MIW Magazine SADC South 2015

I n f l u e n t i a l

WOMEN i n

B u s i n e s s

a n d

G o v e r n m e n t

THE POWER of

Positivity

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Determination Defines Results

e x p a n d

y o u r

b u s i n e s s

Global

h o r i z o n s

2015/2016

M o s t

SADC SOUTH

A f r i c a ’ s

Success Committed to

by Valdi Pereira

Following the fall of apartheid and encouraged by the Grameen Bank microcredit strategies, Zanele Mbeki started WDB in 1991 to alleviate poverty and empower the marginalised rural poor. Starting with R20,000, Zanele gathered together female colleagues with business, financial, and banking skills and set out to change the world little by little starting with a pilot program to meet the needs of 50 enterprising rural women in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga.

T

he first WDB clients received R300 for their initial loans – a huge sum for women who had rarely had access to more than R10. After three months, the women repaid 100% of their loans, launching WDB into its original operations with three divisions, WDB Microfinance, WDB Trust, and WDB Investment Holdings. Since its inception up to 2012 when the Micro Finance operation closed, WDB Microfinance had disbursed R100 million to 76 000 women, meaning 380 000 benefitted – assuming an average five-member household.

Zanele points out that erroneous conflation of pay-day commercial lenders with pro-poor developmental micro finance institutions can endanger the work done by developmental microfinance institutions.

“Our objective is to enable poor people to pull themselves out of poverty by their own actions. In this way under-resourced poor people are afforded financial inclusion for productive activities. Importantly, micro-solutions can never substitute macro interventions such as provided by the state – poverty eradication requires much more than simply access to credit.”

The initial 50 women formed lending groups that were accountable for the collective repayment of the loans. No additional loans would be disbursed until all the initial loans in the group had been repaid. The women worked together to reach success. WDB taught them basic literacy, book-keeping skills and computer training. The women improved their lives as a collective unit rather than as individuals.

These women weren’t content with just one or two loans to get by, they took out larger loans, diversified, pooled their resources, and built business as families – recruiting their children, husbands, and relatives into the businesses. Neighbours were encouraged to do the same.

This growing loan base is one of the most gratifying aspects for Zanele: “It shows that our model to grow women’s enterprises, improve quality of life for families and build on women’s own managerial skills, works.”

While the WDB Trust has done impressive work, there is still a lot to be done in the future. “The challenges we face in meeting our own and the women’s objectives are both old and new,” Zanele reveals. “Critical among these is developing local expertise in rural micro finance management as well as innovating in and implementation of effective poverty eradication strategies.”

WDB Microfinance gave these women access to microcredit, training, and education, and improved their living conditions.

Women who participated in their developmental microcredit progams gained self-esteem, respect and improved status in the family, better access to nutrition and education for their children, improved home life and lower morbidity rates.

Zanele observes that much more can be achieved in the future if we develop skills that recognise and utilise capacities that reside within communities and investigate models for genuine financial inclusion and linkage to development resources of marginalised rural communities.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Success

by Valdi Pereira

Despite the Odds

Daphne Mashile-Nkosi may have many accolades to her name, including recognition as ‘CEO of the Year’ at the Africa CEO Forum, held in Geneva, Switzerland in 2014, but one thing is certain, she remains deeply committed to the people of South Africa and using resources available to her to improve the lives of the average South Africans, in particular women.

S

he is the non-executive chairperson of WDB Investment Holdings and the Deputy Chair of WDB Trust. Her involvement with WDB stretches back over many years and reflects her desire to help those that have helped her.

“My lifelong interest has been in the empowerment of women and I thank the organisation for helping me to recognise my own potential, for nurturing me, and enabling me to study development economics in japan and to eventually become one of the most powerful women in South Africa’s mining sector,” she shares.

The relationship she has with WDB over the past two decades is one that is reciprocal in nature and she notes that as much as she may have supported the WDB, the women and men of the organisation have supported her.

Daphne believes the organisation has taught her a lot about life and not in the least about matters such as profit and loss and the importance of paying back loans. The discipline WDB helped instil in her, eventually led to her borrowing R360mil to buy four collieries in Mpumalanga and start Eyesizwe Coal with her partners.

Exxaro as the company is now know listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2005, currently has a market capitalisation running in billions of Rands and employs many people.

“My story shows that where there is a will, there is a way,” says Daphne. “WDB is focused on transforming lives and giving people the opportunity to move forward. Therefore I believe that if we continue to work hard, support our children, stand on our own, and urge other successful women to lift up others, we will continue to go forward.”

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Faith Khanyile, Chief Executive Officer, WDB Investment Holdings

“We don’t subscribe to the private equity approach, which sees investors in and out of companies in 5 to 7 years. We are committed to adding value and the investments we make in high growth businesses means there is often the need for investors to provide guidance as business opportunities unfold,” shares Faith.

WDBIH has proved itself adept at investing in areas and companies that have produced strong growth over the years.

In the financial services sector their investments in the First Rand Group and Discovery, both companies known for their innovative approach to business, has proved to be very successful. Similarly its investment in unlisted Assupol, reflects the solid returns that the right business in the financial services sector can provide astute investors.

Its investments also extend to holdings in diversified industrial company Bidvest and more recently in the health and pharmaceutical sector through Ascendis Health.

WDBIH has set itself the objective of doubling the net value of its assets to R6bn and in order to achieve this Faith states that they will be looking at investments in consumer driven business sectors and property. In the future they will also be considering infrastructure investments with a particular focus on renewable energy and water solutions.

Partner

A Long-term

by Valdi Pereira

As one of the founding members, non-executive director and Chief Executive Officer of WDB Investment Holdings (WDBIH), Faith Khanyile has enjoyed a front row seat to many of the developments that have seen the investment company grow its net asset value to a shade under R3bn.

“W

hile our ultimate goal is to ensure that the dividend flow to the WDB Trust is consistent and allows it to achieve its development goals,” reveals Faith.

“We also view ourselves as long-term partners within the companies we choose to invest in.”

She notes that adding value at a strategic level is very important to the WDBIH team and that after almost two decades of investing in companies, the team has become adept at helping companies identify levers that can be used to build shareholder value.

“An important consideration for us going forward will be to look at companies, which have a continental business focus. There is a growing middle class across the continent and they are powering strong growth in consumer businesses that we see as an opportunity.”

The holdings company has already signalled its intent to capitalise on rising consumer demand through its stake in Safari Investments, a listed property investment company, which amongst others focuses on building shopping malls in previously disadvantaged areas.

“While the investments we make are ultimately about generating profits and adding to the R175mil we have already repatriated to the WDB Trust. We are also conscious, when we invest, of the need to strike a balance between making a decent return and positively impacting communities.

“We started out with little more than a grand vision and a R20 000.00 personal loan in 1991. Eventually reaching the point where the microfinance loan book was R100mil at its peak, with over 70 000 rural women utilising loans to a start a journey that would free them from poverty. If nothing else, it bears testimony to the fact that entrepreneurship can play a powerful role in shaping the destiny of Africa’s women,” Faith concludes.

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“I

n the Trust’s case the focus has always been on the most marginalised people in our society, being poor rural women, and that has been the targeted constituency. The Trust sees itself as a change agent and a facilitator, in a sense a catalyst that provides rural women with access to resources. And as a result they are able to empower themselves both socially and economically.” As the Trust has grown, its focus has expanded to include the dependents of the head of the household as well to provide holistic support.

The Trust’s two main programmes cater to the financial and non-financial needs of their clientele. The Siyakhula programme provides financial solutions, access to credit to support women owned micro-enterprises, and the Zenzele programme, the nonfinancial aspect, evaluates the dynamics of poverty and the specific needs of individual households and facilitates access to services ranging from healthcare to infrastructure. “The Zenzele programme is doing really well working with 2400 families right now recognising that poverty is a multi-dimensional challenge and so trying to come up with multidimensional solutions in collaboration with the communities and with the individual households,” she explains.

Tania Slabbert, Chief Executive Officer,WDB Trust

As the CEO of WDB Trust, Tania Slabbert and her team have been instrumental in empowering poor rural women in South Africa. “The Trust believes that poverty can be beaten when people are provided with the right financial and non-financial resources to lift themselves out of poverty,” she expresses.

An Investment in

Africa’s Future

by Lydia Bundred

“There are thousands of women that have benefited from the Trust’s programmes since inception in the early 90s, but for us every day brings new successes and how we measure this is in terms of factors such as: when a child is able to go to school or is immunised, when a family has access to clean water, or can have at least one meal a day, where previously they may have gone without food for days . Those are the daily successes. And that is thanks to the hard work of the families themselves and our field staff who live and work out in those areas,” says Tania. Tania has every faith that in the next ten years the Trust will go from strength to strength and they intend to further their reach to provide stronger support for women’s micro-enterprises in rural areas.

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For Tania the reward is “Every time you see the power that rural women realise that they have through their ability to access information and the resources that have been mentioned, and then to see how concretely they are able to strengthen and improve their quality of life, and in many instances become role models in their communities.”

One of WDB’s very first clients, was selling meat-off-cuts in her community and with her first loan she purchased a freezer to store her stock. After five or so years she had a few thriving businesses in her community and has exponentially improved her quality of life. This is just one of many success stories experienced by the Trust.

Without You

ANCHOR PARTNER

EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE PARTNER

In our fifteenth year, Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government is stronger than ever. Our vision is, and has always been, to bring into the limelight those women who are fearless, dedicated and act as agents of change in their communities. It is our privilege to recognise the achievements of women from across the African Continent that are building and transforming their sectors and contributing to the economy.

PREMIER PARTNERS

As we are expanding onto the continent and into the rest of the globe we are excited about building the future along-side our readers, our finalists, winners and partners. We hope that the platform of excellence, on which the MIW programme is based, will inspire more young women to use their talents and abilities to serve others and to do so excellently.

