uni e si y. This cons i u es he
immedia e amily.
1. Wha we e he ea ly
messages ha you we e
hea ing abou he gi l child?
Reg e ably, o he , i ’s one o
hose s o ies whe e she didn’
come ac oss much in o ma ion
o encou agemen ega ding
he po en ial o a gi l child,
ce ainly no in a posi i e ligh .
In he pe cep ion, i seemed
as hough she was des ined o
ollow a p ede e mined pa h.
He upb inging ook place in
54
Women in Leade ship
a household whe e Ch is ian alues we e upheld, and he
expec a ion was ha , e en ually, she would ma y, ha e
child en, and eside in Venda. I she we e o una e, she migh
ind employmen in Thohoyandou.
Re lec ing on he pas , she o en inds he sel a a loss
o explain how he li e has un olded, because she lacked he
kind o e e ence poin s ha migh ha e guided he owa ds
di e en possibili ies. Un o una ely, she wasn’ o una e
enough o ha e access o inspi a ional emale ole models
beyond wha migh be e e ed o as he “pas o ’s wi e”
a che ype, o p o essions such as eaching o nu sing. As a
esul , she el des ined o become a wi e and a mo he , and
he e we en’ many upli ing s o ies o examples o challenge
his pe cep ion du ing he o ma i e yea s.
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles acing
women in leade ship posi ions in he 21s cen u y?
She belie es ha when i comes o women and leade ship,
hey can o en be hei own ha shes c i ics and ad e sa ies.
She obse es ha women end o place nume ous obs acles in
hei own pa hs. In con as , men, in he iew, o en possess
a s ong sel -assu edness, belie ing hey a e bo n o ake on
any ole o esponsibili y. She poin s ou ha his con idence
doesn’ always ansla e in o ou s anding pe o mance.
Women, on he o he hand, end o second-guess hemsel es.
E en in he cu en en i onmen a he Uni e si y
o Johannesbu g (UJ), she no ices ha when women a e
p esen ed wi h oppo uni ies, hey equen ly hesi a e,
hinking ha he ask may be oo demanding o he e migh
be oo much on hei pla e. She also no es ha women wi h
amilies a e quick o conside hei amily esponsibili ies, bu
she ques ions why he o he pa en isn’ equally esponsible.
Child en, she emphasizes, a e no solely he esponsibili y o
mo he s, and he o he pa en s should also sha e he load.
She belie es i ’s c ucial o women o each a poin
whe e hey eel en i led o pu sue oppo uni ies wi h he same
con idence as men i no mo e. Women o en ha e he capaci y
55
D Ndi huwo Lu uli
o handle and excel in demanding oles, and hey should
ecognise his. She a gues ha he p ima y ba ie s women
ace a e o en sel -imposed, and i women ell hemsel es
hey can do some hing and go o i wi h de e mina ion, hey
can o e come hese ba ie s. The key is o push o wa d,
pe sis en ly seek oppo uni ies, and keep knocking on doo s.
3. Female leade s a e bo n o made. Please
elabo a e, as you conside he ac ha women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and ea ing ha
socie y s ill expec s hem o ul il.
She belie es ha when i comes o success, i ’s a combina ion
o bo h na u e and nu u e, bu he nu u ing aspec ends o
play a mo e signi ican ole. She explains ha ce ain quali ies
like willpowe , discipline, and ocus a e inhe en o some
ex en . These ai s, she hinks, a e pa o a pe son’s na u al
disposi ion and can a y om one indi idual o ano he .
Fo ins ance, she gi es an example om he own amily,
no ing ha he younge daugh e appea s o be na u ally
mo e ocused han he olde one. She has ound ha while
she can encou age and ins il ce ain beha iou s in he olde
daugh e , i doesn’ come as na u ally o he . In he iew,
many o hese inhe en ai s a e p esen om bi h, bu hey
can also be in luenced and enhanced h ough upb inging and
ea lyexpe iences.
She poin s ou ha some skills and pe sonali y ai s,
which a e essen ial o success, can be lea ned and de eloped
o e ime. A p ime example she ci es is wo k e hic. She belie es
ha wo k e hic is some hing ha can be cul i a ed and
imp o ed by anyone willing o pu in he e o . As indi iduals
g ow and aspi e o achie e speci ic ca ee goals, hey can
iden i y he skills and quali ies equi ed in he wo kplace and
ac i ely wo k on de eloping hem.
In summa y, she sees success as a combina ion o
inhe en quali ies and lea ned beha iou s. While some ai s
may be p esen om bi h, many can be de eloped and honed
56
Women in Leade ship
h ough dedica ion, commi men , and discipline as indi iduals
p og ess in hei pe sonal and p o essional li es.
4. Women leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ?
She belie es ha one c ucial aspec o ecognise in he
wo kplace is he p e alence o labels. In he iew, indi iduals
a e ine i ably labelled, whe he he labels a e posi i e o
nega i e, and whe he hey align wi h one’s sel -pe cep ion
o no . These labels can a y widely om being desc ibed
as “go geous,” “so -spoken,” and “kind” o po en ially
being labelled as “an isocial.” She acknowledges ha , o en,
women’s oices go unhea d, and his can lead o si ua ions
whe e con iden indi iduals may domina e con e sa ions,
e en i hey a e no necessa ily leading in he igh di ec ion.
She highligh s he challenge women ace when hey
ind hemsel es in si ua ions whe e hei oices a e silenced
me ely because o hei gende . This, she belie es, can push
women o asse hemsel es mo e agg essi ely o be hea d.
She a gues ha his asse i eness is no necessa ily a na u al
ai bu a he a esponse o he need o be ecognised and
hea d. Women some imes need o speak up o ce ully o
ensu e hei opinions a e acknowledged and alued in male-
domina edspaces.
She sugges s ha women o en exhibi di e en
pe sonali ies in p o essional and pe sonal se ings,
emphasising he need o adap o di e en en i onmen s. In
p o essional spaces, some women may eel he need o be mo e
asse i e and ocal o o e come he biases hey encoun e .
She acknowledges ha his beha iou change is o en d i en
by ex e nal ac o s and he dynamics o he wo kplace, a he
han being a ue e lec ion o an indi idual’s pe sonali y.
Ul ima ely, she belie es ha women should no be
con ined o p ede ined labels o expec ed o con o m o
ce ain beha iou s. Ins ead, she emphasises he impo ance o
c ea ing inclusi e en i onmen s whe e women a e ea ed as

57
D Ndi huwo Lu uli
equals and hei di e se s eng hs and quali ies a e ecognised
and app ecia ed, wi hou he need o o ce ul asse i eness.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk you ha e had o
ake on you leade ship jou ney and why?
She acknowledges ha one o he challenging aspec s o he
ole as a leade is ha ing o ini ia e disciplina y p ocesses o
employees who exhibi poo pe o mance. Despi e he dislike
o his aspec o he job, she emphasises ha i ’s a ask she has
had o unde ake nume ous imes. She iews i as a necessa y
s ep no only o he sake o he o ganisa ion bu also o he
epu a ion as a leade . She belie es ha when employees
unde pe o m and leade s ail o add ess he issue, i e lec s
poo ly on bo h pa ies.
She s a es ha a sense o isk is associa ed wi h e e y
disciplina y p ocess, as he ou come is unce ain. Each
ins ance p esen s a unique se o ci cums ances, making i
impossible o p edic how i will un old. She ecalls ha ing o
handle simila si ua ions in he p e ious jobs, e en going so
a as o encou age some s a membe s o esign when hey
we e no a good i o hei oles. Su p isingly, she main ains
con ac wi h hese indi iduals, showing a genuine in e es in
hei well-being.
In he e o s o help s a membe s ind he igh
i , she has engaged in con e sa ions abou hei in e es s
and s eng hs. When an employee was unhappy due o a
misalignmen be ween hei ole and hei ue in e es s,
she acili a ed ansi ions o mo e sui able posi ions. She
belie es ha by aligning employees wi h oles ha ma ch
hei passions, hey a e mo e likely o excel and con ibu e
posi i ely o he o ganisa ion. She has expe ienced success
in helping se e al indi iduals ansi ion o oles hey a e
genuinely passiona e abou , he eby ensu ing ha he eam
comp ises indi iduals who a e dedica ed o hei wo k and can
con ibu e o he eam’s success.
58
Women in Leade ship
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and
show up as a leade ? Can you sha e you ecipe o
success?
Wha D Lu uli alues and upholds he mos is a obus wo k
e hic and conside s he sel as no ably ocused. She a ibu es
he ounda ion o he wo k e hic o he deep passion o he
p o ession. She genuinely lo es wha she does, and his lo e
uels he dedica ion.
Fo he , he en husiasm o he wo k anscends
adi ional wo king hou s. She ecalls ins ances whe e she
willingly s ayed la e, e en un il midnigh , o comple e asks
such as submission o g an applica ions. She men ions a
speci ic occasion when she had o in e up a amily dinne
a a es au an o a end a la e mee ing, all while main aining
he lap op a hand. He commi men o he job is such ha she
seized he oppo uni y o esol e a p o esso ’s s uggle wi h
an EU g an applica ion issue du ing ha amily ou ing.
She emphasises ha he wo k isn’ jus a job bu a he a
sou ce o ul ilmen and sa is ac ion. He disciplined app oach,
unwa e ing ocus, and commi men o excellence a e inhe en
ai s ha she belie es she was bo n wi h. She akes p ide
in he abili y o ge he job done e icien ly and wi hou
comp omise, always s i ing o excellence. Addi ionally, she
acknowledges he impo ance o inding ou le s ha help he
swi ch o om wo k- ela ed s ess and main ain a heal hy
wo k-li e balance.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
She e eals ha she has a na u al inclina ion o s ay busy
and p oduc i e h oughou he day, and she doesn’ mind i
a all. Ha ing he abili y o mul i ask and engage in a ious
ac i i ies keeps he con en . She ecalls a ime when she
had o s ep in o he ac ing Execu i e Di ec o : Resea ch and
Inno a ion ole when he p e ious incumben le UJ, bu she
con inued o handle he egula esponsibili ies as Di ec o
wi hou any educ ions in he wo kload. Despi e hese added
59
D Ndi huwo Lu uli
esponsibili ies, she and he eam con inued o mee , and o
he mos pa , exceeded hei a ge s success ully.
Fo he , he key is o a oid bo edom a all cos s, as she
eadily admi s o ge ing bo ed easily. She akes p ide in he
capaci y o e ec i ely balance he wo k commi men s wi h he
pe sonal li e, sugges ing ha she juggles bo h aspec s qui e
skil ully. In essence, she h i es on he challenge o keeping
he sel engaged and p oduc i e, elishing he oppo uni y o
accomplish mo e han one ask in a day.
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
She o e s aluable ad ice o women, especially hose in
leade ship posi ions, emphasising he impo ance o owning
one’s space and oles wi h con idence. She encou ages
women o ake cha ge and no hesi a e o ully emb ace he
esponsibili ies hey a e gi en, ega dless o he na u e o
signi icance o hose oles. She acknowledges ha some imes
women may eel he need o con ince hemsel es o o he s
o hei quali ica ions o a ole when hey should simply s ep
in o i and un wi h i .
Fu he mo e, she s esses he need o women o be kind
o hemsel es. She ecognises ha women o en s uggle wi h
sel -imposed p essu e o cons an ly be busy and p oduc i e.
She occasionally eminds he sel o ake sho b eaks and
elax, e en i i ’s jus o a ew minu es wi h a cup o ea,
be o e di ing back in o wo k.
She also add esses he issue o women eeling apologe ic
abou hei amily commi men s in he wo kplace. She
sha es a pe sonal anecdo e abou a clash be ween a wo k
commi men and he daugh e ’s G ade R g adua ion day.
In his si ua ion, she unapologe ically p io i ised he amily
o e wo k, ealising ha he child’s miles one e en was
a once-in-a-li e ime expe ience. She i mly belie es ha
women should no eel compelled o apologise o making
60
Women in Leade ship
such choices, e en in execu i e oles, as hey a e no jus
p o essionals bu also wi es and mo he s. She humo ously
unde sco es he impo ance o making onesel a ailable o
lo e and no becoming so busy ha lo ed ones canno ind he
ime oconnec .