Our growth in 2015 is in large part due to the consistent support received from our partners. By partnering with us they have not only invested in our vision but also in those individuals that the MIW initiative recognises and commends. We are grateful for your partnership and could not have come this far without you.

Yours sincerely Annelize Wepener Chief Executive: CEO Global

Professional Photography

Story

Don’t Know my

Publisher CEO Communications (Pty) Ltd Tel: 0861 CEO MAG Fax: (012) 667 6624 Tel: 012 667 6623 info@ceomag.co.za www.ceomag.co.za Chief Executive Annelize Wepener annelizew@ceomag.co.za

Director: Strategic Development & Editor in Chief Valdi Pereira valdip@ceomag.co.za

who’s who in the zoo

Know my Name but You

2015/2016

You May

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Director: Corporate & Financial Services Carl Wepener carlw@ceomag.co.za General Manager: Global Services George Wepener georgew@ceomag.co.za

General Manager: Global Media Services Channette Raath channetter@ceomag.co.za Continental Manager: Client Services Bonita Brown bonitab@ceomag.co.za

Continental Manager: Finance & Corporate Support Rudolph Raath rudolphr@ceomag.co.za Continental Manager: Human Resources Abrie van Aarde abriea@ceomag.co.za

Manager: Business Development – SADC South Bruce Nimmerhoudt brucen@ceomag.co.za

History can easily be recorded to capture facts, figures and events as they occur but a lot can be missed in capturing the essence or true story of an individual. CEO takes great care to capture not only the facts but the essence of every person, organisation or entity that can be found on the pages that follow.

Most Influential Women in Business and Government is privileged to provide a platform for the incredible women of the African Continent. With each year our unique programme gains momentum and prestige and the participants of 2015 are just as colourful and diverse as the years before. Women such as Dr Snowy Khoza and Dr Suzanne Ravenall bring to our 2015 publication diverse views with years of experience and wisdom. Much can be harvested from their, and others, life journeys, experience and achievements.

You may know the names of some of the women that are featured this year but do you know where they come from, where they are going and how they’ve succeeded? We are proud to bring to our readers not only giants in the various industries but also their stories!

Manager: Office of the Chief Executive Nadine Aylward nadinea@ceomag.co.za Team Leader: Client Services Mari-Louise van den Berg ml@ceomag.co.za Event Coordinators Pule Mohodi pulem@ceomag.co.za

Sylvia Houinsou sylviah@ceomag.co.za Journalists Lydia Bundred lydiab@ceomag.co.za

Samantha Barnes samanthab@ceomag.co.za Manager: Production Linda Graae lindag@ceomag.co.za

DTP Operators/ Designers Demi Kurten demik@ceomag.co.za Doby Young dobyy@ceomag.co.za

Manager: Corporate Support Raymond Mauelele raymondm@ceomag.co.za

Client Development Administrators Winston Williams winstonw@ceomag.co.za Ray Pretorius rayp@ceomag.co.za

Client Liaison Officer Cobus Kramer cobusk@ceomag.co.za

Receptionist Wilheminah Nchwe wilheminahn@ceomag.co.za Office Assistant Minah Mahlangu

Security Guard George Mbana georgem@ceomag.co.za

* No article or part of an article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith but do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or editor. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, neither the publisher nor the editor can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made in or withheld by this publication.

CONTEN

2015/2016

Leading Edge Special Feature Case in Point The

Leaders’ Perspective 36

WDB IFC - 4

NDA - Community Ties Mabatho Events and Promotions - Partners in Excellence Air Mauritius - Airline Creates Goodwill in Community KPMG - African Business Leaders Developing a Global Mindset CEOS Technologies - Growing and Learning Westcon - Accolades Aplenty for IT Group merSETA - More than Skills Development Sefa - Unlocking Small Business Minds VisaRequest - Ready for Lift Off

X andY Factor

The

58 72 84 126 138 145 162 186 206

Annelize Wepener Chairperson’s Reflections Africa’s Most Influential Women: Yvonne Finch Women’s Potential Underplayed Meet the Judges: Judging Panels A Brief History of the MIW Awards Patron - SAMSA and Women Development Derek Watts - The Women I have Met Before The Women of CEO Global

10 14 16 18 28 30 32 226

Quick Guide

43

Crafty Lady Take a Walk on the Wild Side

74 208

Winners& Finalists Out of Office

NTS Sustainability

The Best African Country to Invest in A Viable Public Transport System Life in Unexpected Places Water: Waste Not Want Not The E-ducation Revolution The African Brain Drain Health Matters: Global Outbreaks and Unused Vaccines

Corporate

Governance

The Pros and Cons of Guerrilla Marketing Gender Diversity on the Rise The Whole Truth The Safety (or ‘Unsafety’) of Online Businesses

Skills Transfer

Best Office Practices Wanted: Cash to Finance the African Renaissance And We Are Homeless, Homeless ... Somebody Cry Why, Why, Why

Empowered

Green

Building a Green House

100 102 132 223

80 202 218

Leadership

Strength Development for Lean Functioning Fuelled by Jet Fuel Death with Dignity A Crime That Leads to Success Body Talk Producing Your Cake and Eating it From the Paddock to the Boardroom Life Changer

Going

50 52 64 107 119 155 173

78 92 135 166 168 178 196 200

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X&Y

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X&Y

On a

Note

Annelize Wepener grew up in Vereeniging, South Africa and attended the Vaal University of Technology. She began her career as a secretary in 1981 but it was when she joined Avroy Shlain Cosmetics that she began to make a name for herself. She went from success to success and became the youngest Regional Director in South Africa. With a passion for business and an eagerness to meet a demand in the market she launched CEO Communications.

A

nnelize has many titles; to employees and colleagues she is the CE of CEO Global, the boss, to family: mother, ‘ouma’ and wife, to others: an entrepreneur, top businesswoman and role model. Regardless of the position she is a passionate woman with a past, present and future.

Then Annelize’s surroundings as a child played a crucial role in the shaping of her business views. She recalls “From a young age I always wanted to be a successful businessperson. As a result, successful business people always intrigued me and I enjoyed observing and learning from the business people I came into contact with. I grew up on a farm watching my parents raise livestock and grow produce, which gave me a good appreciation for how one can take raw materials and add value through processing and packaging.”

connectivity between your products and your markets and your staff and the work that they do is properly aligned. If you can achieve this you will unlock passion amongst your team for their work and your customers will be passionate about your product.”

Of her many accomplishment she says her biggest success in life thus far is, “My family. Building a cohesive, loving family unit is always a challenge at the best times. In fact, I think it is even more challenging today than ever before.

My husband and I have recently become proud grandparents and when I look at and hold my granddaughter, I realise that the sacrifices and the challenges I have had to overcome to build a strong family unit has been absolutely worth it.” The mother of two explains that her secret to staying grounded and encouraged while juggling a successful business and a growing family is that she keeps the Bible at the top of her reading list.

Now In her current position she must keep her skills sharp while still adapting to an ever-changing market. “As a chief executive you always need to ensure that your products and services meet the expectations of clients. However, I think the real challenge for any CE is to ensure that the emotional

Still to Come No one can say for certain what the future will bring, but for the entrepreneurially spirited Annelize “the sky isn’t even the limit” and in the next ten years she says “we are on a drive to expand our reach – watch this space, you will definitely see more of us!”

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GOOD MORNING

AFRICA

Airing daily in 51 countries in Africa on DStv’s Africa Magic Channel 154 at 7am and 12pm

Good Morning Africa The Biggest and Brightest Breakfast Show on the African Continent!

Showing on GMA on Mondays

‘Good Morning Africa’ was initially broadcast in 2010 and the programme has been going from strength to strength over time.

‘Good Morning Africa’ airs on weekdays at 7:00am and 12:00 noon (CAT) on DStv’s Africa Magic Channel 154.

CO N TAC T D E TAI L S : TEL: 011 3264 300 | EMAIL: gma@planetimage.co.za TWITTER: @GMA_AfricaMagic | FACEBOOK: Good Morning Africa (Africa Magic Channel)

GMA also airs on PRTV showing on Gotv Channel 73 at 10am and streaming live on www.planetradiotv.tv

Africa Magic Channel 154

X&Y

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

X&Y

Chairperson’s Reflections Africa’s

Most Influential Women This year the nominations received were of an exceptionally high calibre, which is a testament to the fact that the Awards are seen as an important landmark for those selected as Finalists and Winners.

The more difficult the judges' task is to reach consensus, the more credible the Awards become and in 2015 the judges often debated at great length before reaching agreement. Interestingly the converse was also true in that when they were in agreement, even the marks were almost identical.

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s Chairperson of Africa’s Most Influential Women and Titan’s Building Nations my responsibilities incorporate ensuring that each judge in all of the panels are aware of what is expected from them and to answer their questions. I am there to collate the marks of each panel member and facilitate any discussion that ensues. Whilst the final results are not based on marks alone the marking process does assist the judges to identify their alignment with each other.

Ensuring that the final results are reached through a fair and unbiased methodology is key to the overall credibility of the Awards. As the only individual to sit with every panel, my responsibility is to also share the marking results from the previous panels. These can also lead to deeper discussion if one panel sees a nominee very differently from a previous panel.

However, I don't have a vote and I cannot express an opinion – even when asked!

I also collect the nominations for the Lifetime Achievers Awards, which are then shared with the final judging panel, who select those deserving people that have dedicated their lives to the sector in which they operate or their country as a whole.

Every year we are challenged with nominations in some sectors, and these tend to recur in the same sectors. These include: agriculture, automotive, chemical, ICT, logistics, media, mining, pharmaceutical and petrochemical and tourism. Yet judges often remark that there are some serious role players in these arenas.

This year it was encouraging to see that there were 30 nominations in the SADC Region SME sector, an indication that more women are getting out there and starting their own successful businesses.

My congratulations to every Finalist and Winner. You are making a significant contribution to all in your circles – both business and personal.

Yvonne Finch

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X&Y

Women’s

Potential Underplayed

Advocate Willem Heath has the bearing of a much younger man. He looks tough, observant and wise. Qualities he would have needed bucket loads of in his earlier career as the head of the Special Investigating Unit for the South African Government for a stint in 2011 and as a Judge of the High Court.

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X&Y

A

sked whether he has plans to retire, he gives an emphatic, “No.” Advocate Willem doesn’t waste time in small talk or formalities. He is the sort of man who gets down to the task at hand, treating it with the vigor and attention that it deserves. These days he heads up Heath Consultlng from Cape Town. The firm provides tailored legal advisory services and forensic services in South Africa and beyond our borders.

Lack of Concerted Will in Fighting Corruption Asked whether he is encouraged by any positive development with regard to business being more serious about rooting out corruption, Advocate Willem is plain spoken in his response. “Generally I am very disappointed. When I was head of the Special Investigating Unit, it was seen as a serious deterrent. All of that is gone.”

“If you look at the unit’s success rate, we achieved much more. We had 115 staff compared to the 900 staff they have today. It has not played the role it needs to. The unit has declared that they have saved R1billion, but 18 years ago we saved and recovered R1.4 billion, which is much more impressive when you consider that comparatively,” says Advocate Willem.

He pays tribute to the women that worked in the unit with him. “They played a genuine role. They were dedicated to fighting corruption. But I am not saying that there are not some current people doing so.”

Advocate Willem would like to see far heftier sentences imposed on those found guilty of corruption. “The current sentences are not a deterrent. It pays people to cheat. With the money that is being made, the sentencing is insignificant.

Corruption is Worse than Any Other Crime “One of the consequences of corruption is that as the corrupt make ‘improvements’ to their lifestyle, the gap between the rich and the poor becomes wider. Corruption is worse than any other crime in that both parties are guilty. It makes it difficult to trace and to track properly. I am surprised by how often people have said in a social setting that they crooked something. They boast about it! Indications are that corruption amounts to billions of Rands. Inkandla is a minor amount by comparison.”

“Even sport is paralyzed by corruption. The question arises whether one could enjoy or admire sports activities knowing this.”

Chaos in Parliament is Interrupting Democracy Advocate Willem observes that generally women who made their mark before arriving in government are doing a better job than those who are ‘just there for a lazy job and who are corrupt’. He looks to Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma as a woman who has made her mark in South African politics.

“Dlamini Zuma made noticeable improvements at the Department of Home Affairs when she held this portfolio and she is impressing other African countries and internationally,” notes Advocate Willem.

Cultural Attitudes Towards Women “There is a lot of pretence in recognising the role that women play in South Africa. Women have to fight to prove themselves. Men can become jealous and try to destroy their reputation. Africa is far behind most developed countries in that women are not allowed to become leaders. It is an uphill battle for those that have become leaders. But those women that have the courage and integrity to uphold community are making progress,” says Advocate Willem.

He is concerned at the current lack of decorum and dignity in parliament. “The fact that there is chaos is interrupting democracy. Democracy cannot be practiced under such circumstances. Legislation is not going to help this. Only changing one’s moral fibre will do so. It has to come from the inside.”

“Proper and extensive debate needs to be done in a controlled fashion. Those members that are shouting are showing that they don’t appreciate the dignity of parliament and the very educational role that longer serving members can play.”

Nurturing Mothers are the Backbone of Society Advocate Willem emphasizes that the influence of mothers in society should not be underestimated. He would like mothers to being given more credit in terms of their role in creating community. He believes that there is more stable leadership among those who recognize how important the role of community is and of mothers in raising children. An individual who has had the benefit of a mother’s love underpins everything in society.

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Judges Aggrey Kankunda Aggrey Kankunda is a founding Partner of AA&L Associates. Under his leadership and guidance, the firm has grown over the past ten years to be one of the best indigenous independent providers of audit, business advisory and financial services in Uganda. Aggrey’s 22 years of experience encompass all phases of financial and tax services including preparation and review of financial statements, analysis of profit enhancement and management strategies, mergers and acquisitions and integrated planning for businesses regarding income tax strategies.

He is also a member of the professional societies FCCA, ICPAU, FCMA and FGMA. Key assignments in which Aggrey has been involved include being Engagement Partner on the audits of UNFPA funded Government programmes / Projects for the financial years 2008 and 2009; Quality Assurance Partner and Co-Team leader on the audits of both the Uganda Railways Corporation for the financial years 2005 and 2006, as well as the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry funded by SIDA for the financial years 2007 and 2008.

“For me the prestige of this award is very important, I don’t just engage with any nomination.

Being aligned with the best is critically important,” says Ann Kleynhans, 2014/2015 MIW winner in the ICT sector. Ann, who started CEOS Technologies in 1998, says that as an entrepreneur, it can be lonely at the top.

“The way they would do the whole judging panel – being part of it myself now – it’s strict, it’s confidential, they follow procedures, there is protocol and it has been audited. Receiving an award like that, it’s a prestigious award.”

To become a Titan or MIW, she says that there is no place for clock watching. Instead Ann employs entrepreneurs who will hopefully become leaders and award winners in their own right.

“It is critical that those people who align themselves with me in the same way that I align myself with them and we build a future together,” says the Enterprise Business Women winner of 2015, recognised by United Success.

Ann Kleynhans

Bridget Nkuna is the Marketing Director of WestconGroup South Africa. She has over 18 years of managerial experience and has worked for companies such as Sun International, BP, Total and she is the founder of Owami Women. When considering an MIW and Titans winner she looks for someone who “has a proven track record, is professional, has influence and that is sustainable.”

Bridget Nkuna

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“The candidates that are selected demonstrate most of the above traits. However, much as it is important to select the candidates, it also matters how winners are showcased post awards. To my understanding, we are selecting people who other people could learn from and who inspire. Therefore greater media and publicity opportunities should be sought to showcase who they are and their winning achievement,” emphasises the communications expert.

She offers these words of advice to finalists and winners: “The best way to enhance and to establish you brand is through consistency, credible delivery and having high standards of delivery and self-application.”

Dr Auxilia Ponga Since May 2014 Dr Auxilia Ponga has been the UN Women Representative to South Africa (Multi-Country Office) at UN Women.

She believes that, “More could be done and the social responsibility should not be a one-off event, and better still, should be done in partnership with community so that the long term benefits can be measured and evaluated.” With over 17 years’ experience in gender and development strategies she brings a wide set of skills to the panel.

From her wealth of experience she offers others these words of advice: “I always have my to-do list not just in order of chronological priority but of importance. I also take time in the evening to go over my list and to see what was achieved and not achieved and why.

That informs the plan for the next day including doing things differently based on lessons learnt. Life is a journey and one needs to stop every so often to take stock.”

As an MIW Continental Lifetime Achiever Award Winner Dr Snowy Khoza shares how the award has impacted her life. “Amazingly, I have received many international, continental and national acknowledgements since being presented with the award. My diary has never been so full of requests to speak at conferences, present proposals for business opportunities, sit on boards, mentor leaders, and I have even received some job offers! Of course, I have also been profiled in a number of magazines.”

As a 2015 judge she understands what a difference such recognition can bring to someone’s life. Her passion is to empower and enrich others and she believes the MIW initiative has only positively contributed towards her objectives.

“All of this is encouraging, as it is always my intention to positively impact other women aspiring to make a difference in Africa, and such exposure helps me to do this more effectively,” explains the Bigen Africa CEO.

Dr Snowy Khoza

“The Most Influential Women and Titans initiative is important, because it recognises men and women who are doing an amazing job in terms of changing people around them with their skills and offering them opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have,” says Dudu Thabede, an Independent Marketing and Advertising Professional.

Dudu started her marketing career in 1997 by joining and gaining experience from British American Tobacco. She has comprehensive experience in marketing-research strategy and started her own company, Brand Smart, which operated for 10 years. Dudu spent three-and-a-half years in Rwanda working with the government, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector. She returned to South Africa to run a branding agency that positions brands with regard to market needs.

Dudu Thabede

As a communications and brand expert, she recognises that “participants in some sectors have really branded themselves well, and, on this point, participants must ensure that they market themselves and their brand to raise awareness”.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Elaine Palmer is Manager Human Resources Professional Services for Exxaro group of mines.

Her responsibilities include remuneration, leadership, change management, employee relations, HR development and more. Inspiring people to deliver their best is a given. “Your team needs to know what the HR strategy is and how their objectives align with it as well as the overall company strategy: where they fit in,” says Elaine.

She has formal and informal conversations around their performance, individual development, career plans and their personal wellbeing. “I always try to steer my team towards working as one team – Corporate and Business. It does take a lot to overcome the Corporate versus Business set up (us and them),” she says.

Elaine Palmer

Being a woman in a male dominated industry is not insurmountable. “You have to work extra hard to prove yourself before getting accepted as an equal counterpart, mostly by the older generation.

Important lesson: take control. Do not play the victim. Don’t give others power over you. Execute, execute, execute is key.”

A seasoned banker, Elizabeth Malumo has been in the banking industry for 35 years, 20 of which she has spent with First National Bank. She has a wealth of knowledge on helping small and large businesses grow and be profitable. She is currently FNB’s head of growth in Gauteng and oversees businesses with turnovers of up to R10 million. Elizabeth ran Gauteng Southwest, where her region was the best two years in a row.

As a member of the South Africa Entrepreneur Board, she is passionate about developing and seeing women in business succeed. For Elizabeth, a potential winner is someone who “shows passion for what they do, someone who makes their business sustainable and is involved in uplifting the community around them”. She says there have been some phenomenal candidates this year and that selecting winners has been tough. Elizabeth emphasises to all candidates that “it is important to understand what drives your business and what sustains it, while also operating and benefiting the community”.

Elizabeth Malumo

Gail Curtis began her career in the 1980s in marketing and strategic account leadership and has since been instrumental in the development of companies such as Saatchi & Saatchi. The 2014 Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional and South African winner, found joining the Judge’s Panel a natural next step, and, as a former participant, it was an easy task to identify candidates with promise.