O e all, he ad ice cen es on empowe men , sel -
compassion, and ecognising he alue o balancing pe sonal
and p o essional esponsibili ies wi hou eeling he need o
apologise o making amily a p io i y when necessa y.
9. “Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo” and
“Mosadi o shwa a hipa ka bo galeng” a e sayings
om he pas ha allude o he s eng h o women.
Wha is you iew o hem?
She e lec s on a ealisa ion she had abou he expec a ions
placed on women. She acknowledges ha while he e is a lo
o alk abou women being s ong and esilien , i ’s equally
impo an o ecognise ha i ’s okay o women o emb ace
hei ulne abili y and no cons an ly eel he need o be he
“ ock” o he one who akes cha ge in e e y si ua ion. She
belie es ha some imes women can push hemsel es o ake
on oo much and adop he ole o he unyielding, e e -capable
“ ock,” and his can lead o unnecessa y s ess and bu nou .
She sha es ha she has lea ned he alue o occasionally
allowing he sel o be ulne able and no always eeling
he need o be in con ol o o handle e e y hing he sel .
She men ions con e sa ions wi h he husband, whe e she
exp essed he desi e o ake a s ep back and no be he one who
always mus ake on e e y challenge. She ecognises ha while
she is ully capable o handling a wide ange o esponsibili ies,
i doesn’ mean she should ake on e e y hing all he ime.
She emphasises he impo ance o in en ionally choosing
momen s o be he “damsel in dis ess,” me apho ically
speaking. By doing so, she belie es women can a oid alling
in o he cycle o cons an ly o e ex ending hemsel es and
hen complaining abou i la e . She acknowledges he
67
Ms Nomsa Mahlangu
he daugh e due o wo k commi men s. She admi ed ha he
daugh e was aised by e e yone in he amily excep he sel .
Al hough i was a isk, Nomsa belie ed ha i paid o in he
end. She was able o econnec wi h he daugh e when hey
li ed oge he du ing he daugh e ’s e ia y educa ion.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
The hallma k o a leade is au hen ici y acco ding o Ms Nomsa.
She belie es ha he bes e sion o onesel mus always be
o show up. Ms Nomsa a gues ha being he bes agen o
onesel equi es sel - e lec ion, as well as su ounding onesel
wi h people who know how o b ing ou he bes in you. She
sees he sel as a leade who leads h ough consul a ions and
consensus-building. Educa ion is impo an , bu so is building
pe sonal ela ionships and su ounding onesel wi h people
who bo h ag ee and disag ee wi h you. Mos impo an ly, Ms
Nomsa belie es ha people should add alue o one ano he .
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
Na iga ing mul iple oles a he same ime comes wi h
he e i o y o being a woman leade . Juggling di e en
oles simul aneously equi es good esou ces and ime
managemen . Howe e , i ’s c ucial no o allow any ole o
domina e o su e . Acco ding o Ms Nomsa, you men al and
physical heal h should no be comp omised in he p ocess. I ’s
a delica e balancing ac whe e ea ing e e y hing as a p io i y
while keeping you sel as a p io i y and ocusing on you goals
is key.
I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o women
leade s, wha would ha code be and wha would i look like?
“Well, o me, being a woman leade means a ew hings,
bu he mos impo an is being awa e o who I am and wha
I ep esen o o he s. I ’s abou p omo ing ai ness, including
e e yone, g owing p o essionally, and gi ing back.

68
Women in Leade ship
“As women leade s, i ’s up o us o b ing solu ions.
We’ e go o be he ones speaking up o equali y and making
su e e e yone eels included. Tha means ge ing in ol ed in
men o ship p og ams and c ea ing oppo uni ies we may no
ha e had ou sel es.
We’ e also go o suppo young leade s, bo h boys and
gi ls. Some imes we ocus oo much on gi ls and o ge abou
he boys. We need o be genuine in ou suppo . I emembe
when I was s a ing ou , people hough I was oo ude o
agg essi e. Bu i I see a young pe son ac ing like me, I wan o
encou age hem and say i ’s okay o be you sel , e en i socie y
judges you un ai ly.
And le ’s alk abou equal pay. I ’s some hing we s ill
need o igh o . When we’ e in posi ions o in luence and see
un ai ness, we can’ jus le i slide. We ha e a esponsibili y o
change hings.
We’ e also go o empowe young people and be good
a esol ing con lic s wi hou aking sides. Communica ion is
key. And we should suppo he g ow h o o he s, doing hings
ha maybe we en’ done o us.
And le ’s no o ge abou policies. We need o push o
changes in he ules and guidelines o he o ganiza ions we’ e
pa o . We’ e go o be he change we wan o see. Bu i ’s also
impo an o be sel -awa e, o unde s and how ou ac ions
and wo ds impac hose a ound us”.
8. “Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo” and
“Mosadi o shwa a hipa ka bo galeng”, a e sayings
om he pas ha allude o he s eng h o women.
Wha is you iew on hem?
“I don’ ag ee wi h hose s a emen s. You see, hey we e mean
o celeb a e and app ecia e women’s s eng h. Howe e , hey
also ha e nega i e meanings. Fo me, he e a e bo h posi i e
and nega i e sides o hem. I don’ ag ee wi h he nega i e
pa s, bu he posi i e aspec s a e impo an . I ’s c ucial o
69
Ms Nomsa Mahlangu
ecognize women’s s eng h and esilience, bu we shouldn’
lose ou sel es in he p ocess.
Le me gi e you an example om my own li e. In
he socie y whe e I li e, some people ha e labelled me in a
nega i e way because I’m u ning 50 and unma ied, while
mos o my pee s a e ma ied. This shows how un ai cul u e
can be o women.
In my leade ship jou ney, pa icula ly when I was in he
SAFA execu i e, I expe ienced disc imina ion based on how I
d essed. Some men wouldn’ alk o me when I wo e pan s, bu
hey would i I wo e ski s.”
9. Wha ad ice do you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
“I ’s o ally ine o jus be you sel . Remembe , you’ e only
human. Some imes, I el like I needed o hold back and no be
oo bold because I was sca ed. Socie y doesn’ always expec
women o be in ce ain oles. Maybe I would ha e achie ed
mo e by now i I’d been eassu ed ha i ’s okay o be whe e I
am and do wha I’m doing.
Back hen, i would ha e helped i someone had old
me ha lea ning doesn’ jus come om quali ica ions and
ce i ica es. The e’s so much mo e o i . I wish I had someone
guide me o ind a men o and seek eedback ac i ely o g ow
as a leade . I ha had happened, I migh ha e a oided some
mis akes and no come ac oss as in imida ing o o he s. People
migh ha e el mo e com o able alking o me ins ead o
being sca ed ha I’d snap a hem o no eason.”
71
Associa e P o . Ki i Menon
Senio Di ec o : Di ision o Teaching Excellence,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
P o . Ki i e ealed ha i has been a long jou ney because she
is almos a he end o he ca ee . She began as a school eache ,
mo ing on o become a lec u e . Wi h he ad en o democ acy,
she began o do he wo k o econs uc ing ou socie y h ough
educa ion and wo ked on se e al p ojec s o he go e nmen .
Fo example, she wo ked on esea ch p ojec s like he schools
audi in Gau eng, he UNEPTSA bu sa y p og amme. In 2000,
she was o e ed a consul ancy wi h he hen Commi ee o
Uni e si y P incipals (CUP), which hen became SAUVCA,
HESA and is now USAF. The co e o he wo k hen was o c ea e
an ins i u ion ha would be ans o med and mo e inclusi e.
In 2001, she joined he Council o Highe Educa ion whe e
she s ayed o nine yea s as he Di ec o o Acc edi a ion and
Na ional Re iews.
P o . Ki i’s g ow h om being Di ec o o nine
yea s saw he mo e o he Depa men o Highe Educa ion
and T aining as Chie Di ec o :
Ins i u ional Planning. Sho ly
a e mo ing in o he posi ion, she
became he ac ing Depu y Di ec o
Gene al: Uni e si ies B anch and
hen wen o and comple ed he
PhD and joined UJ in 2015. She was
appoin ed as Di ec o : Academic
Planning. She sha ed ha she had
a g ea deal o expe ience in he
domain ha she was appoin ed
in o, and his included as
knowledge in academic planning,
and amilia i y wi h go e nmen
72
Women in Leade ship
legisla ion and o he egula o y amewo ks ele an . She
is exci ed abou he jou ney and is p oud o he mo e han
25 yea s in highe educa ion. This has p o ided he wi h a
ingside sea o he highe educa ion ha she is passiona e
abou . In 2017, as a esul o econ igu a ion o unc ions, she
was appoin ed as Senio Di ec o o he now named Di ision
o Teaching Excellence as such is an in i ed membe o ELG.
1. Wha we e he ea ly messages ha you we e
hea ing as a gi l child? Messages ha came om
people you look up o and messages ha ended up
inspi ing you in you leade ship jou ney.
P o . Ki i men ioned ha she was b ough up wi h signi ican
ole models who we e ac i is s and did no conside
hemsel es bound by gende dis inc ions. She hinks ha
she was e y o una e in he ca ee o ha e he CHE whe e
he immedia e boss was a woman academic who was well
espec ed in he sec o . She added, “I hink ha I was e y
o una e o ha e so many women leade s who o ced us o
hink ou side he gene al con en ional socie al de ini ions o
women”. Fu he mo e, P o . Ki i poin ed ou ha he pa en s
we e qui e ocused, and de e mined ha he child en go o
uni e si y. As a i s gene a ion uni e si y g adua e, g owing
in o independence was encou aged. .
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles o women
o ake on leade ship posi ions in he 21s Cen u y?
She said she belie es he e is a gene al pe cep ion abou wha
women a e capable o achie ing, al hough she pe sonally
hasn’ aced much o i he sel . Howe e , she ecognizes ha
hese pe cep ions can be p oblema ic. Addi ionally, she says,
he e a e he usual esponsibili ies and challenges o managing
mul i asking.

73
Associa e P o . Ki i Menon
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and child ea ing
ha equi e hem o s ill ocus.
P o . Ki i poin ed ou ha she was e y o una e o ha e a
husband and daugh e who encou aged and suppo ed he in
he ca ee . This allowed he he space o juggle mul iple oles
whils s ill ocusing on he ca ee .
4. Women leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ? Kindly
unpack i .
P o . Ki i suspec s ha his s a emen is p obably en e ained
because people do no belie e no unde s and ha women can
be leade s oo. The same s ee ing and cha ing ou a pa icula
di ec ion o one’s di ision o a domain may come ac oss as
being agg essi e when you a e a woman. Acco ding o he ,
in ins ances whe e i is a man s anding up, being consis en ,
being asse i e, and pushing bounda ies, no one would
ques ion i o deem i agg essi e.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk you ha e had o
ake in you leade ship jou ney and why?
The bigges isk P o . Ki i ook was lea ing a ull- ime
job o comple e he Ph.D. and ha is because she was in a
manage ial posi ion, and hey we e no gi en a sabba ical.
She had mo ed om academia in o go e nmen and in o
manage ial posi ions, which shi ed he ocus, howe e , i
did no mean ha she had shi ed he desi e o do schola ly
wo k. Wi h exci emen , she added ha a week be o e his
in e iew in 2023, SENEX app o ed he p omo ion o associa e
p o esso ship.
She is ecs a ic abou he achie emen s and acknowledges
ha she is ending he ca ee on a high. The e a e s ill some
eg e s ha she delayed wo king as a schola alongside he
o he jobs.
74
Women in Leade ship
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
Acco ding o P o . Ki i, passion and knowledge a e impo an
. She sleeps, d eams and b ea hes he wo k, and is cons an ly
keeping he sel up o da e wi h new de elopmen s in he ield
bo h na ionally and in e na ionally. She cons an ly ies o
in use he same sense o passion amongs he s a . She added
ha highe educa ion is changing cons an ly, and ideally, he
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g mus inno a e along wi h i . UJ
o e s an exci ing space as i welcomes inno a ion wi h no
comp omises made in i s ques o social jus ice. She is p oud
o he s ides ha he Di ision o Teaching Excellence is
making, indica ing ha i is well-known o being inno a i e
and a he o e on in e ms o he wo k unde aken. P o .