Gail was named the most powerful woman in the South African advertising industry by Finance Week in 2006. Her achievements attest to her skills as a leader and she offers other female leaders this piece of advice: “Encourage women to help and mentor other women, to be team players and leaders that take their skills into their local communities.”

Gail Curtis

As a judge, she has seen candidates with a high level of professionalism and considers a potential winner to be someone who “understands what it is to be a team player and who integrates their life into the betterment of others”.

Her 25 year career in local government led to Gerda Potgieter’s eventual appointment as Director: Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building at the City of Tshwane Municipality. Gerda holds a Master’s Degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and she successfully completed an Executive Leadership Programme from the University of Pretoria (cum laude) for which she received the “Best Student” award. Besides holding other qualifications and awards, Gerda was recently awarded an Innovation Award for the Enhancement of Internal system in Government from the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI).

Gerda Potgieter

She was a worthy finalist in the CEO Global’s Most Influential Women in local government awards. Over the years she has participated in numerous mentorship programmes to uplift members of previously disadvantaged communities. She successfully project managed the Monyetla work readiness learnership programme, funded by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Work Skills programme. Gerda was awarded Best Monyetla Work readiness programme for Government and Parastatals for her efforts.

Gervase Ndyanabo is currently the Company secretary and Chief Operating Officer for New Vision Printing and Publishing Company Ltd, Uganda’s leading media house. He was previously the company’s Chief Internal Auditor for ten years and before that he worked for Coopers and Lybrand, Chartered Accountants in Kampala. Gervase obtained a B. Com Accounting and MBA degree, and is also a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Public Accountant. Gervase’s professional memberships include; the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya, Global Institute of Internal Auditors and the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda.

Currently Gervase’s responsibilities include being a Council Member and Vice Chairman of Council with the Uganda Martyrs University; he is Chairman Finance Committee of Council Uganda Martyrs University; he is on the Board of Trustees Institute of Internal Auditors Uganda; Head of Laity, Archdiocese of Mbarara and Vice Chairman for Uganda Timber Growers Association. In the past he has been a member, director and president of a number auditing committees in Uganda.

Gervase Ndyanabo

Lumko Mtimde holds a BSc. degree in Physiology and Biochemistry and a Postgraduate Diploma in Telecommunications and Information Policy. “I think what helps, is passion, commitment and focus. But above all being able to know what is it you are doing, where do you want to go, and what are the requirements to assist you to go to where you want to go,” says the former CEO of the Media Development and Diversity Agency, as he discusses the MIW and Titans finalists and winners.

Lumko Mtimde

Lumko has been impressed with this year’s contestants, saying, “The number of contestants is quite interesting, particularly in South Africa and Namibia, I think there has been growth in the number of entries. But also the quality of entries in some categories is very impressive, more so when I look at the women entries from the education and training category, I was amazed at the quality and the substance of women that we have in our country.”

Mary Nandazi’s field of expertise lies within formal banking and finance; she specialises in development finance, micro-finance, the development of community financial intermediation, village commercialisation, promoting village savings and loan associations run by communities, with emphasis on women participation for gender empowerment, development of financial community and grassroots organisations and rural livelihood improvements in income generating activities. This has led to her being Chairperson and Director at Zamnet Communications.

Mary Nandazi

Mary’s qualifications include: a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelors of Arts in Economics and Business Administration. She has previously worked at ENK Consultancy to develop financial products for COMESA, she was also Secretary General for African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, CEO of Micro Bankers Trust, Resident VP and Head of Trade services at Citibank Zambia Ltd-Lusaka and Corporate Manager at Barclays Bank (BBZ)-Lusaka Business Centre. Mary also participated in research for the World Bank’s Champion Team looking into Financial Performance Indicators for Micro-Finance Institutions in Zambia

Prof. Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare Professor Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare’s personal objective is to give value, virtue and prestige. Mercy is currently Associate Professor at the Makerere University in Kampala and has been with the university since 1995. Her academic and professional qualifications include; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Arts (literature) and an Honours in Bachelor of Arts. She has also received qualifications from institutions in Germany, Netherlands and the United States.

Her contributions to articles in journals, magazines and newsletters have been to the highest value. She has published a number of books, one being the first eBook to be written by a Ugandan available in Uganda. Professor Mercy has also had her hand in some film/ video productions, stage performance, fairs and exhibitions. To add to this she has a number of manuscripts she is working on and has organised, directed and convened a number of conferences, fairs, awards and festivals, while also contributing to her community. She has been the VP of IDEA since 2008, chairperson of the UNCC since 2009 and founder of UTN.

“I think MIW and Titans is very important. I believe that it is important to recognise efforts,” says Monki Hlutwa, the Communications Manager at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC).

Monki, who worked in the Trade Union movement before joining the MEIBC, is looking for people who exceed their job descriptions. “For me, what stands out as a judge is what they do over and above their day-to-day business. I strongly believe that as an excellent individual, you also need to step up and ensure that over and above what you do, and what you are paid for, you also do things that touch the heart of others.”

Monki Hlutwa

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

The thread of selflessness governs her other criteria as well. “It’s about ensuring that there is a lot of mentorship and coaching. I don’t personally believe in someone who is a one man show or is indispensable. I believe that people need to pass the baton…when they have decided to move on,” she says.

Neville Ndumo is an accountant by profession and served his articles of clerkship at a leading audit firm Deloitte, Haskins & Sells. He is also the former CEO of Immiig Holdings (Pty) Ltd. “Irrespective of the industry, one of the three key qualities to look for in a Titan or MIW winner is innovative leadership i.e. finding new ways of doing things. The second quality is internal locus of control, a Titan or MIW winner must be self-disciplined, self-driven and have a clear vision of where he /she wants to go. Thirdly, they must be able to work with other people, be a team player and a servant leader,” says the Group Executive – Portfolio Investments at Community Investments Holdings (CIH).

Neville Ndumo

To those hoping to be a potential MIW or Titan winner the Associate Member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants offers these words: “The person must understand how organisations work and then the person can develop strategies for personal growth without threatening other people and using fear”.

Noreda Bashabe Kiremire Noreda Bashabe Kiremire is a member at these professional societies: British Computer Society, African Women Scientist [Uganda Chapter]; Third World Organisation for the Women Scientist; Alumni Harvard International Institute Development [HIID], USA and Alumni Hull University – East Yorkshire (UK).

Noreda is currently a PhD Student. Her area of Research is Knowledge Harvest and Management in the Public Sector and she also holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), specialising in Information Management and Systems Analysis from the Hull University, U.K. In addition she holds Certificates in Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects, Resource Management in a Changing Environment and Leadership and Management Skills as well as a Certificate in Investment Appraisal and Management of Projects.

Noreda has a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science, a Master of Science, Radiation Physics and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics from the Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

“The critical function is that we need to encourage small businesses. We take people from a small business idea to linking them up with people that can help them,” says Nothemba Gqiba Head of Communications, Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa). The mandate of sefa is to foster the establishment, survival and growth of SMME’s, and contribute towards poverty alleviation and job creation.

“The reward is three to six months later seeing that they are happy that something has been started.

They have an idea and they don’t know where to start. You are dealing with an emotion. They have a dream, which becomes a vision and then you have to actualise it. I can encourage them to make it happen,” says Nothemba.

Nothemba Gqiba

“I am honored to be an adjudicator. I picked up one critical thing: people rise to a position of power because of education. But each of us has a responsibility – besides our everyday work- to ask ‘What can I do for the person on the street?’ That is a nurturing aspect as a woman.”

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Pumulani Ncube, a qualified chartered accountant, was a founding member and Chief Investment Officer for Jala Capital, a black economic empowerment (BEE) investment holding company. He is currently the CEO of Beehive Capital, which specialises in enterprise and supply development as well as implementing programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the public and private sectors in South Africa.

Pumulani works with people in corporates and small business, so it is easy for him to relate to the candidates of MIW and Titans and as a judge he has “seen some wonderful candidates this year”. All candidates have unique skills, but, for Pumulani, the “differentiating factor is social responsibility and what candidates are doing in their individual capacities in society”.

Pumulani Ncube

“The award has great importance for the winner and there is personal gratification when people in the industry recognise what you do” – it can only serve to benefit the person and their brand says Pumulani.

Rocky Sombe, chartered accountant, is an entrepreneur who obtained his degree in business administration from the University of Zambia.

He is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the UK and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zambia. He has worked in various senior positions in accounting and finance.

He is currently a Subway Franchisee and he holds a master franchise license for Signarama in Zambia, the largest sign franchise in the world. Rocky is also the franchisee for Keg and Lion in Lusaka. He serves on boards of Professional Insurance Corporation PLC, Spagris Zambia and is Chairman of Kazang Pty in Botswana. He has also helped to set up the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in Zambia where he serves as a member.

Rocky Sombe

Sarah Babirye Lubega Sarah Babirye Lubega’s has been a consultant for Frederick Francis and Associates’ external consultancy services to the Private Sector Foundation (PSF) for the past 15 years. Her areas of expertise include Financial Institutions Law and Practice, Labour and Employment Law as well as Property Law and Conveyance. Sarah started her career as a Banking Officer/Legal and worked for the Central Bank of Uganda for ten years.

She has been a member of numerous associations such as; FIDA-U, PPDA, ECOTRUST, Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association and the Uganda Law Society; some of which she has been actively involved in for around 30 years. Sarah is a certified trainer in Industrial Management as well as Entrepreneurship Development and she holds a diploma in Legal Practice, a Bachelors of Law as well as Masters in Law degree. She obtained her academic qualifications at the Georgetown University Law School and the Makerere University.

As the Brand and Marketing Manager of Woodhill Residential Estate, Sarita Stonehouse is a strong advocate of the need for good communication skills. “I think it is everything in marketing to be a good communicator. If you are not a good communicator, and you keep everything to yourself, you will not be able to share your knowledge.”

The experienced marketing and communications professional shares the secret to her success; “Knowledge and attitude makes you a good communicator. You can work as hard as you want to, but if you haven’t got the attitude and you haven’t got the knowledge, you won’t succeed.” With a keen eye for efficient functioning and the right attitude, she is ideally suited as a judge.

Sarita Stonehouse

Sarita believes that the glass ceiling which has held back women for too long has been broken and that MIW and Titans are great programmes for recognising individuals who make it to the top and can assist in helping to showcase their abilities.

Sotse is inspired by people from the school of hard knocks. “With an MBA, working for a fortune 500, I expected the next guy to get off the bus and then I am the top dog. But now, having been in leadership for 30 years, what I see coming out of MIW is women having gone through life, and taking the knocks of life, have come back better and then empowering themselves, developing their communities and making an impact. Those are the key issues.”

“Around the world we talk about leadership and entrepreneurship, but how do we make it sustainable and produce the outcomes that we desire? And that is where, for me personally, from the time I was very young has been a challenge,” she says. For this reason she sees a winner as someone whose practices are sustainable.

Sotse Segoneco

Tania Cleary began her career in the motor industry in 1995 with BMW South Africa. She later joined Ford Motor Company in 2000 and then Jaguar Land Rover as the Sales and Marketing Manager. After 20 years in the motor industry she made the change to home renovations to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Her years of managerial experience aided her through the judging process by allowing her to make informed decisions. “When working through the nominees descriptions of their leadership roles and achievements in their industries you are well positioned if you have been exposed to all the roles within an organisation and have a working knowledge of their industry.” For Tania the stand-out factor when choosing a winner is “The ability to communicate an idea clearly, succinctly and passionately.

This is without a doubt important not only in the competition but also in business.”

Tania Cleary

Her advice to this year’s winners and finalists; “You have been recognised as having potential, if you do nothing with it that is all it will ever be… potential.”

Tania Slabbert, WDB Trust CEO, works with rural women at grassroots level: empowering them and their community. “The challenges for women are enormous in the rural context in South Africa.

Everything from social isolation, economic isolation; lack of access to basic services,” says Tanya.

Established over 20 years ago the Trust’s flagship beneficiary microcredit programme replicates the Grameen Bank philosophy of banking on the poorest of the poor. Thousands of rural women enterprises and households have benefitted from access to credit and business skills.

Tania Slabbert

“Rural women typically are surviving in incredibly difficult circumstances and have very strong survivalist skills. WDB Trust acts as a facilitator; giving them access to certain resources that perhaps you and I would take for granted,” says Tania. An early client, Mrs Makakula, is a formidable role model. “She started selling offcuts of meat, but couldn’t freeze meat so was limited. With her first loan she bought a fridge with a freezer and is now a thriving entrepreneur.” Tania would like an award winner to be an agent of change in the community.

“Learning about the amazing work done by others is a humbling experience,” says Terry Booysen, CEO at CGF Research Institute. His many years of business experience in judging events similar to that of Titans and MIW have assisted him in this year’s judging process. What stands out to him are candidates that go beyond their job descriptions and into their communities with the aim of making a difference.

Terry is a frequent speaker at events, television shows and forums on Governance, Risk and Compliance and he has published numerous articles on the subject.

The 2013 Worldwide Who’s Who awards winner offers a few words of advice: “Whilst it is imperative for organisations to remain sustainable through their profitability with prudent spending, it is equally imperative that organisations show their meaningful contribution to society…all finalists and winners must have the ability to articulate ethical business practices and how these relate to profitability, people and the environment at large and cause the necessary change as leaders in their respective organisations.”

Terry Booysen

“An overriding characteristic of an African Business person is the ability to be entrepreneurial.

Successful businesses are born from the fact that there is a definite need defined and a solution to accommodate that need,” says Thierry Boulanger, the Vice President of Philips Lighting Africa.

“However, that intellectual property needs to be protected and this is where work needs to be done.

The question is simple. What am I doing differently and what will prevent my global competitor from doing what I am doing?”

Thierry Boulanger

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Boulanger’s approach to choosing winners is as simple as it is relevant. “The seniority of the role is not relevant in an MIW or Titans winner. In fact with seniority, a bigger expectation comes with it. What is important is what this person has done over and above what is expected from this person.

At the end of the day you should be able to answer the question; “What difference have I made in people’s lives?”

The Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) was created under the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and is a forum of organised business and labour. It regulates employment conditions and labour relations in the metal and engineering industry; representing approximately 10 624 companies and 306 747 employees.

Thulani Mthiyane

Thulani Mthiyane, General Secretary, MEIBC, joined the organisation in August of 2012.

“There were attempts to collapse centralised collective bargaining. I have successfully, with my team, managed to sustain collective bargaining and conclude agreement that will contribute towards improving the lives of the workers in our industry. We are fortunate in our bargaining council. Yes, we do have strikes, but we are very fortunate because from both sides we have mature leadership, from the employers and trade unions,” says the former Momentum Industry Fund Strategist. “For me a winner should be a people’s person: interested in developing the people surrounding them and the people in the organisation,” notes Thulani.

The experienced Most Influential Women in Business and Government judge, Vasi Govinder, is the Director of TSLS Holdings, Legal Services and Telecommunications, which specialises in revenue enhancement and works with the government and local municipalities. Her experience in core business activities gives her a holistic perspective and makes her an ideal judge.

“I’m passionate about promoting SMEs and women in business. There is a young crowd that is innovative and it is exiting to be a part of this initiative,” says Vasi. For her, a potential winner shows passion and is serious about what they want to do. Her advice to up-and-coming businesswomen is to “fall and fall again and get up … there is no such thing as failure. At the end of failure, there is success, because it is a learning curve for every business. If you are determined and do what you have to, you will get far”.

Vasi Govinder

Victoria Sekitoleko Victoria Sekitoleko is currently Chairperson of the governing board of Uganda Agribusiness Alliance and Founder and Managing Director of the Uganda Culture Community Centre, through which she promotes reading by establishing and supporting both urban and rural community libraries. She is also chairperson The New Vision Group National Best Farmer competition.

Previously she worked as Director of the Food and Agricultural Organization (UN-FAO) representative to China, Mongolia and DPR Korea; FAO representative to Ethiopia for the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community for Africa (ECA); FAO Sub Regional representative to Eastern and Southern Africa in Zimbabwe.

Victoria was a Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in Uganda; MP and Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Uganda; Previously Senior Agriculture Banking Officer, Uganda Development Bank.

Sekitoleko is a Rotarian and Charter President of the Rotary Club of Kampala Impala and a member of the Business and Professional Women Kampala (BWP), plus an active member of the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL).

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

From humble beginnings celebrating the most influential women (MIW) in business and government in South Africa alone, the MIW Awards have grown and evolved across Africa since the first recognition ceremony was held at the turn of the century in 2000.

2009

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

2010

A

short tour through the MIW selection looks like this: All year round, nominations are invited from the general public. An individual can select an influential woman in a given business sector and then proceed to substantiate why she is worthy of the honour. It goes without saying that all the nominated women are leaders in their respective fields who have set very high standards for their peers.

In a given sector, there are three sets of awards, namely: Overall Winner, Finalists and Lifetime Achievers. Prior to the awards, all nominations go through a rigorous vetting and judging process by three independent judging panels. Only the best, and most influential, women then make the cut.

In 2013, CEO Global took the recognition awards to a whole new level by tackling the Southern African region and some parts of the continent. In 2014, the MIW Awards spread its wings even further into the mother continent. Be that as it may, we at CEO Global don’t believe that we have even begun to scratch the surface when it comes to the amazing women who are in our midst and are intent on taking Africa forward.

As we usher in the 2015 leg of the awards, we have the assurance, though, that we have thus far indeed run a good race.

Once more, in 2015, during the annual road show across South Africa and on the continent, the most influential women will have the opportunity to mingle with their male counterparts who have been honoured as part of the Titans – Building Nations Awards. It is our hope that the women recognised on this leg will remain the mainstay of our continent for decades to come.

9 7720 76

9 7719 96

2011

2012

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

X&Y

SAMSA and

X&Y

Women Development Tsietsi Mokhele, also known as the Commander, is the CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

SAMSA was established in 1998 in terms of the South African Maritime Safety Authority Act 5 of 1998, and is a South African government institution, accountable to the Minister of Transport.

T

he organisation delivers four main outputs including: safety and environment protection standards for responsible maritime transport operations, infrastructure for monitoring and enforcing compliance with safety and environment protection standards, the capability to respond to marine pollution incidents and other maritime emergencies and the capability to detect, locate and rescue people in maritime distress situations.

According to the Maritime Women Global Leadership International Conference, the number of women in maritime professions is on the rise, yet shipping remains a male-dominated industry. As the industry continues to grow, sustainability in respect of shipping will logically be dependent on more women entering the maritime professions.

Dr Lina Shbeeb, Minister of Transport for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, summed up the goal of the event saying “to discuss challenges and map out a path for cooperation between all parties who support the involvement of women in the maritime sector”.

Strategies presented to SAMSA included professional development programmes where seafarers could further their skills and those re-entering the work force could ensure their skills were up to scratch. In the case of female seafarers, it was recommended that there always be at least two on board a ship at any given time.

Key to the advancement of all individuals is the strength of education, mentoring and networking, with participation in national and international associations being highly recommended. Carla Limcaoco, President of Women in Maritime, the Philippines, and Director of PTC Management Corporation, emphasised: “It is important for women who enter the industry to persevere. There will be traditions to overcome and social stigma to deal with, but if they continue and receive the support from the network of a national women’s association they can succeed.”

With Commander Tsietsi Mokhele leading the South African Maritime Safety Authority in the development of its female seafarers, results are on the horizon.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

X&Y

Women The

I have

Met Before

Derek Watts shares thoughts and anecdotes on memorable women who he has met as news anchor on the TV programme Carte Blanche. They say that behind every strong man there is a strong woman, and Derek also maintains that this is true.