Ki i also men ioned ha he ecipe o success includes
si ing quie ly and doing he wo k, addi ionally, leading and
inspi ing change in eaching and lea ning wi hin he b oad
highe educa ion en i onmen in Sou h A ica, no ing also he
apid dis up ions in echnology spaces.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
P o . Ki i eckons ha , o e he yea s one ge s used o
managing mul iple asks because people play di e en oles
and hese o e lap, in e link, in e connec and one begins o
de elop a li le hy hm and a sys em. P o . Ki i sha ed ha
she belie es ha she is p e y well o ganized, “I am e y
well planned, I know a week in ad ance wha ou plans a e in
he household, and I know wha ou plans a e a wo k. I can
o ganize mysel acco dingly and ecalib a e i equi ed,”
shesha es.
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
P o . Ki i hinks ha one should be passiona e abou wha
hey do and be deeply espec ul o o he s a ound hem.
75
Associa e P o . Ki i Menon
In eg i y and e hical p ac ice should be cen al in e e y hing
ha is unde aken.
I espec i e o ace, gende , and class. P o . Ki i is
passiona e abou highe educa ion she sha es, “I is in my
blood”. He message is, “ o be en husias ic, espec ul, o
keep ab eas wi h he ends in you wo k en i onmen and
o manage all he balls ha you ha e o juggle, and o do so
wi h some le el o o ganiza ion”. Fu he mo e, she men ioned
ha i comes wi h unde s anding, o example, she has a lo
o women in he di ision, and she unde s ands wha i means
o ha e load- shedding. “Fo example, when you ha e wo
small child en a home and you’ e going o go home o ou
hou s o load- shedding, he hough is, “How bes can I as
you manage assis you because I know ha no e e yone can
a o d o Ube ea s e e y day. So, ensu ing ha she is sensi i e
and a uned o he needs o he s a is impo an .
9. Wa hin ’ Aba azi, Wa hin ’ Imbokodo? Mosadi
O shwa a Thipa Ka Bo galeng. These a e bu a
ew s a emen s ha ha e exis ed, alluding o he
s eng h o a woman. Wha is you iew on hem?
Fo P o . Ki i, hese s a emen s a e qui e ue, i she looks a
women in leade ship in highe educa ion, he e a e examples
o women who ha e led om he on , despi e he noise ha
goes wi h one’s job.
10. Wha ad ice you wish someone had gi en you a
he beginning o you ca ee ? And why?
Acco ding o P o . Ki i, he ad ice she would gi e o someone
is ha hey should inish hei PhD ea ly in li e.
83
D Nompumelelo Mkhize
no jus abou changing indus ies, bu abou aligning he
p o essional pa h wi h he long- e m goals and aspi a ions. In
hindsigh , D Mkhize iews his isk as essen ial o he g ow h
and ul ilmen as bo h a leade and an indi idual.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
D Mkhize’s app oach o con inuous g ow h is deeply oo ed in
sel -awa eness and humili y. She emphasizes he impo ance
o acknowledging ha , as a leade , you do no and canno know
e e y hing. In he iew, aking on a leade ship ole does no
signi y ha you ha e “a i ed” o ha you now possess all he
answe s. Leade s mus a oid he mindse ha , because hey
hold a posi ion o au ho i y, hey a e always igh and e e yone
else is w ong. Fo D Mkhize, leade ship is no abou ha ing all
he knowledge bu abou main aining an openness o lea ning.
This lea ning, she explains, is no limi ed o o mal educa ion
o e u ning o uni e si y o addi ional quali ica ions. Ins ead,
i in ol es imme sing onesel in unde s anding he po olio
o depa men hey a e esponsible o . She uses he example
o P o . Mpedi o illus a e his poin . Al hough he may no
hold speci ic quali ica ions in enginee ing, humani ies, o
heal h sciences, he is s ill highly e ec i e in o e seeing hese
di e se a eas. “He unde s ands wha ou pu should look like,”
D Mkhize explains.
In he iew, he key o success lies in a leade ’s abili y
o de e mine wha he desi ed ou comes a e and iden i y he
igh people o help achie e hose goals. Once a leade has
a clea ision o he ou pu and has su ounded hemsel es
wi h he igh eam, hey a e well-posi ioned o succeed. D
Mkhize s esses he impo ance o s aying in o med and up
o da e wi h he esponsibili ies o one’s po olio, bu jus as
c ucially, o ecognizing he alue o he expe ise and skills o
hose a ound you.
A g ea leade , she a gues, is one who collabo a es wi h
and hea ily elies on hei eam membe s, allowing hem
o excel in hei espec i e a eas o expe ise. Success is no

achie ed by hinking you ha e all he answe s, bu by wo king
oge he wi h you eam o achie e sha ed goals. Ul ima ely,
D Mkhize belie es ha a leade mus ne e hink hey
ha e “a i ed” bu should always emain open o lea ning,
g owing, and us ing in he people a ound hem o win and
succeed oge he .
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
D Mkhize emphasises ha juggling mul iple “balls” equi es
a deep unde s anding o onesel . Fo he , his in ospec i e
jou ney begins wi h a c ucial ques ion: “Wha would he wo ld
ha e missed had I no been bo n?” This e lec ion allows he
o iden i y socio-economic issues ha esona e wi h he
alues and commi men s. By holding he sel accoun able, she
con inually e alua es wha ac ions she is aking o add ess
hese issues. She challenges he sel wi h he hough : i no
he , hen who will ake on his esponsibili y?
This commi men led D Mkhize o es ablish he
Nompumelelo Founda ion, an ini ia i e dedica ed o
suppo ing illi e a e child en in Sou h A ican ownships.
Recognizing he u gen need o educa ional esou ces
and suppo in hese communi ies, she el compelled o
make a angible di e ence in hei li es. In addi ion o he
philan h opic e o s, D Mkhize ac i ely engages in a ious
pe sonal and p o essional endea ou s. She uns a book club
wi h women leade s she has me h oughou he leade ship
jou ney, os e ing a communi y o lea ning and suppo . D
Mkhize also plays gol , which se es as a ec ea ional ou le
amids he busy schedule. Mo eo e , she is a de o ed ull-
ime mo he , ully awa e o he impac he p esence has on
he child en. She belie es ha in eg i y uels he abili y o
juggle hese a ious esponsibili ies. Fo D Mkhize, li e is
abou showing up and honou ing commi men s, e en when
he ci cums ances a e challenging. “E en when I am coughing,
I will die in ha mee ing,” she sha es, unde sco ing he
dedica ion. “I jus need o show up o my kids. I ’s impo an
o a pa en o be p esen because, in doing so, you each
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D Nompumelelo Mkhize
you kids ha li e is no abou gi ing excuses.” She asse s
ha being ully engaged eaches he child en he alue o
commi men and accoun abili y.
D Mkhize is keenly awa e ha he p esence ma e s,
bo h as a mo he and a leade . She s i es o ensu e ha
nei he he child en no he eam membe s eel he absence
o a “mo he ” o “leade .” This sense o esponsibili y means
ha no “balls” should be d opped. As a woman leade , he
ocus is on s aying o ganized and on op o he esponsibili ies,
ensu ing ha asks a e comple ed e en when she eels
o e whelmed o exhaus ed. He app oach exempli ies he
impo ance o esilience, commi men , and he unwa e ing
pu sui o excellence in all aspec s o he li e.
8. I you could pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and how
would i look like?
D Mkhize ou lines he pe sonal code o conduc o women
leade s, beginning wi h he impe a i e o “Keep ab eas !”
This p inciple unde sco es he impo ance o being awa e
and in o med. She ci es P o . Ma wala, who poignan ly s a es,
“Those who canno ead canno lead.” D Mkhize cla i ies
ha his s a emen should no be in e p e ed li e ally;
a he , i highligh s he necessi y o leade s o be cognisan
o hei su oundings and he con ex in which hey ope a e.
Fo D Mkhize, keeping ab eas means being in o med abou
cu en a ai s, including e e yday issues such as he p ice o
pe ol, b ead, and eggs. I in ol es unde s anding economic
indica o s like he Consume P ice Index (CPI) and ecognizing
how hese ac o s can a ec bo h onesel and he people being
led. She ein o ces P o . Ma wala’s asse ion by explaining
ha “a leade who canno ead should no lead people,” as
his lack o awa eness hinde s a leade ’s abili y o empa hize
wi h hei eam. “You a e li e ally going o be closed o om
you people,” she no es. “We a e leade s h ough people, no
because we a e g ea , bu h ough he people ha we lead.”
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Women in Leade ship
The second ene o he code is “Be a mosqui o!” He e,
D Mkhize d aws inspi a ion om P o . Mpedi, who uses
he me apho o a mosqui o o illus a e he impo ance o
pe sis en awa eness and dis up ion. P o . Mpedi no es ha
al hough a mosqui o is small, i p oduces an i i a ing noise
ha dis up s sleep un il i is acknowledged. In he con ex o
leade ship, D Mkhize explains ha leade s mus challenge
and “i i a e” exis ing s uc u es and he s a us quo un il
hey a e ecognized. She belie es ha ue leade ship in ol es
con inuously pushing bounda ies and ad oca ing o he
pla o ms hey c ea e. “One is ne e uly a leade i hey do
no i i a e he s a us quo,” she asse s.
The hi d p inciple in D Mkhize’s code is “Do wha you
say you a e going o do!” A leade mus keep hei p omises.
“I you say you a e going o deli e , deli e —e en i you a e
no eeling well. E en when i is uncom o able o you do no
pe sonally belie e in wha you a e deli e ing, you mus ul il
you manda e,” she emphasizes. Fo D Mkhize, accoun abili y
o one’s commi men s is pa amoun and is pa o wha
dis inguishes e ec i e leade s.
The ou h poin is “In eg i y”. D Mkhize highligh s he
c i ical na u e o in eg i y, no ing ha i speaks on behal o a
leade , e en in hei absence. She sha es a powe ul example:
when a leade embodies in eg i y, hei eam membe s migh
say, “I only ou leade we e he e, his would ha e been done,
and no jus done bu done exceedingly well.” In eg i y hus
builds a ounda ion o us and espec ha endu es beyond a
leade ’s p esence.
Finally, he i h ene o D Mkhize’s code o conduc is
“C edibili y”. She belie es ha possessing bo h in eg i y and
c edibili y c ea es a s ong epu a ion ha will speak olumes
on a leade ’s behal , e en a e hey ha e depa ed om his
wo ld. D Mkhize’s code unde sco es he essen ial quali ies
o sel -awa eness, pe sis ence, accoun abili y, in eg i y, and
c edibili y as ounda ional elemen s o e ec i e leade ship,
pa icula ly o women in leade ship oles.
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D Nompumelelo Mkhize
9. Wa in ’ Aba azi Wa in ’ Imbokodo and Mosadi
O shwa a Thipa Ka BoGaleng. These a e a ew
s a emen s ha ha e exis ed alluding o he
s eng h o a woman. Wha is you iew on hem?
D Mkhize e lec s on powe ul s a emen s such as “You
s ike a woman; you s ike a ock” and “A woman holds a
kni e a he sha pes edge.” While hese ph ases may be
c i icized o shunned in he la e days, she exp esses a deep
unde s anding o hei o igins. In he iew, hese s a emen s
highligh he enaci y inhe en in women. She belie es ha
women a e na u ally esilien and end no o gi e up easily;
hey a e “called o a highe powe .” Fo D Mkhize, he no ion
o being meek and apologe ic is coun e p oduc i e. “Yay!”
she exclaims passiona ely, “i you adop ha mindse , you
will s uggle, you will no su i e.” She emphasizes he
impo ance o s eng h and esilience in na iga ing li e’s
challenges, pa icula ly o women.