X&Y

D

erek Watts needs little introduction as a household name and as the much loved presenter and interviewer on Carte Blanche. What is equally impressive is that Derek has retained his keen sense of curiosity and interest about the world we live in. We are honoured and thankful to have Derek Watts as our Master of Ceremonies for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government for the third year in a row. He is among the best in his field and adds a gracious and warm presence to the occasion.

What female business dynamo who you interviewed really impressed you and why?

We interviewed iconic actress and pioneering fitness guru Jane Fonda at her ranch in Albuquerque. Despite her accumulated wealth (boosted by CNN founder Ted Turner) she devotes much of her time to mentoring women to be more assertive in the workplace and to stand up against any form of abuse in relationships.

Have you had any female mentors in your broadcasting career that gave you sound advice?

I co-anchored Carte Blanche for 19 years with Ruda Landman. She set an amazing example in showing that the story, and the impact on the lives of interviewees and our viewers, is more important than the ego of the presenter.

They say behind every strong man there is a strong woman. Who are the strong women in your life and why are you thankful for them?

I am an easy going and sometimes lethargic Sagittarian and draw a huge amount of strength and inspiration from my Leo wife and daughter, Belinda and Kirsty, who have an enviable determination, compassion and ability to confront difficult situations.

Please share your tips for being a happy traveler, whether locally or abroad.

Pack a feather pillow and explore the real community lifestyle by going to the places the locals frequent rather than the trendy tourist attractions. It also suits a journalist's wallet!

When faced with an aggressive personality on Carte Blanche what is your tactic for creating rapport?

I don't really try to create any rapport with aggressive personalities in a confrontational interview. In fact I don't like to talk to the interviewee at all before the camera rolls! It is

very different when it is a very personal human story when we will make sure that the person we speak to is relaxed and comfortable about talking to us.

Have you ever had a guest on Carte Blanche who really riled you and for what reason?

There have been many over nearly 27 years! One fellow who comes to mind is a housing official in Kimberley who filtered the funds away on a lavish lifestyle and left hundreds of families homeless. When I confronted him on the details we had of apparent greed and corruption, he jumped up, threw off the microphone and locked us in the building!

What is still on your bucket list workwise?

The Carte Blanche bucket gets filled with fresh, mind boggling stories every week. I don't think any TV program in the world encapsulates so many highs and lows and such variety of topics.

Please complete the sentence ‘I would tell my 30 year old self to …”

Take more time to smell the roses on Carte Blanche assignments and carry a top of the range Nikon camera to capture all those special people and situations for a coffee table book!

I just read your father’s day blog on your father Basil Havelock Watts…very touching! What lessons did you learn about raising your children from the way your parents raised you?

Times have changed so much...but the main lesson is that you should be able to talk to your children about any dilemma or problem. And very simply that you love them... even when you seriously disagree with them!

What do you consider as your greatest personal achievement and what makes it so special?

Today I set a personal best for most days. And I hope to keep improving on that record most days alive!

Do you set yourself goals (whether personal or work related) every year and if so, please share a couple that you are happy you pursued?

I set a series of yearly, monthly, weekly and daily goals.

Sometimes even hourly! But the slight challenge of reporting for Carte Blanche is that your personal diary is a rather malleable concept and that many plans and ideas fly out of the window!

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

ABOUT CEO Global is a media company, which entered its fifteenth year of existence in June 2015. We are the publisher of the monthly business title CEO Magazine as well as three special editions: Women in Motion, Africa's Most Influential Women in Business and Government and TITANS - Building Nations. CEO Global is committed to playing a significant role in reflecting the transformation of South African business. In this sense, our publications are totally inclusive, rather than representing or projecting vested interests.

CEO PUBLICATIONS

CUSTOM PUBLISHING

CLASS EVENTS

CEO Magazine is a business management magazine that focuses on organisational excellence across all sectors. Other titles in the CEO stable include special annual publications: Women in Motion, Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government and Titans - Building Nations.

CEO Communications has over the past decade, through its positive media platforms, been at the forefront of giving recognition to, and partnering with leading organisations in South Africa.

They are initiating, implementing and growing sustainable change towards social, environmental and economic wellbeing in both public and private spheres of business.

CEO Communications is proud to be associated with these pioneers. It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to more additional products and services through our newly established Custom Publishing (and Related Services) Division.

CEO Class is the events and special projects division of CEO Communications and is responsible for the orchestration of various events held throughout the year. Clients can now also contract CEO Class individually for their own events, from planning and organising through to execution.

celebrating excellence in organisations Vol 14 No 1 - 2015

WiM Women in Motion

ceo

Women in Motion 2014 Future Leaders and Enterprise Development

What to Ask your Mentor Instinct Driven Entrepreneur Rise of the Technical Female Knowing Your Value Who Needs a Runway

Transforming

The Art of Business

Business for

Success

Norman Hornby, Chief Executive Officer of Crawford & Company South Africa, and Mpho Mahanyele, Chedza CEO and Crawford and Company Group Executive Director, reflect on the transaction that has made Crawford & Company South Africa the first fully black-owned loss adjusting, and risk management and associated services, company in the country.

Higher Education

The Workplace

Motoring

An Institution of Excellence

Strategies for Conflict Resolution

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Dr Snowy Khoza, Bigen Africa CEO and brand ambassador for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government, was the 2014 Regional Lifetime and Continental Lifetime Achiever in the Manufacturing and Engineering Sector. Dr Snowy Khoza chairs the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Development Bank (WDB) and she is the president of Agape Christian Women’s Network.

F B h From Humble

F Beginnings H fF

b

B H

By Lydia Bundred

As an icon and phenomenal example of what leaders should aspire to be, Dr Snowy Khoza is no stranger to overcoming hardship. Today she is the CEO of Bigen Africa, an infrastructure development company that focuses on integrated engineering, consulting and development financing. She is the nonexecutive Chairperson of the Women’s Development Businesses Trust (WDB) and is a member of several boards and committees. Above all she is passionate about serving people in underprivileged communities and helping them better their quality of life.

Can you share your background with us?

My story is truly one of a humble start which ends well. I was raised by my maternal grandmother in Hammanskraal, in dire poverty. This meant living with many deprivations, such as having, in most instances, no school fees, uniform, or books to go to school and having to do my homework outside in the cold under the glow of a streetlight, because we had no candles at home. My circumstances even forced me to leave school and start working at the age of 13 years.

What kept you going through the struggles?

Above all, my faith in the Creator. God Almighty kept me going throughout the struggles. My grandmother instilled a strong faith in me. This taught me that there is ‘beauty from ashes’. Poverty – instead of breaking my spirit – motivated me. It created the beauty of resilience, determination, courage and love.

I was determined to fight my way out of poverty, and knew – and still maintain – that education is the key. Working at a factory in Babelegi as a young teen, earning R3 a week, I clung to my dream and started saving up for an education, which enabled me to return to school. Fortunately, I also had a few things going for me – I was one of the brightest learners and am a very determined person!

With the support of bursaries from the Councils of Churches, Institute of Race Relations, the Ethel Ericson Trust, Institute of International Relations and many individual donors, I managed to complete my high school education and obtain a PhD and MBA afterwards.

I started my career as a social worker at a hospital, attending to patients’ social and economic needs. Later on, I worked in the public sector as a chief director,

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and at a parastatal organisation as a group executive.

Today, I am CEO of Bigen Africa, a leading infrastructure development company.

It was a long road for me, with many hard, discouraging struggles, but I persevered and was ultimately led to Bigen Africa, an engineering company with a vision for the future of the people of Africa, where the lives of tens of thousands of impoverished and socially deprived people are being transformed.

What drew you to join Bigen Africa?

Having worked in an infrastructure financing institution – the Development Bank of Southern Africa – for almost 12 years, I did not think twice when approached

by Bigen Africa. The company’s capabilities to manage infrastructure development and mobilise finance for infrastructure development on the African continent also attracted me. I knew I could add value and drive the company to greater heights, given my knowledge of infrastructure development and the continent.

As a development activist, I also saw an opportunity to transform the company at the top, not only in terms of race and gender, but also in new approaches to developing infrastructure that improves the quality of life of people.

Since my appointment as the first woman to head Bigen Africa in 2010, Bigen Africa has evolved into a thoughtleading multi-national and Pan-African infrastructure development consultancy with core capabilities in engineering, management consulting and project finance.

Our vision is to develop sustainable infrastructure that will improve the quality of life of all. This also provided us with the opportunities for putting the company’s creed of ‘doing good while doing business’ into practice, which

As a woman of many hats, how do you balance your work and personal life?

I live alone because my children are grown-ups and out of the house now, so I have time to do all the things I love most.

Of course, my work at Bigen Africa comes first as it takes up most of my time, and next are my family businesses and public/private sector board directorships.

In my private life, my family, friends and community development work take up almost all my spare time after work hours and on weekends, unless I am travelling on business.

Although I am extremely busy, I do get ‘me time’, when I go on holidays or pamper myself. I do a lot of jogging and running, and sing and play the piano.

Dr Snowy Khoza, CEO of Bigen Africa

involves channelling some of the employment and procurement opportunities to the local communities.

In addition, our Intuthuko Foundation is a catalyst for creating socio-economic investment opportunities in Africa for corporates through coordinating strategic partnerships.

How has being a Continental Lifetime Achiever Award Winner impacted your life?

Amazingly, I have received many international, continental and national acknowledgements since being presented with the award. My diary has never been so full of requests to speak on radio and at conferences. I have been presented with proposals for business opportunities, to sit on boards, mentor leaders, and I have even received some job offers! Of course, I have also been profiled in a number of magazines.

All of this is encouraging, as it is always my intention to positively impact other women aspiring to make a difference in Africa, and such exposure helps me to do this more effectively.

How would you encourage others who are going through struggles similar to yours?

As a person who has succeeded against great odds, I know that it can be done. My advice to others is to know who you are and where you want to go. Without a vision, people perish.

Capacitate yourself so that you can obtain an education. Be determined to win in every situation. Be positive. Always do your best and be resilient and courageous, so that you can fight back to become even better than before.

We only live once – life is the best gift given to us by the Creator and therefore we need to live fully without any regrets.

This comes from always doing good to others and giving more than you take. Stay healthy and enjoy everything you do, as though it were the last time you were doing it!

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Tb

bBeing theBest t t BB

By Lydia Bundred

B T

Dr Suzanne Ravenall, CEO of the Effectiveness Company, began working as a personal assistant at the age of 16. She attended Bedford College of Higher Education and the University of Metaphysics where she received her doctorate in metaphysics. In 1994 she decided to leave the UK, her birthplace, and move to South Africa. In her blossoming career she has been honoured with several awards and is the leading authority in her field. She is a member of the Young Presidents Organisation, Institute of Directors and the Businesswomen’s Association.

What prompted your move to South Africa in 1994?

A short contract in the cellular industry and the excitement of the beginning of a new era in telecommunications and then during my stay I just fell in love with South Africa; people’s desire to make change; their openness, friendliness and, their willingness to try new ways. The last twenty years have flown by, it seems impossible that it could have passed so quickly.

What have been your key lessons in life and in business, which any leader could live by/follow?

I am of the view that you learn from everybody every day, that applies to the people I talk to on the street to those I talk in the office and in business. So my lessons will be learned for the rest of my days! If we are wide awake, conscious and observant enough the learning provided by what we see, hear and experience from others is immeasurable. It’s coming at us in spades. It’s amazing what we can gain from the observation of what our energy field draws in. The challenge that applies to us all is: ‘what do we do when things don’t go so well?’ These become the defining moments in our life, the time we make the greatest decisions. As I have travelled through life I have learned that there is a solution to just about any problem that arises; it may not always be that obvious, it all depends on how you look at it. Giving up is just not an option.

What is your leadership style and what makes it work for you?

I think it all goes back to the fact that there are traits/ behaviours as leaders that we should all look to develop, a balance of feminine and masculine traits that compliment.

I am an entrepreneur through and through and there are similar qualities within all entrepreneurs I guess. What is important to me is upholding the values that I entrench in my life that we entrench in our business. Our culture is very important to us and we try to embody this every day.

One of our values is honesty and this is something that not all people always like to hear. I am not talking about

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perception or feeling. We all like to think we are honest with ourselves and the people around us. Honesty for us is about what you say you going to do….. you do and for us that’s integrity. Watching a Ted Talks recently I was interested to hear that people generally lie to up to 200 times a day, even small or white lies. What stands out for me is a life with integrity. We try and promote that to our staff and our customers.

I am passionate about transformation and change and believe that if you love what you do you won’t work a day in your life.

Do you think men and women’s style of leading is different and what impact do you think this has on a business?

People often say women are from Mars and the men are from Venus! Whilst we are different, I believe that both men and women, over a period of time, must develop a certain set of leadership behaviours, a balance in both the feminine and masculine and a lot of courage in order to be good or great at what they do. It is not about your gender or your colour but it is the wisdom and the capabilities you bring to operate successfully. Winston Churchill once said the kite rises higher against the wind.

People come in all different colours, shapes and sizes and have different capabilities. We should therefore focus on those areas in which leaders should excel and hone those skills and in so doing set an example for others to follow.

Often leadership is about the tough decisions; the right path is rarely the easy one. If we do that then, we may have better businesses all over the world. Be daring, be first, be different, be just.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Receiving an acknowledgement with ten other women worldwide, as one of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World was a wonderful feeling. But mostly having the courage to start a business in a different country. The learning and the life that the business has given me I will always be grateful for.

Dr Suzanne Ravenall, CEO of The Effectiveness Company

Based on your experience, do you have any words of advice you would like to share with young business owners?

1. Have a solid plan; know what you are going to do, what you want to offer the market place and how it’s going to be better or different than what other people are providing.

2. Execute this plan vigorously and keep referring back to it.

3. Think through as many eventualities and devise a scenario plan.

4. Do what you love and are passionate about – in this way you will keep going if the times are tough.

5. Take some time to live…laugh…love…with every cell of your being amongst all the crazy.

What is the next step for you?

It took us two or three years to build the first system.

Last year, we released it to the market and we have over 100 micro-financiers using our system, which works on a subscription model. We use SAP software, which we customise for the banking industry. Apart from the prohibitive cost, most of the traditional banking software systems do not have the special functions required by the micro-finance industry.

What’s the name of your system?

I am really excited to be launching a new business called Parinama, Sanskrit for transformation. Parinama is an Elevation Consulting business, with a unique transformatory approach, that identifies individuals who operate at the Top 10% of a group/department/ business/career. These people typically track their KPI’s at around 90-100%. We then study and profile, their decision making processes, behavioural traits, problem solving approach, amongst many other aspects. We reduce this behaviour into a system that can be replicated straight back into the average performers. By using a neuroscience approach to training, we transfer knowledge and expertise from top performers to the rest and lift their ability to operate at top performer level within the organisation.

Fast facts ■ Great for Fast changing environments, ■ Provides Competitive action; particularly with global competition, squeezing margins ■ Fly wheel for sales departments ■ Retiring/experienced employees taking knowledge with them ■ Top 10% perform at 90 -100%+ of their KPI’s, average 80% perform between 55- 65% of KPI’s ■ A majority of all businesses have a large group of mainly average performers (80%) ■ Assumes the Top 10%/Average 80%/Bottom 10% model, although the percentages vary from company to company department to department, this model can be applied to society, village, town, community,

country, business department, family etc. (Vitality Model, Pareto Principle) ■ Neuroscience approach cements the change Most departments track at an average level in their performance; Parinama goes right to the heart of the issue helping both the person and the company lift performance at both ends of the spectrum, leaving an obvious double wammy.

The benefit of the Parinama method to both company and individual is the upward swing in performance and this means productivity, profitability, improved self-esteem, replication of best techniques/processes among staff and a high-performance culture! It’s a win all around.

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Do the absolute best that we can, learn from every event that happens in our life good and bad, whatever we term as good and bad. Work at all areas of our life in balance to become a better person.

Parinama is a ground breaking new method and should you want to know more about accelerating your performance contact Suzanne on sravenall@effectivenesscompany.com * Some extracts drawn from the following sources: http://www.engineeringnews. co.za/article/suzanne-ravenall-2008-08-15; http://www.businesswomen.co.za/company/effectiveness-company/; http://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/success-stories/ case-studies/beyond-outsourcing-suzanne-ravenall/

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Lifetime Achievers Partner - CEO Global

Prof. Jessie Githanga; Prof. Francine Ntoumi; Dr Jennifer Riria; Prof. Karen Sliwa; Dr Mary Seely; Margaret Hirsch; Angela Dick; Prof. Maryke Laburschagne; Sister Priscilla Dlamini Government – Elected Achiever Partner - CEO Global Honourable Tokozile Xasa Agencies & Regulatory Authorities Partner - NDA Finalists: Nomita Seebaluck; Faranah Osman; Linda Blackbeard Country Winner: Felleng Yende Regional Winners: Jennifer Musisi; Menesiah Muinjo Agriculture Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Clare Kabakyenga Bashemerierwe; Josephine Kizza Country Winner: De-Neasha Esebel Topkin Regional Winners: Dr Agnes Atim Apea; Louisa Campbell Arts & Culture Partner - Hilton Hotel Finalists: Boakyewaa Glover; Chantal Donvide; Babalwa Fatyi; Erica Elk; Judy Ditchfield Regional Winners: Maureen Lilanda; Lauryathe Céphyse Bikouta; Janine Akossiwa Dégbé-Kinvi; Michelle Constant Automotive & Components Partner - MEIBC Finalist: Annette Stewart Regional Winner: Danelle van der Merwe Aviation Partner - Air Mauritius Finalists: Lynne Ross; Amanda Kandawire Regional Winner: Refilwe Ledwaba Building & Construction Partner - Bigen Africa Finalists: Belinda Collins; Debbie Wintermeyer Regional Winner: Marna van der Walt Business & Professional Services Partner - Parinama Finalists: Ali Bazi Fatoumia; Nawsheen Ahmed Ahmine; Neelum Chamroo; Nompumelelo Madisa; Sindi Zilwa; Jenni Newman Country Winner: Thandeka Dlamini Regional Winners: Dr Ellen Hagan; Aisha Allee; Gina Din Kariuki; Florence Ziumbe; Anne Pratt Chemical, Petrochemical & Pharmaceutical Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Grace Penonghenda Hikumwah; Julia Thandeka Shungube Regional Winners: Jillian Usagi; Joan Njeri Njoroge; Rose Nkosi Education & Training: Academic Partner - Sizwe IT Group Finalists: Prof. Elizabeth Amukugo; Hellen Manakedi Ntlatleng; Phuti Ragophala; Dr Susan Visser Country Winner: Yvonne Dausab Regional Winners: Dr Barbara Ofwono Buyondo; Prof. Tebello Nyokong; Prof. Jessie Githanga; Gertrude Akapelwa; Prof. Francine Ntoumi Education & Training: Private Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Hema Vallabh; Kim Meredith Country Winner: Adv. Mamosebi Theresia Pholo Regional Winner: Lillian Patricia Masebenza Financial Services Partner - KMPG Finalists: Brenda Thole; Ency Litsoane; Kalyani Pillay; Country Winner: Nelisiwe Zanele De Sousa Regional Winners: Mwangala Muyoyeta Palale; Sinothando Pupuma-Peter; Dr Jennifer Riria Government – Employed Official Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Dr Gabi Schneider; Nomshado Matselane; Nthabiseng Malinga; Phumla Williams Country Winner: Adv. Bience Gawanas