D Mkhize esona es s ongly wi h he sen imen s
exp essed in hese s a emen s. She does no shy away om
being compa ed o a ock; in ac , she emb aces i . “Ma k me
absen ,” she decla es, indica ing ha she ejec s he idea
o being pe cei ed as so o weak. Ins ead, she aspi es o
embody he quali ies o an educa ed, s ong, and powe ul
woman. “I wan o be a woman who s ands o he amily,
who s ands all a wo k, and who shows up all he ime,” she
s a es empha ically. She a icula es he desi e o make he
ime on ea h meaning ul, ecognizing ha he p esence has
signi icance. “I I we e no he e, a lo would ha e been los by
he people on his ea h,” she e lec s. This awa eness uels
he de e mina ion o be impac ul in he communi y and o
lead wi h pu pose. D Mkhize wholehea edly iden i ies wi h
he s a emen s she discusses, iewing hem as a i ma ions
o s eng h, esilience, and he unwa e ing commi men o
con ibu e posi i ely o he wo ld a ound he . In doing so, she
champions a ision o womanhood ha is oo ed in powe ,
accoun abili y, and a p o ound unde s anding o one’s wo h
and impac .
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Women in Leade ship
10. Wha ad ice do you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
D Mkhize e lec s on he jou ney and exp esses a desi e ha
someone should ha e ad ised he ea ly on ha she would
encoun e people om all walks o li e, and ha h ough hese
encoun e s, she need no change who she is. This ealiza ion
s ems om hea ing popula ad ice aimed a women leade s—
ips such as “be as i m as a man,” gi e s ong handshakes,
o wea sui s o mee ings. These no ions sugges ha success
o women in leade ship equi es adop ing adi ionally
masculine ai s. Howe e , D Mkhize challenges his belie .
She a gues ha when women y o mould hemsel es o i
in o leade ship oles ha socie y has his o ically associa ed
wi h men, hey isk losing some hing aluable: hei inhe en
eminini y. “We slowly lose wha God has gi en us,” she says,
s essing ha he e is no need o elinquish eminini y in o de
o lead e ec i ely. Fo he , being a leade does no equi e
comp omising he quali ies ha make women unique; ins ead,
she ad oca es o women o lead au hen ically, emb acing who
hey a e wi hou con o ming o ex e nal expec a ions.
D Mkhize also wishes she had been old ea lie no o
o e ex end he sel o wo k ha will s ill be he e omo ow.
This p o ound e lec ion unde sco es he impo ance o
balance, pa icula ly in he demanding wo ld o wo k and
leade ship. She s esses ha i is essen ial o p io i ize one’s
heal h and well-being, ecognizing ha o e wo king can lead
o bu nou . “Take ca e o you sel oday,” she ad ises, “so
ha you can pe o m a you op imal bes omo ow.” Fo D
Mkhize, sel -ca e is no a luxu y bu a necessi y o sus ained
success. By main aining a heal hy balance be ween pe sonal
well-being and p o essional esponsibili ies, women leade s
can con inue o h i e in leade ship oles wi hou sac i icing
hei au hen ici y o hei heal h.
In essence, D Mkhize’s message is clea : women can
lead powe ully wi hou ha ing o con o m o igid socie al
expec a ions, and hey mus p io i ize hei own well-being o
main ain hei abili y o lead e ec i ely in he long un.

89
P o . Kammila Naidoo
Execu i e Dean: Facul y o Humani ies, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
P o . Kammila Naidoo g ew up in Du ban. He childhood was
spen in he inne ci y o Du ban whe e he pa en s wo ked.
This exposed he o he li ely and di e se en i onmen o
Du ban Ci y. She ecalls he ci y and he places in which she
li ed as being mul i-e hnic and in eg a ed.
Du ing he 1970s, she a ended S An hony’s School
in Cen ena y Road. Despi e he Hindu backg ound and he
pa en s no being pa icula ly eligious, she de eloped a
s ong connec ion o he school. She was no ably en husias ic
abou he educa ion, and he school’s eache s and p incipal
ecognised he dedica ion. A he age o ele en, she was
en us ed wi h he esponsibili y o leading he school in
p aye , a ole ha she ound o be a powe ul expe ience.
S anding nex o he p incipal, she would ins uc e e yone o
bow hei heads, se ing he one o he u u e ole as a dean.
In addi ion o he academic pu sui s, she did well in spo s
du ing he ime a he Roman Ca holic school. Al hough i may
be su p ising o some, she was an
a hle e who pa icipa ed in a ious
spo s, including unning and
ne ball.
He educa ional jou ney
con inued when she ansi ioned o
a high school in Pie e ma i zbu g,
Raise ho pe Seconda y School.
This new ins i u ion ma ked
a conside able change om
he p e ious Roman Ca holic
school, as i was a secula and
mo e au ho i a ian educa ional
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Women in Leade ship
en i onmen . I was du ing he high school yea s ha she
de eloped an in ense sense o poli ical awa eness. She hailed
om a poli ically ac i e amily wi h some ela i es in exile.
While acknowledging ha he poli ical landscape has e ol ed
o e he yea s, she e lec s on he di e en na u e o poli ics
du ing he you h compa ed o he con empo a y poli ical
clima e.
She ecalls ha he poli ical awakening occu ed du ing
he high school yea s, ma king a depa u e om he ea lie
epu a ion as a diligen s uden who led he school p aye .
She began asking c i ical ques ions and also del ed in o
eminis li e a u e which igni ed he in e es in eminism. This
new ound consciousness led he o make a bold s a emen
by cu ing he long hai and ado ning he sel wi h eminis
s icke s ha p oclaimed women’s igh ul place in he wo ld.
This jou ney o conscien isa ion and poli icisa ion s ee ed he
owa ds he humani ies. Al hough she could ha e ollowed
one o many ca ee pa hs, he desi e o con ibu e o posi i e
change and unde s and he e ol ing Sou h A ican con ex ,
in luenced he o s udy he a s (speci ically, sociology,
poli ics, economics, and communica ion) a he Uni e si y o
Du ban-Wes ille.
He ea ly ca ee ook shape a Unisa in he 1990s, jus
be o e he democ a ic elec ions in Sou h A ica. Unisa, a la gely
whi e ins i u ion a he ime, posed some challenges o he
because she was no luen in A ikaans. To b idge his gap,
she unde wen special aining o become mo e compe en in
A ikaans. Despi e he ini ial linguis ic hu dles, she pe o med
well as a lec u e a Unisa and began he jou ney in he ield o
dis ance educa ion.
He expe ience o day- o-day li ing in P e o ia was
ma kedly di e en om ha which she expe ienced in Du ban,
and she ound he sel adjus ing o an un amilia en i onmen .
Howe e , she enjoyed he change and ound P e o ia o be
esh and dis inc . In pa icula , he sociology depa men
a UNISA was young and libe al, emphasising cul u al
unde s anding and openness o o he pe spec i es. He ime a
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P o . Kammila Naidoo
Unisa also led o an oppo uni y o u he academic g ow h
when she ecei ed a Commonweal h Schola ship in 1997 o
begin a PhD in he Uni ed Kingdom. She was hen g an ed
unpaid lea e o pu sue he s udies in he Uni ed Kingdom o
h ee yea s. This expe ience u ned ou o be li e-changing,
as i exposed he o an en i ely di e en academic and socio-
poli ical en i onmen . She dedica ed he sel o he s udies and
managed o comple e he PhD in Sociology wi hin he igh
h ee-yea ime and budge cons ain s. The sense o u gency
and pu pose le he wi h no oom o excuses, and she wo ked
i elessly o achie e he academic goals.
Upon he e u n om he UK, she ound he sel g owing
es less in he ield o dis ance educa ion. She began o
con empla e a change in he academic pa h and decided o
ansi ion o a new ins i u ion. She did no en u e oo a ,
as she made he mo e o he Uni e si y o P e o ia (UP). He
ca ee ajec o y was ma ked by conside able p og ess. She
mo ed om being a Senio Lec u e o an Associa e P o esso ,
ac i ely engaging in a ious academic ac i i ies such as
eaching, esea ch, and men o ing. He in luence ex ended
beyond he Depa men , as she played a pi o al ole in d i ing
he gende s udies p og am wi hin he acul y. She also s a ed
o ake on esponsibili ies ela ed o supe ision, men o ship,
and aining, wi nessing he i s doc o al s uden s g adua e—
an exhila a ing expe ience o he .
In Sep embe 2010, she emba ked on ano he signi ican
chap e in he academic jou ney by joining he Uni e si y o
Johannesbu g. O e he yea s, she has amassed expe ience in
academia, wi h a ich his o y o p o essional de elopmen and
a commi men o educa ion and men o ship along he way.
Th oughou he li e jou ney, she endu ed he ials and
ibula ions o amily li e, wo k-li e balance, and mo he hood,
all o which ga e shape and di ec ion o he p o essional
ajec o y wi hin he academic ealm. He o e a ching goal as
an academic has been o os e he g ow h and de elopmen
o o he s. Being an educa o and seeing he s uden s h i e
and each hei ull po en ial has been a sou ce o immense
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Women in Leade ship
sa is ac ion o he . She i mly belie es ha he e is no hing
mo e ewa ding han being a dedica ed eache and making a
posi i e impac on he li es o he s uden s.
Th oughou he ca ee , she has s i ed o main ain a
s ong e hical ounda ion and a genuine sense o ca e o hose
she in e ac s wi h. She acknowledges ha he pa h has been
a om smoo h, wi h nume ous obs acles and challenges
o o e come. Howe e , she belie es ha she has na iga ed
h ough hese ini ial di icul ies o ca e ou a meaning ul and
impac ul ca ee in academia.
In he cu en ole as Dean o Humani ies a he
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g, she exp esses con en men wi h
he in eg a ed and pu pose-d i en en i onmen . She alues
he Uni e si y’s commi men o Pan-A ican ideals and sees
he sel as a pa o his ib an academic space. Re lec ing on
he ca ee ajec o y, she acknowledges he e o she pu in o
building he pa h a each s age.
F om he 1990s o he 2000s, she obse ed a
undamen al ans o ma ion wi hin ins i u ions. No ably, she
pe cei ed a b isk shi in he landscape o women’s leade ship
oles. In 2013, she assumed he ole o Head o he Depa men
o Sociology a UJ, ma king a signi ican miles one. While
he e had been women in leade ship oles be o e, she belie es
ha she may ha e been he i s woman o colou o hold his
posi ion in he depa men . This change is emblema ic o a
b oade shi in he gene a ion, whe e women a e gaining
mo e oppo uni ies in leade ship posi ions.
Fu he mo e, he jou ney ook he o he posi ion o a
woman dean, which was s ill an unusual occu ence a he
ime in he humani ies. She no es ha , along wi h he , he e
a e now many o he women deans in hei espec i e ields,
mos o whom may also be pionee s in hei oles. This g adual
ans o ma ion highligh s he e ol ing landscape o leade ship
wi hin academia. She emphasises ha he cu en s a e o
p og ess was no achie ed wi hou conside able ha d wo k and
dedica ion. The jou ney has been ma ked by a commi men o
99
P o . Kammila Naidoo
In addi ion o being agile, she belie es in ho ough
planning and e en coo dina ion. Celeb a ing successes and
achie emen s wi hin he ins i u ion helps main ain a posi i e
a mosphe e and high mo ale. O e all, she ad oca es o a
p oac i e and igilan app oach a all le els o leade ship,
which includes s aying c ea i e, managing day- o-day
esponsibili ies e icien ly, and celeb a ing successes.
7. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would he code be and wha
would i look like?
She emphasises he impo ance o con inuously in es ing in
onesel , pa icula ly in acqui ing o mal quali ica ions. Women
leade s a e o en sc u inised based on hei quali ica ions,
and she no es ha women may e en need o possess mo e
quali ica ions han hei male coun e pa s o compe e
e ec i ely. Beyond o mal quali ica ions, she unde sco es he
signi icance o de eloping s ong social and emo ional skills,
as hey play a c ucial ole in how a leade in e ac s wi h o he s,
p esen s hemsel es, and is pe cei ed by o he s.
She acknowledges ha many women leade s g apple
wi h impos e synd ome, a eeling o inadequacy despi e
hei achie emen s. Building sel -con idence is essen ial in
o e coming his challenge and h i ing in leade ship oles. To
do so, she belie es i ’s essen ial o acqui e he skills needed o
manage onesel e ec i ely.
In he iew, a good woman leade is no only sel -awa e,
bu also highly a uned o he poli ical and en i onmen al
dynamics su ounding hem. Unde s anding he b oade
con ex allows leade s o o e s a egic solu ions and na iga e
complex challenges. This equi es being well-in o med abou
ins i u ional goals and ha ing he abili y o hink s a egically.
Addi ionally, she no es ha women leade s o en ope a e
in ela i e isola ion and may no ha e s ong ne wo ks. She
ad oca es o he impo ance o building and le e aging
ne wo ks, seeking men o s, and collabo a ing wi h o he s.

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Women in Leade ship
The suppo and guidance o men o s and pee s ha e been
ins umen al in he success o many women leade s, and she
encou ages women o ac i ely seek ou such suppo o excel
on hei pa hs o p og ess.
8. Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo? Mosadi
O shwa a Thipa Ka Bo Galeng. These a e bu a ew
sayings om he pas ha allude o he s eng h o
women. Wha is you iew on hem?
She belie es ha he e a e se e al s a emen s hin ing a he
s eng h o women. She acknowledges ha while women can
indeed be s ong and powe ul, i is essen ial no o adop an
in incible acade. She poin s ou ha some imes, women
celeb a e hei s eng h o he poin whe e hey neglec hei
ulne abili ies. She emphasises ha he e a e momen s when
women do b eak, and du ing hose imes, i is c ucial o ca e
o hemsel es and seek suppo .
In he pe spec i e, women should emb ace bo h hei
s eng hs and weaknesses. They shouldn’ eel compelled
o p esen hemsel es as ough as ocks, on pa wi h macho
men in unwa e ing esilience. Ins ead, she aligns wi h he
UJ Chancello ’s eminis app oach (o e ed a he 2023 Helen
Joseph Memo ial Lec u e) ha ecognises he complexi ies o
‘being human’ in he 21s cen u y.
She d aws a pa allel o he pas , such as he s a egic use
o po aying women as unb eakable ocks du ing e en s like
he 1956 Women’s Ma ch. Howe e , in he p esen e a, whe e
human igh s, gende igh s, and democ acy p e ail, he e is
no need o main ain he acade o being indes uc ible. Ins ead,
i is possible o acknowledge and add ess suscep ibili ies
wi hou comp omising one’s s eng h. O e all, she app ecia es
he app oach p esen ed in he lec u e hall, which aligns wi h
he idea ha women can be s ong while ecognising hei
ulne abili ies and he need o p io i ising ca e and suppo .
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P o . Kammila Naidoo
9. Wha ad ice did you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
She e lec s on he own jou ney in leade ship, no ing ha she
spen a signi ican po ion o he ca ee in a eaching ole,
be o e being encou aged o s ep in o leade ship posi ions,
such as becoming he head o a depa men and e en ually a
dean. She con esses ha she ne e imagined he sel in hese
leade ship oles and ini ially iewed i as playing a game.
She exp esses a desi e o someone o ha e ecognised
he leade ship po en ial ea lie in he ca ee and encou aged
he o ake on leade ship oles. She belie es ha he e may
ha e been a misconcep ion ha she was p ima ily a suppo i e
and “nice” pe son who excelled in he backg ound a he han
in leade ship posi ions.
He pe spec i e is ha women o en end o ake on
suppo i e oles and help o he s o lead bu a e slow o hesi an
o see hemsel es as po en ial leade s. She eg e s ha she
was no encou aged o did no see he possibili y o playing a
leade ship ole ea lie in he ca ee , possibly a ound 15 yea s
ago. She belie es ha women should be encou aged o s a
hei leade ship jou neys ea ly, a he han wai ing un il hey
a e deemed mo e ma u e o be espec ed in leade ship oles.
Ul ima ely, she ad oca es o nu u ing and empowe ing
younge women o ake on leade ship posi ions ea lie in hei
ca ee s, ecognising ha hey a e ully capable o excelling in
such oles.
103
P o . Nadine Pe e sen
Execu i e Dean: Facul y o Educa ion, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
P o . Pe e sen holds he posi ion o Dean o Educa ion a he
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g (UJ). He ca ee pa h began as a
eache . She augh o app oxima ely 8.5 yea s. She desc ibes
his expe ience as a “ha d p o ing g ound” whe e she had o
ma u e quickly as bo h a p o essional and an educa o .
He jou ney in o academia ook an unexpec ed u n
when she app oached he Dean o Educa ion o add ess a acis
lec u e ’s mis ea men o black s uden s. To he su p ise, she
was o e ed a job as a u o coo dina o despi e no ha ing an
honou s deg ee a he ime. This job oppo uni y was pa o an
employmen equi y ini ia i e o inc ease black ep esen a ion
a he Uni e si y.
She has been associa ed wi h he cu en ins i u ion
and i s p edecesso o a leas 26 yea s, p og essing
h ough a ious anks. She acknowledges ha he jou ney
has no been easy, e en hough he ins i u ion is conside ed
highly ans o med.
She iden i ies he sel as
an ac i is , emphasising he
commi men o jus ice, ai ness,
equali y, and gende issues. He
ac i ism ex ends beyond women’s
igh s o add ess b oade socie al
inequali ies. She highligh s ha
he expe iences o women a y
signi ican ly, based on ac o s
like ace, and says i is essen ial
o ecognise and add ess hese
104
Women in Leade ship
di e ences o ensu e equi able ep esen a ion and p og ess
o all women.
She also unde sco es he impo ance o acknowledging
he unique s uggles aced by women om di e en acial
backg ounds, such as Black, Whi e, Indian, and Colou ed
women. She belie es ha paying a en ion o hese di e ences
is c ucial o e ec i ely add ess and ad oca e o he di e se
needs and expe iences o women in socie y.
1. Wha we e he ea ly messages ha you we e
hea ing abou he gi l child? Messages ha came
om people you looked up o and messages ha
ended up inspi ing you on you leade ship jou ney.
She exp essed he hough s on he p edominan messages
she ecei ed om wha she e e ed o as he Colou ed
communi y, whe e gi ls we e expec ed o be seen and no
hea d. She no ed he s a k con as in how gi ls and boys we e
ea ed, wi h boys being encou aged o pu sue ca ee s while
gi ls we e con ined o ce ain oles.
G owing up wi h a single a he seemed o ha e a
p o ound impac on he pe spec i e. He a he ne e iewed
he gende as a limi a ion. Despi e being he eldes o wo
child en, wi h a younge b o he who had become a success ul
businessman, he a he ne e hesi a ed o emphasise he
in elligence. He o en p aised he , e en compa ing he
a ou ably o he b o he , al hough he was mo e success ul in
con en ional e ms. He a he ’s cons an message o he was
ha she could achie e any hing she se he mind o.
He a he ’s ad ice also included a memo able analogy:
“I people a e bigge han you, bo h li e ally and igu a i ely,
pick up a b ick and de end you sel , h ow i a hem, lob i a
hem.” This message, o ne e eel o e powe ed and o s and
up o onesel , had s ayed wi h he h oughou he li e. She
i mly belie ed ha no one should be conside ed oo big o be
challenged o b ough down o size.

105
P o . Nadine Pe e sen
He amily his o y also played a signi ican ole in
shaping he alues and de e mina ion. He a he ’s eldes
sis e had endu ed yea s o exile and wi nessing he challenges
she aced and he impac ul ole she played, se ed as a sou ce
o inspi a ion o he .
F om an ea ly age she had lea ned o speak up, ad oca e
o o he s, and ake a s and. She had been o una e o
encoun e s ong women who se ed as eache s and men o s
in he li e, each wi h unique quali ies ha she could lea n om.
Howe e , she emphasised ha he lea ning was no limi ed
o women alone; she had also been in luenced by ema kable
men. In academia, she highligh ed indi iduals like P o esso
Jace Pillay as exempla y igu es who had always suppo ed he
and been he e when needed.
In conclusion, he upb inging and li e expe iences had
ins illed in he he belie ha one’s gende should ne e limi
one’s po en ial. He a he had always ea ed he as an equal
and encou aged he o lead, lea ing a las ing imp ession ha
shaped he alues and de e mina ion o o e come obs acles.
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles acing
women in leade ship posi ions in he 21s cen u y?
She highligh ed se e al issues ha she belie ed women
commonly ace. One ecu ing challenge she men ioned was
he cons an messages, bo h explici and sub le, ha o en
unde mine women’s sel -con idence and make hem doub
hei abili ies. Many women, she no ed, s uggle wi h impos o
synd ome, ques ioning whe he hey a e uly good enough
o he oles hey aspi e o. In con as she obse ed ha men
o en exhibi unwa e ing con idence, e en in si ua ions whe e
hey may no be he mos quali ied, lea ing he cu ious abou
he o igins o such sel -assu edness.
She a ibu ed his di e ence in con idence o
socie al no ms and socialisa ion, sugges ing ha while
socie y encou ages men o o ge ahead wi hou es ain , i
simul aneously implies ha women should hold hemsel es
106
Women in Leade ship
back. She el his con ibu es o women no ully belie ing in
hei own po en ial.
Addi ionally, she exp essed conce ns abou he
lack o suppo om manage s when i comes o women
ad ancing in hei ca ee s. She belie ed ha women o en
need s onge ad oca es o help hem secu e leade ship
posi ions, e en when hey a e ully capable. She ques ioned
he assump ion ha e e y man who ascends o a leade ship
ole is 100% p epa ed o i and asse ed ha he e should
be mo e obus mechanisms in place o p omo e women in o
leade ship posi ions, beyond me e lip se ice and supe icial
leade shipp og ammes.
Fu he mo e, she emphasised he need o e ec i e
men o ing, no ing ha no all men o s p o ide he necessa y
guidance. In he expe ience some men o s, who we e women
hemsel es, didn’ encou age he o speak up and be asse i e.
Ins ead, hey inad e en ly con eyed he message ha ha ing
a oice was less impo an . She unde sco ed he impo ance o
men o s who empowe women o be ou spoken and con iden
in hei leade ship oles.
Las ly, she discussed he issue o gende -based pay
dispa i ies, poin ing ou ha women a e o en paid less
han men o simila posi ions e en wi hin academia. She
highligh ed his o ical disc epancies a he ins i u ion, whe e
men consis en ly ea ned mo e han women, ein o cing he
gende pay gap.
She a gued ha women’s s uggles encompass no
only pe sonal doub s bu also sys emic challenges, including
socie al expec a ions, inadequa e suppo om manage s,
subop imal men o ing, and gende -based pay dispa i ies.
She emphasised he need o subs an ial changes and genuine
commi men o add ess hese issues and p omo e gende
equali y in academia.
P o esso Nadine emphasised ha women in leade ship
oles a e no solely de ined by hei p o essional li es; hey
a e also mo he s and wi es. She unde sco ed he impo ance
o acknowledging ha we s ill li e in a socie y whe e ce ain
107
P o . Nadine Pe e sen
adi ional expec a ions pe sis . While women may ake on
leade ship posi ions, hey also ha e esponsibili ies and
commi men s in hei pe sonal li es, including ca ing o hei
child en and managing hei households.
She ecoun ed he own expe iences as a young lec u e ,
ecalling a ime when she had o pick up he daugh e om
school e e y day. mee ings we e o en scheduled du ing ha
c ucial ime which had le he in a di icul posi ion. Faced
wi h his dilemma, she made he decision o p io i ise he
child’s needs and skipped he mee ings o wo yea s. She
el ha hose o ganising he mee ings, who we e mos ly
men wi hou child en, didn’ ully g asp he challenges. This
c ea ed ensions and highligh ed he disconnec be ween he
demands o he pe sonal li e and p o essional esponsibili ies.
She ou lined i e key challenges aced by women
in leade ship: sel -doub , limi ed inancial suppo , he
need o balance pe sonal and p o essional li es, he lack
o unde s anding om colleagues wi hou simila amily
esponsibili ies, and s uc u al issues wi hin o ganisa ions,
ha some imes suppo indi iduals she pe cei ed as ill-sui ed
o leade ship oles. P o esso Nadine belie ed ha add essing
hese challenges is essen ial o achie ing ue gende
equali y and os e ing an inclusi e en i onmen o women in
leade ship posi ions.
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and child ea ing
ha socie y s ill expec s hem o ocus on.
P o esso Nadine Pe e sen encoun e ed labels like “loud,”
“a ogan ,” “concei ed,” and “agg essi e” being di ec ed a
he , among o he s. She belie es in no being oo quick o judge.
She doesn’ imply ha e e yone needs o aspi e o be a CEO o
a company, bu a he ha leade ship can mani es in di e se
ways. In he opinion, anyone can de elop leade ship quali ies,
gi en he igh socialisa ion, aining, and oppo uni ies.
108
Women in Leade ship
She i mly belie es ha e e y woman has he po en ial
o e ol e in o a leade . He pe spec i e ex ends beyond
adi ional CEO oles o encompass leade ship in a ious
domains, including pe sonal de elopmen and academic
ca ee s. She pe cei es leade ship as he capaci y o guide
onesel , as well as he abili y o lead o he s, pa icula ly young
indi iduals wi h whom one engages. Fo he , he concep o
leade ship spans a wide a ay o oles in which women can
ake he lead, e lec ing he di e si y o oppo uni ies o
women o demons a e leade ship quali ies.
4. Woman leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ?
She s ongly objec s o he no ion ha agg ession is a alid
label o he beha iou . She pe cei es he e m “agg ession”
as a label o en wielded by men o cha ac e ise women who
asse hemsel es. She poin s ou he double s anda d, no ing
ha men who exhibi simila asse i eness a e desc ibed using
wo ds like “ o h igh ” and “con iden .” In con as , when she
engages in he same beha iou she is o en labelled as “loud”
and “agg essi e.” P o esso Nadine dismisses hese labels as
baseless and nonsensical. She belie es ha some imes she
is compelled o adop a mo e o ce ul communica ion s yle
simply o ensu e ha he oice is hea d. When she speaks up,
she has equen ly encoun e ed dismissi eness o indi e ence
owa ds he opinions. Consequen ly, she may eso o
pe sis ence and epe i ion o make he poin s unde s ood.
In he iew, wha may be in e p e ed as “agg ession”
is, in ac , a s a egic esponse o he need o be hea d and
acknowledged. She sugges s ha when o he s ail o g asp
he message he i s ime, aising he oice becomes a
means o ensu ing ha he pe spec i e is ecognised and
akense iously.
115
Ms Le a o Riba
Execu i e Di ec o : Financial Go e nance and Con ol,
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
As he eldes child in he amily, Ms Riba sha ed ha he ea ly
esponsibili ies o looking a e he siblings, lea ning om
he pa en s, and he na u al inclina ion owa ds being isk-
a e se, played a signi ican ole in shaping he ca ee choices.
Ms Riba explained ha he amily backg ound p esen ed
he wi h wo p ima y ca ee pa hs. On he a he ’s side, many
amily membe s pu sued comme ce- ela ed p og ammes,
while on he mo he ’s side, he e was a ocus on he medical
ield. Howe e , he a ini y o numbe s and logical hinking
led he o choose a ca ee in cha e ed accoun ancy.
She ini ially conside ed ac ua ial science bu ealised
ha i wasn’ he igh i du ing he uni e si y s udies a UCT.
He academic jou ney wasn’ wi hou i s challenges. A e
excelling as an A s uden in high school, she encoun e ed
di icul ies du ing he i s semes e a uni e si y, especially
while s udying ac ua ial science. She aced a c i ical decision
poin whe e she had o choose
whe he o dwell on he s uggles
o ake p oac i e s eps o ind
he ue passion. Ms Riba decided
o pi o he academic pa h,
ollowing he in e es in cha e ed
accoun ancy.
He dedica ion and ha d
wo k paid o as she success ully
comple ed he unde g adua e
s udies wi hin he equi ed ime
ame. Howe e , he challenges
con inued as she del ed in o he

116
Women in Leade ship
p o essional wo ld o cha e ed accoun ancy. She sha ed he
expe iences o he igo ous p ocess, including comple ing he
a icles and w i ing boa d exams.
One ema kable aspec o he jou ney was he
de e mina ion o o e come obs acles. She highligh ed he
p ide she el in o e coming challenges du ing he s udies and
exams, pa icula ly in ob aining he CTA (Ce i ica e o Theo y
in Accoun ing).
Ms Riba also emphasised he belie ha leade ship was
no limi ed o posi ions o i les; ins ead, i was a choice ha
indi iduals could make in a ious aspec s o hei li es. She
encou ages he ea ly adop ion o leade ship quali ies and
ai s, as hey can ha e a posi i e impac h oughou one’s li e.
Fu he mo e, Ms Riba discussed he p o essional
expe iences, no ing ha she wo ked in a ious companies
ha signi ican ly con ibu ed o he pe sonal g ow h. He
ca ee pa h ook he h ough di e en sec o s, including he
public sec o . She men ioned he ole a he Na ional T easu y
and how i e en ually led he o he cu en posi ion a he
Uni e si y o Johannesbu g.
In summa y, Ms Riba’s jou ney is ma ked by he
esilience, adap abili y, and a s ong commi men o he
chosen pa h, which has led he o become a success ul
p o essional in he ield o cha e ed accoun ancy and a leade
in he own igh . He s o y unde sco es he impo ance o
emb acing challenges and seizing oppo uni ies along he way.
1. Wha a e he ea ly messages ha you we e hea ing
abou he gi l child? Messages ha came om
people you look up o and messages ha ended up
inspi ing you in you leade ship jou ney.
She sha ed he signi ican in luence o he amily, pa icula ly
he g andpa en s and pa en s, on he pe sonal de elopmen
and con idence. Ms Riba was o una e o ha e bo h ma e nal
and pa e nal g andpa en s in he li e while g owing up in a
household whe e bo h o he pa en s we e p esen . This amily
117
Ms Le a o Riba
en i onmen played a pi o al ole in shaping he pe spec i e
she o med abou he sel and he po en ial.
Ms Riba emphasised ha he pa en s ne e
di e en ia ed be ween hei child en based on gende , despi e
he poli ical concep s o hei ime. They ins illed in he he
belie ha she could aspi e o be any hing she chose in li e.
They encou aged he o be con iden in he abili ies and ne e
limi ed he based on adi ional gende oles. She ondly
men ioned ha he pa en s’ suppo was so empowe ing ha
she jokingly men ioned knowing how o change a ca y e
because he mom augh he and being in en ional in handling
household cho es due o he dad’s in luence.
Fo Ms Riba, he oices ha encou aged he o belie e
she could achie e any hing while being au hen ic o he sel
le a las ing imp ession and shaped he pe son she has
become oday. She ca ies his belie in he sel and he
capabili ies, which has con ibu ed o he con idence and he
de e mina ion o pu sue he chosen pa h in li e.
Ms Riba’s upb inging in a suppo i e and egali a ian
amily en i onmen , whe e gende was no a limi ing ac o ,
played a i al ole in shaping he sel -belie and con idence.
These ea ly in luences ha e had a signi ican impac on
he li e and ha e con ibu ed o he sense o empowe men
andde e mina ion.
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles o women
o ake on leade ship posi ions in he 21s cen u y?
Ms Riba discussed he pe spec i e on he challenges women
aced in he wo kplace pa icula ly when i came o adi ional
gende oles and he impac on hei ca ee p og ession. Ms
Riba belie es ha adi ional oles, which o en box women
in o he ca ego y o nu u e s and ca egi e s, while no always
ep esen a i e o he whole, could be a posi i e aspec i
iewed in a mo e inclusi e manne . She poin ed ou ha he
wo k en i onmen had no adequa ely accommoda ed hose
oles, hus posing challenges o women.
118
Women in Leade ship
Acco ding o Ms Riba, one o he mos signi ican
issues she has expe ienced and con inues o obse e in
oday’s wo ld is he impac o women as child-bea e s on
hei ca ee p og ession. She highligh s he ac ha women
o en need o ake ime o om he o ice o ce ain pe iods
due o p egnancy and childca e esponsibili ies. In ce ain
p o essions, his is s ill iewed as a po en ial hind ance o
ca ee ad ancemen .
She sha ed a pe sonal example, saying, “i I look a
some o my male coun e pa s, who we e pe haps a he same
ca ee le el as I was when I decided o ea my amily and had
o ake a s ep back o make ime o hese esponsibili ies,
I el he impac . On he male side, li e con inues as usual
hus p esen ing gende inequali ies.” Ms Riba exp esses
he conce n ha wo kplaces ha e no ye ound e ec i e
ways o p e en hese challenges om hinde ing women’s
ca ee p og ess.
Fo Ms Riba, i is un o una e ha no adequa e solu ions
ha e been ound o add ess his issue in he wo kplace. She
belie es ha when some hing is seen as a hind ance, i is
c ucial o explo e how i can be u ned in o an ad an age o
an oppo uni y o g ow h. To add ess hese challenges, she
pe sonally pu sued u he educa ion and sough ways o b ing
a unique se o skills o he able, beyond wha is adi ionally
expec ed o cha e ed accoun an s. She ad ises o he s o do
he same and encou ages hem o ind ways o u n hind ances
in o oppo uni ies o con ibu e dis inc i eness o hei wo k.
Finally, Ms Riba’s insigh s shed ligh on he challenges
women ace due o adi ional gende oles and he impac
on hei ca ee de elopmen . She emphasises he impo ance
o inding inno a i e ways o na iga e hese challenges
and b ing uniqueness o one’s p o essional jou ney,
ul ima ely con ibu ing o a mo e inclusi e and equi able
wo ken i onmen .
119
Ms Le a o Riba
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and childbi h ha
equi e hem o ocus on ca ing as well.
Ms Riba add essed a ques ion conce ning he idea ha women,
by i ue o bea ing and aising child en, migh be seen as
being na u ally bo n in o leade ship oles. She exp essed he
pe spec i e on his ma e and highligh ed he belie ha
leade s we e no bo n bu made.
Ms Riba cla i ies ha she doesn’ en i ely ag ee wi h
he no ion ha women a e au oma ically bo n in o leade ship
due o hei ole in childbea ing and ca egi ing. Ins ead, she
belie es ha leade ship is a conscious decision and a choice
ha indi iduals make. She s a ed, “In any ci cums ance, do I
choose o ake a lead on some hing, o do I si back and allow
hings o happen a ound me?”
She u he explains ha because leade ship is a ma e
o choice, i is some hing ha is de eloped and nu u ed o e
ime. Va ious ac o s con ibu e o an indi idual’s jou ney
owa ds becoming a leade . These ac o s can include he
passage o ime (accumula ed expe ience), speci ic li e
ci cums ances, and a pe sonal in e es in explo ing leade ship
oppo uni ies u he .
4. Women leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ? Kindly
unpack i .
She highligh s an essen ial pe spec i e on leade ship and he
ela ionship be ween pe sonali y ai s and gende . Acco ding
o he , indi iduals ha e he agency o choose he pe sonali y
ai s hey wish o emphasise in hei leade ship s yle,
i espec i e o hei gende .
Ms Riba cla i ies ha i a pe son decides o adop an
agg essi e leade ship s yle, i is a esul o hei pe sonal
choice a he han being de e mined by hei gende . She
emphasises ha he e a e a ious leade ship s yles, and
120
Women in Leade ship
people b ing di e en quali ies o he able. Some indi iduals
may na u ally lean owa ds mo e agg essi e app oaches,
bu his inclina ion is a ma e o pe sonal choice and wha
esona es wi h hem.
She u he s esses he impo ance o asse i eness in
leade ship, no ing ha i is an in aluable quali y o all leade s
o possess, as opposed o agg ession. Di e en si ua ions may
call o he applica ion o a ious leade ship ai s, and i is up
o he indi idual leade o decide which ai s o emphasise.
Ms Riba’s iew is ha hese choices should no hinde leade s
om achie ing hei goals.
Ul ima ely, Ms Riba emphasises ha pe sonali y ai s
and leade ship s yles a e indi idual choices and should
no be a ibu ed o gende . In he pe spec i e, leade ship
quali ies a e no gende -speci ic bu a he a e lec ion o he
indi idual’s unique pe sonali y and p e e ences. Key akeaway
is o leade s o b ing hei au hen ic sel es o he wo kplace,
in ha way p omo ing di e si y, which has been p o en o
enhance wo kplace pe o mance.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk ha you ha e had
o ake in you leade ship jou ney and why?
Ms Riba's unde s anding o leade ship esona es wi h a
de ini ion ha ocuses on one's abili y o in luence o he s
o ake ac ions hey migh no ypically ake. In he iew,
e ec i e leade ship in ol es ha ing a ision o wha needs o
be accomplished and guiding o he s along a pa h owa ds ha
ision. She emphasised ha his pa h is no wi hou challenges
as i o en in ol es a mix o oppo uni ies and hind ances.
Ms Riba explains ha achie ing he en isioned ou come
o en equi es aking isks. She likens his aspec o an
academic discussion, highligh ing ha in he pu sui o a goal,
indi iduals o en encoun e a ious isks and unce ain ies.
Despi e hese challenges, she belie es in he saying ha
“any hing wo h achie ing does no come easy.”

121
Ms Le a o Riba
Finally, Ms Riba’s pe spec i e on leade ship cen es
on he idea o in luencing o he s o pu sue ac ions ha may
no be easy bu a e wo h i in he end. I in ol es ha ing a
clea ision, na iga ing h ough a mix o oppo uni ies and
obs acles, and being willing o ake isks o achie e he desi ed
ou come. This pe spec i e unde sco es he de e mina ion and
commi men o en equi ed in leade ship oles.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
Ms Riba sha es he pe spec i e on he concep o achie ing
success and emphasises ha she doesn’ belie e he e is a
single, oolp oo ecipe o achie ing i . She acknowledges ha
she is s ill on he own jou ney and belie es ha he pa h o
success is no a ‘one-size- i s-all’ no ion.
Ms Riba highligh s he impo ance o d awing joy om
in e ac ing and engaging wi h a wide a ay o people. In he
iew, his in e pe sonal connec ion and lea ning om o he s
is a signi ican ac o in pe sonal and p o essional g ow h. She
s esses ha when indi iduals engage wi h people whom hey
iew as di e en om hemsel es, hey o en ind aluable
lessons o lea n.
Fu he mo e, Ms Riba emphasises he alue o being
in en ional abou lea ning and pe sonal de elopmen . She
sha es ha , in he ca ee , she always seizes oppo uni ies
o u he he educa ion and p o essional de elopmen . She
belie es i ’s impo an o be delibe a e in his pu sui . She also
ecommends explo ing pe sonal in e es s and expanding one’s
knowledge in o a eas one migh no ha e ini iallyconside ed.
She no ed, “I hink i is impo an o jus expose you sel
o expe iences and knowledge because ha con ibu es
o being able o ela e well wi h o he s, and ha , o me,
isg ow h.”
Ms Riba’s pe spec i e unde sco es he belie ha he e
is no uni e sal pa h o success, and he jou ney is unique o
each indi idual. She places a s ong emphasis on engaging
122
Women in Leade ship
wi h di e se indi iduals, being in en ional abou lea ning
and de elopmen , and explo ing pe sonal in e es s as key
componen s o pe sonal and p o essional g ow h.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
Ms Riba sha es he expe iences as a mul i asking indi idual
and he challenges o managing mul iple esponsibili ies
in a dynamic wo ld. She jokingly exp esses he desi e o a
pe sonal assis an in all ace s o he li e, due o he p opensi y
o mul i asking. She emphasises ha in his apidly changing
wo ld, ha ing an e ec i e s a egy o juggling a ious
esponsibili ies simul aneously is c ucial.
Ms Riba s esses he impo ance o p io i isa ion o
p e en bu nou and sa egua d men al heal h. She emphasises
he signi icance o ha ing a s ong alue sys em ha guides
indi iduals in de e mining hei p io i ies. She sha es, “I hink
ha he key o me in e ms o how o p io i ise and minimise
he isk o ad e sely a ec ing men al heal h, is possessing
undamen al alues a ound who you a e and wha ole you
b ing o socie y a la ge. This p o es in aluable in he quali y
o decisions aken.”
Ms Riba also acknowledges he challenges o being
a wo king mo he and he guil associa ed wi h ha ing o
p io i ise ce ain esponsibili ies o e o he s. She ei e a es
ha he abili y o p io i ise e ec i ely is closely ied o one’s
alue sys em.
Ms Riba highligh s he expe iences as a mul i asking
indi idual in a as -paced wo ld. Ms Riba s esses he
impo ance o e ec i e p io i isa ion as a means o p e en
bu nou and sa egua d men al heal h. She emphasises he ole
o undamen al alues in guiding one’s p io i ies.
123
Ms Le a o Riba
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
Ms Riba sha es he code o success, which comp ises h ee
undamen al p inciples. Fi s and o emos , she emphasises
he impo ance o ‘b inging he au hen ic you o he able.’ Ms
Riba belie es ha an indi idual’s au hen ici y is in aluable, as
each pe son possesses unique quali ies and expe iences ha
can con ibu e posi i ely o any si ua ion. She unde sco es
his as he golden ule. Secondly, she s esses he signi icance
o sel -disco e y and con inuous pe sonal g ow h. Knowing
onesel is a li elong jou ney, and she encou ages indi iduals o
in es in his explo a ion. Las ly, Ms Riba highligh s he idea
ha ‘i ’s no all abou you.’ She eminds us ha we a e all pa
o a la ge collec i e and ha aluing he con ibu ions and
pe spec i es o o he s is essen ial o success.
9. Wa hin a Aba azi, Wa hin ’ Mbokodo? Mosadi
O swa a Thipa ka Bo Galeng. These a e a ew
s a emen s ha ha e exis ed, alluding o he
s eng h o a woman. Wha is you iew on hem?
Ms Riba emphasises he impo ance o ecognising ha
indi iduals b ing a wide ange o ai s and a ibu es o
he able, and hese quali ies a e no solely de e mined by
gende . She no es ha his o ical s e eo ypes and biases s ill
pe sis oday, o en associa ing ce ain ai s mo e wi h one
gende han he o he . Ms Riba exp esses he iew ha such
s e eo ypes may lead o missed oppo uni ies as he belie is
ha while women can ise o he occasion as alluded o by he
abo e saying, he e a e no inhe en limi a ions due o gende .
All indi iduals ha e hei asso men o quali ies o b ing o
he able, and hus con ibu e o he collec i e good.
124
Women in Leade ship
10. Wha ad ice do you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee ? And why?
Ms Riba exp esses he g a i ude o ha ing pe se e ed wi h
he cha e ed accoun ancy p o ession. She cha ac e ises i as a
jou ney ha , despi e i s challenges, also b ings joy, ul ilmen
and an a ay o oppo uni y. She emphasises he impo ance o
aking he jou ney as i comes and o iewing e e y expe ience
as a lea ning oppo uni y, while being in en ional abou i .
Ms Riba also e lec s on how, had she known abou he
oppo uni ies his p o ession p esen ed as well as he impac
one is able o make, a he beginning o he ca ee , she migh
ha e been kinde o he sel , acknowledging ha li e un olds as
i is mean o, wi h a pu pose o how hings anspi e.
131
Ms Kha hu Sibanda
knew ha going in o business would impac he inances bu
did i anyway, because she had he “can do, will do” a i ude.
She ealised in he second yea o business ha launching a
new business was a di e en ballgame al oge he . Wi h ha
she lea n ha “ he e a e people who a e wi ed and made o
ce ain hings, and his makes hem i in o en ep eneu ship
be e ”. Wi h he , no knowing wha he nex mo e would be
was ha d. No knowing i he business would be success ul
o no was a he us a ing. S a ing a business was isky
o he as she ealised i was no o he . She came o belie e
ha en ep eneu ship was no o he a he ime. Wi h his
ealisa ion, Kha hu ga e he sel ime o assess he si ua ion,
she hen decided o s a looking o a job again.
6. How do you con inue o g ow, de elop, and show
up as a leade ? Sha e you ecipe o success.
Kha hu emphasised he signi icance o con inuous lea ning
and he accep ance o no knowing e e y hing in he app oach
o leade ship. She unde sco ed he commi men o p o iding
o he s wi h a pla o m o educa e he on subjec s she may
no be amilia wi h as one o he s eng hs. She openly
encou ages he eam, emphasising hei in elligence, and
u ging hem o impa hei knowledge o he , e en in he
capaci y as a Chie In o ma ion O ice She add essed he
common misconcep ion ha leade s, pa icula ly in he
ole, a e expec ed o possess comp ehensi e knowledge. She
candidly exp essed ha he eam migh assume she has all
he answe s, such as oubleshoo ing a compu e issue o
esol ing a so wa e mal unc ion, e en when she may no
possess he equisi eexpe ise.
Kha hu esponse o challenges she canno esol e he sel
is o seek assis ance, iewing i as an oppo uni y o lea n. She
emained ecep i e o b oadening he knowledge and i mly
belie ed he e is no shame in asking o help o admi ing when
she doesn’ know some hing. She is p oac i e in assessing
he s eng hs and weaknesses, ac i ely seeking eedback

132
Women in Leade ship
om he child en, he spouse, close associa es, ne wo king
connec ions, and iends o acili a e he pe sonalg ow h.
Addi ionally, she main ained a long-dis ance
men o ship ela ionship wi h a men o o e seas, e en
hough hey hadn’ me in yea s. She alued he a ailabili y
o he men o o guidance and cla i y h ough phone calls.
She emphasised he po en ial o con inuous coaching and
men o ing, and she ecognised he impo ance o knowing
who o each ou o o speci ic guidance and suppo , a
p inciple ha has been ins umen al in he jou ney.
7. Wha does juggling a ew balls mean o you?
Fo he , i means ensu ing ime managemen and e ec i e
communica ion; by always ensu ing she clea ly communica es
wi h he husband, he child en and hose she wo ks wi h. Time
managemen o he also includes espec ing o he people’s
ime, in o ming people when she is unable o do some hing.
She added ha mul i asking o ms a pa o s eng h in a
woman. She made an insigh ul obse a ion, highligh ing he
mul i asking abili ies o women in managing a ious asks
simul aneously, such as wa ching TV, cooking, ending o
hei husbands, and assis ing hei child en wi h homewo k—
all in a single momen . This adep juggling o esponsibili ies
e lec s he capaci y o ake p omp ac ion by iden i ying
issues p oac i ely.
She u he emphasised he need o p oac i e p oblem-
sol ing, dis inguishing i om he common endency o
wai ing o issues o su ace. She a icula ed ha indi iduals
o en claim o possess s ong p oblem-sol ing skills bu
equen ly o e look he impo ance o iden i ying po en ial
p oblems, mi iga ing hem be o e hey escala e, and
e ec i ely esol ing hem in hei ea ly s ages o p e en
signi ican challenges om eme ging.
133
Ms Kha hu Sibanda
8. I you we e o pu oge he a code o p ac ice o
women leade s, wha would ha code be and wha
would i look like?
Kha hu a i med he p inciple o leading by example,
ad oca ing o in eg i y, accoun abili y, and a s ong wo k
e hic. She i mly belie es in no ins uc ing o he s o do
some hing ha she does no p ac ice. This commi men
ex ended o he leade ship s yle, whe e she os e s an
en i onmen o us and au onomy. She ci ed an example
o no equi ing he employees o epo hei mo emen s
o he , since she did no epo he own mo emen s o he
manage D Ralepha a. She alued he impo ance o pe sonal
esponsibili y and e hical beha iou .
Di e si y and inclusion also occupy a cen al ole in
he leade ship philosophy, gi en he a ied backg ounds o
indi iduals wi hin he eam. She s essed he signi icance
o lis ening be o e speaking, unde lining he impo ance o
empa he ic leade ship. Shea sha ed an example conce ning a
YES p og am g adua e applying o an in e nship a UJ while
esiding in P e o ia. She illus a ed how di e en ly indi iduals
migh in e p e he si ua ion based on hei backg ounds and
expe iences. She emphasised ha as a leade , i is c ucial o
be bo h di e se and inclusi e while highligh ing ha empa hy
should no be miscons ued as a sign o weakness. He
leade ship app oach cen ed on unde s anding, espec ing,
and os e ing a ha monious wo k en i onmen , whe e
indi iduals a e app ecia ed o hei unique backg ounds
andpe spec i es.
9. “Wa in a Aba azi, Wa in ’Imbokodo” and
“Mosadi o shwa a hipa ka bo galeng”, a e sayings
om he pas ha allude o he s eng h o women.
Wha is you iew on hem?
She said ha hose s a emen s came in an e a whe e women
wan ed o pu a s a emen ou he e, o show hey we e s ong
and esilien and ha hey we e con ibu ing o ce ain goals,
which Sou h A ica wan ed o achie e. One could e e o hese
s a emen s because o he his o y behind hem and i was
impo an o e e o hese s a emen s wi hin he his o ical
con ex in which hey we e de eloped because women wan ed
o po ay hei s eng h a ha speci ic ime in he pas .
Kha hu s essed ha she did no wan o be known as a ock,
“a ha d pe son ha i you ouch me, you will know me”, as i
goes agains leade ship as she unde s ands i . She s a ed ha
“ o be a ock” mus be con ex ualised p ope ly.
10. Wha ad ice do you wish someone had gi en you
a he beginning o you ca ee and why?
Re lec ing on he ca ee jou ney, she exp essed he wish ha
someone had sha ed he impo ance o emb acing mis akes
and he no ion ha e o s a e pe missible, o gi able, and
aluable lea ning oppo uni ies. She ecoun ed he ea ly
ca ee expe iences, whe e he p e ailing sen imen was ha
mis akes we e no ole a ed. This en i onmen , possibly
a ibu ed o he echnical and sa e y equi emen s, posed
conside able challenges o he . She con eyed he eg e abou
he ea ha was ins illed in he , he belie ha mis akes we e
un eco e able, and he pe cep ion ha one could no a o d
oe .
Unde sco ing he nega i e impac o such a mindse ,
asse ing ha i discou aged inno a ion and inhibi ed
indi iduals om in oducing no el ideas. She exp essed
he desi e o ha e been libe a ed om he ea ha a single
mis ake could esul in di e consequences, sugges ing ha
i migh ha e enabled he o app oach he endea ou s wi h a
g ea e sense o inno a ion and c ea i i y.
She e lec ed on he signi icance o achie ing a
balance be ween echnical quali ica ions and educa ional
quali ica ions wi hin he con ex o a echnical en i onmen
like In o ma ion and Communica ion Technology (ICT). She
exp essed he wish ha someone had enligh ened he abou
he challenges o solely pu suing educa ional quali ica ions
wi hou acqui ing he necessa y echnical skills. She no ed
ha elying solely on educa ional quali ica ions, e en a he
135
Ms Kha hu Sibanda
mas e ’s o doc o al le el, can lead o ailu e in oles ha
demand echnical expe ise.
Acco ding o Kha hu, he key o success in such
en i onmen s lies in s iking a balance be ween educa ional
and echnical quali ica ions. She s essed he impo ance o
ob aining ele an echnical ce i ica ions, such as Mic oso
and secu i y ce i ica ions as essen ial componen s o a
echnical skillse . She emphasised ha indi iduals lacking
adi ional educa ional backg ounds bu possessing he
necessa y echnical quali ica ions can be en us ed wi h
c i ical esponsibili ies, e en in billion-dolla sys ems.
She poin ed ou ha echnical know-how is especially
c ucial o hose a lowe p o essional le els, as i enables
hem o g ow and ad ance, based on hei echnical
p o iciency, an aspec ha educa ional deg ees alone may no
adequa elyadd ess.
She o e ed aluable guidance o young indi iduals,
emphasising he impo ance o ecognising and emb acing
hei unique li e jou neys. He ad ice cen ed on he idea ha
each pe son’s jou ney is hei own and ha i was essen ial o
ake owne ship o i . She unde sco ed ha while o he people
may be a ailable o assis , he p ima y esponsibili y emained
wi h he indi idual.
She encou aged young indi iduals o app oach hei
jou neys wi h a sense o owne ship, se ing clea goals and
ac i ely aking cha ge o hei ca ee s. The pi o al concep
she emphasised was ha i is ‘you jou ney, you li e.’ By
in e nalising his pe spec i e, one could clea he pa h o
success. This ou look a oided he common ap o compa ing
onesel o o he s and expec ing handou s. She cau ioned
agains assuming ha wha happens o one pe son should
au oma ically apply o e e yone else. Youngs e s should
e ain om he mindse o en i lemen , and ins ead, hey
should ocus on c a ing hei own unique jou neys and
shaping hei des inies.

137
P o . Mmase hunya Temane
Execu i e Dean: Heal h Sciences, Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
Backg ound
P o Temane, cu en ly se ing as a P o esso a he
Doo n on ein Campus (DFC) a he Uni e si y o Johannesbu g
(UJ), has been on a ema kable jou ney d i en by he
unwa e ing belie in he ans o ma i e powe o educa ion.
F om he o ma i e yea s, she emb aced he pa en s’
con ic ion ha “Educa ion is he key”—a p inciple ha
shaped he pa h. Ini ially ained as a nu se, specializing in
psychia ic nu sing, she disco e ed he passion o psychia y
despi e he ini ial ese a ions abou he nu sing p o ession,
which she chose unde amily p essu e. He o iginal desi e o
s udy social wo k was hwa ed by pa en al objec ions, leading
he o commi he sel ully o nu sing and s i e o mee
hei expec a ions.
A e comple ing he i s unde g adua e deg ee a he
Uni e si y o No h-Wes , she emba ked on a pi o al chap e
in 2010 when she joined UJ,
aspi ing o wo k in he Depa men
o Nu sing. P o Temane’s ca ee
ajec o y includes di e se
expe iences, such as wo king in
IT heal hca e and psychia ic
hospi als. He academic jou ney,
somewha se endipi ously, was
in luenced by he guidance and
men o ship o P o Poggenpoel,
which signi ican ly impac ed he
p o essionalde elopmen .
138
Women in Leade ship
1. Wha we e he ea ly messages ha you we e
hea ing abou he gi l child? Messages ha came
om people you looked up o and messages ha
ended up inspi ing you on you leade ship jou ney.
P o Temane’s jou ney is ma ked by he challenges she aced
as a young gi l and h oughou he ea ly educa ion. F om
a young age, she s uggled agains discou aging messages
ha cons an ly eminded he o socie al gende no ms
and limi a ions. He siblings o en old he , “You a e no
supposed o do his,” bu he unwa e ing de e mina ion and
s ubbo nness d o e he o de y hese expec a ions. I was only
when she achie ed he i s , second, and hi d deg ees ha
he amily began o ecognize he accomplishmen s and o e
hei  espec .
He e lec ion on he school days e ealed a lack o
a i ma ion and encou agemen o gi ls, who we e ypically
elega ed o he backg ound wi hou oppo uni ies o
explo e hei ull po en ial. This pas s ill deeply upse s he
conside ing he absence o messages ha could ha e inspi ed
and encou aged he du ing he o ma i e yea s.
The u ning poin in he li e came du ing he i s
unde g adua e deg ee, whe e she inally ecei ed messages
o inspi a ion and suppo . He expe iences a Weskoppies
Psychia ic Hospi al we e ma ked by he misconcep ion
ha she had a ended a ‘Model C’ school due o he
achie emen s—a es amen o he unwa e ing de e mina ion
and he ecogni ion o he capabili ies. Du ing his ime, she
ound men o s who encou aged he o excel and each he
ullpo en ial.
P o Temane is passiona e abou sha ing he message
ha women can achie e any hing hey se hei minds o. She
i mly belie es ha emales should no be a aid o pu sue
hei d eams. He s o y se es as a sou ce o inspi a ion o
e e yone, unde sco ing he impo ance o empowe men and
encou agemen o women in educa ion and socie y.
139
P o . Mmase hunya Temane
2. Wha a e some o he gla ing obs acles acing
women in leade ship posi ions in he 21s cen u y?
P o Temane decla ed ha he i s obs acle is indi idual
ba ie s and explained ha he messages one ecei es can
make you s a ques ioning you sel , which can u n in o sel -
doub . Ano he obs acle would be o ganiza ional ba ie s.
Al hough we wo k in an en i onmen whe e people will say
hey ca e o you and belie e in you, he e a e sub le biases
agains women. Women ha e o posi ion hemsel es as women
so ha hey will lea n o know and unde s and hemsel es.
E e y woman should emind he sel ha she has unlimi ed
po en ial and should ne e allow anyone o ell he wha she
can o canno do. She added ha she coaches he sel and
eminds he sel o hese wo ds wi hou i u ning in o a cliché.
She has egula con e sa ions wi h he bes iend abou
obs acles ha she aces, which has helped he immensely.
3. A e emale leade s bo n o made? Please elabo a e
as you conside he ac ha mos women ha e
addi ional oles like childbea ing and child ea ing
ha socie y s ill expec s hem o ul il.
P o Temane belie es ha emale leade s a e bo n and no
made. She exp essed ha he e is no much o a di e ence
be ween emale and male leade s. I has been di icul o he
o engage in a male-domina ed en i onmen . Al hough people
will always say ha male leade s a e bo n, so a e women. This
is illus a ed by how women can juggle all hei di e en oles
and s ill make i o he op. The e o e, she belie es ha emale
leade s a e bo n and no made.
4. Women leade s a e mo e agg essi e han male
leade s. Wha is you iew on his s a emen ? Kindly
unpack i .
Du ing a candid con e sa ion, P o Temane play ully ema ked
ha he abo e s a emen sounded like i was w i en by a
man, highligh ing he challenges ha women some imes ace
140
Women in Leade ship
in ad oca ing o hemsel es and hei belie s. She does no
pe sonally subsc ibe o his iewpoin , i mly belie ing ha
socie y o en s uggles o comp ehend and app ecia e women
who s and i m and exp ess asse i eness.
She s essed ha i is c ucial o ecognize ha no all
women exhibi passi e-agg essi e beha iou and ha i
is unjus o s e eo ype women leade s as agg essi e. P o
Temane unde sco ed he impo ance o unde s anding he
dynamics a play, no ing ha women leade s mus be well-
e sed in “ he game” and i s ules, s i ing o ac on hei own
e ms, a he han adhe ing o someone else’s ideas.
Mo eo e , she acknowledged ha some men may
a emp o push women o hei emo ional limi s, which is
a es o esilience and a e lec ion o socie al expec a ions.
Women, she explained, may ind hemsel es pushed in o a
s a e o appa en agg essi eness, bu his does no necessa ily
mean hey a e inhe en ly agg essi e. Thei asse i eness may
be a esponse o he ex e nal ci cums ances hey ace.
5. Wha is he mos impo an isk you ha e had o
ake on you leade ship jou ney and why?
P o Temane sha ed aluable insigh s in o he na u e o
leade ship, highligh ing ha aking up a leade ship ole
is inhe en ly a isk. The unce ain y o he jou ney ahead,
including he unknown challenges, eam dynamics, and he
e y essence o leade ship, can be a daun ing p ospec . She
unde sco ed he need o leade s o consis en ly pe o m a
hei bes , bo h o hemsel es and hei eams, as hey s ep
in o he ole.
A pi o al momen in he leade ship jou ney occu ed
in 2017 when she was nomina ed o he posi ion o Head
o Depa men (HOD). Ini ially, she hesi a ed o accep he
nomina ion, as she had always en isioned leading om behind
he scenes. Howe e , she sough counsel om P o Swa ,
who, upon lea ning o he eluc ance, u ged he o emb ace
he ole, emphasizing ha i was a pa h she should no shy