Regional Winners: Clare Akamanzi; Adv. Thuli Madonsela; Dr Anna Chifungula ICT Partner - CEOS TECHNOLOGIES Finalists: Carol Hall; Sharon Tshabalala Country Winner: Palesa Kaloli Regional Winner: Megan Nicholas Logistics & Shipping Partner - Egypt Air Finalists: Lise van der Berg; Sibongile Zikalala; Jenny Retief; Ivy Appiah Regional Winners: Jennifer Mwijukye; Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane Manufacturing & Engineering Partner - merSETA Finalists: Mpume Dlamini; Karin Clark Regional Winners: Florence Nakimbugwe Nsubuga; Francie Shonhiwa Media Partner - CEO Global Finalist: Lynn Madeley Extraordinary Achievement: Masingita Masunga Regional Winner: Paula Slier Medical & Veterinary Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Dr Augusta Dorning; Caroline Mbi-Njifor Regional Winners: Dr Monica Musenero Masanza; Prof. Karen Sliwa Mining Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Dr Elize Strydom; Ntakadzeni Constance Netshifhefhe Regional Winner: Ariella Kuper Public Enterprises Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Felleng Magongoa; Lingiwe Nyamande Country Winner: Tebogo Fruwirth Regional Winner: Puleng Kwele SME Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Ma-Lord Thotoane Mefane; Tsoakae Nelly Foso; Dorothy Botsi-Thulare; Lesley Waterkeyn; Annie Coetzee; Sharon Isaacs Country Winners: Regina Shikongo Ambambi; Martina Laurie; Mimi Rupp; Sanet M. Mey; Shameem Kumandan; Mamatala Leah Maranyane; Ska Mirriam Moteane; Sylvia Mthethwa; Christine Khasinah-Odero Regional Winners: Bako Rambelo; Nombuso Ndumo; Rosemond Appiah; Kate Kibarah Sport Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Ashleigh Moolman Pasio; Elana Meyer Regional Winner: Nokuzola Patience Thamae Tourism & Leisure Partner - VisaRequest Finalists: Dr Regina Degadjor; Constance Lyners; Valerie Pillay Regional Winner: Cordelia Masher Welfare & Civil Society Organisations Partner - CEO Global Finalists: Gambo Lantana; Anne Thandeka Gebhardt; Khanyisile Maria Motsa; Cathy Donaldson; Madelein Mkunu ; Margaret Sekaggya; Yemeserach Belayneh Country Winners: Epiphinaie Eklu-Koevanu; Malerotholi Cynthia Khoabane; Dr Mary Seely; Siphiwe Florence Hlophe; Angela Ndambuki Regional Winners: Maximilienne Ngo Mbe; Blandine Wadochédohoun; Elize Joubert; Vivian Kityo; Lilian Saka; Yetneberesh Molla Wholesale & Retail Partner - Kenya Airways Finalists: Sandra Thomas; Zyda Rylands Country Winner: Michelle Desiree Lloyd Regional Winner: Margaret Hirsch

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ECTOR ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

Country

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Country Lifetime Achievement Few individuals achieve as much as the women on the pages that follow, in terms of changing and transforming their local communities, their country and investing in people. People who put others before themselves invest not only in their own businesses but in the lives and futures of others.

From South Africa The Country Lifetime Achiever award is a prestigious award that recognises and commends the lifelong efforts, accomplishments and contributions of individuals in their local community. This area of recognition covers all sectors and countries to provide a platform where extra-ordinary citizens’ work and involvements can be showcased. The women featured in this category have gone beyond the call of duty to live out their passion and achieve their goals.

Major contributions to the economy and industry as a whole do not come from professional or personal contributions alone but from the achievements of an individual over a lifetime. CEO Global commends the following women for dedicating their lives to excellence.

Angela Dick

A

ngela Dick has been in the Business and Professional Services sector for 32 years and she is the Chief Executive Officer of Transman.

CEO is proud to award her with the Lifetime Achiever award for 2015 in her sector to recognise her excellent achievements and contributions, both personally and professionally. She completed her Natal Senior Teachers Diploma in 1967 and in 1984 she wrote the first Instructor Training Manual for Heavy Vehicle Drivers in SA. In 2006 she was recognised as the SA Businesswoman of the Year in the entrepreneurial category and by Most Influential Woman in Business and Government in 2007. “If you can ensure your people are happy and fulfilled in the work they do with sincere recognition, opportunities for growth and financial security for themselves and their families, the contribution that they make to the company, our clients and to our society is far beyond normal job performance expectations,� explains Angela.

Lifetime Achievement

From South Africa

From Kenya

Sister Priscilla Dlamini

Prof. Jessie Githanga

T

he Lifetime Achiever award winner in the Medical and Veterinary sector for 2015, Sister Priscilla Dlamini is a Sister and Project Director at the Holy Cross AIDS Hospice. She has an impressive set of five diplomas, four certificates and a BA CUR in Nursing Administration, Community Health Nursing Science, and Advanced Psychiatric Nursing. Priscilla has built three rural clinics for primary health care, trained 200 caregivers and built a crèche for 120 orphaned and vulnerable children as well as a feeding centre. She is the Founder and Project Director of the 36 bedded hospice used as a sanctuary for dignified and peaceful death. Priscilla is passionate about people and ensuring that all have quality of life and she regularly visits the sick, the dying and orphans. As a pillar in the community she established herbal gardens from which herbal plants are harvested to treat ailments.

F

or her excellent achievements in the Academic Education and Training sector, MIW is proud to present Professor Jessie Githanga with the 2015 Lifetime Achiever award. Not only has she greatly impacted her sector professionally, as Associate Professor in haematology and blood transfusion at the University of Nairobi, but also personally in her day to day life. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and a Masters in Medicine Degree in Pathology. The Professor is a Founding member of the Board of Trustees of Kenya Childhood Cancer Trust, which aims to improve the holistic management of children with cancer in Kenya, as well as the Education Committee of the College of Pathologists of East, Central and Southern Africa. Several of Kenya’s private laboratories were developed and headed by Julian and numerous lab technicians were mentored by her guidance. Due to her expertise she is a sought after speaker for local and international events.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Country Lifet

From South Africa

From South Africa

Margaret Hirsch

Prof. Maryke Labuschagne

M

argaret Hirsch is chief operating officer of Hirsch’s, the biggest independently owned home appliances and electronic goods retail chain in Southern Africa. “We started as a mom and pop business, but soon realised that we could not do everything ourselves. In 1994 we took another step where we empowered our staff by starting many in their own businesses - we sold our trucks to our drivers at a low price and allowed extended terms of payment,” says Margaret. Margaret is at work early and never leaves before 6pm. She is in all her stores at least once a week.

Margaret started the Margaret Hirsch Women in Business Achiever Award, mostly targeting entrepreneurs.

Margaret has won many awards including the Sanlam 2013 Life Time Achievement Award in Entrepreneurship.

In 2014, Margaret was honoured with being inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame (2014) for countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Giving back to the community is part of Hirsch’s philosophy.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

“M

y main concern is food security, but to have this, we have to develop people. We need to develop people who can go into Africa and collectively work toward food production for the continent,” explains Professor Maryke Labuschagne, Professor and Head: Division of Plant Breeding at the University of the Free State. For the past 20 years she has pursued her passion for aiding and mentoring postgraduate students by providing training to pupils from all over Africa. She has an impressive array of qualifications including; B.Sc. Agriculture, M.Sc. Agriculture and a PhD in Plant Breeding. In 2012 Maryke received Scientist of the Year Award from Grain South Africa and she was a runner up in the Women in Science Annual Award of the National Department of Science and Technology, South Africa, in 2013. For her dedication and on-going contributions she has been awarded the 2015 Lifetime Achiever award in her sector.

time

Achievement

From Congo

From Kenya

Prof. Francine Ntoumi

Dr. Jennifer Nkuene Riria

B

oth a medical doctor and a professor, Francine Ntoumi is a force for positive change. Based in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo she has a background in Molecular Biology and Parasitology. She established the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research (FCRM), which supports biomedical research as well as a molecular biology laboratory at the Marien Ngouabi University, which is the only public university in the country. She is an icon within the education and science field. The Congolese Foundation for Medical Research which Professor Ntoumi established is having a significant impact on the provision of health services.

“Good health services are very expensive, with most of the population not able to afford them,” says Professor Francine Ntoumi. “For this reason we have set up a health facility that provides services of very high quality at reduced costs.” She predicted that the number of patients attending the facility would offset the cost and this has materialised. She is the first scientist to receive the African Union scientific award and the first scientist in the Republic of Congo on the board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

D

r Jennifer Nkuene Riria has been awarded the 2015 Lifetime Achiever award in the Financial Services sector due to her outstanding contributions over her 21 years in the industry. She is the CEO of Kenya Women Holding, a company catering solely to female clients, and she has her Bachelors, Masters and a Ph.D. in Education. Jennifer is passionate about uplifting and empowering African women in the business realm and has greatly succeeded in helping others contribute to the economy by bettering themselves. As a leading expert in the Microfinance industry she was recognised by the Corporate Council for Africa Business Excellence in 2009 and she is the Chair of Women’s World Banking. She is a driven leader that motivates and encourages her team and those around her to be the best at all times. Jennifer has been awarded the Champion of Democracy award by the Ford Foundation of New York and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Country Lifetime Achievement

From Namibia

From South Africa

Dr. Mary Seely

Prof. Karen Sliwa

D

r Mary Seely has contributed to the Welfare and Civil Society Organisations sector for 45 years. For her dedication and hard work CEO has awarded her with the Lifetime Achiever award. She is an Associate and Member of the Board of Trustees for Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, a non-profit environmental organisation. “I believe strongly in teaching by doing and serving as a role model while allowing team colleagues, at all levels, to play a leading part in innovation, implementation and documentation,” says the PhD holder. Her environmental focus has ranged from climate change, biodiversity, desertification, water and sanitation. She has three honoris causa to her name which she received from three different universities, namely; Grinnell College in 2015, University of the Free State in 2014 and University of Natal in 1994. She compiled the nomination dossier for UNESCO that resulted in the 2013 inscription of the Namib Sand Sea as a World Heritage Site.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

P

rofessor Karen Sliwa is a world leader in the area of heart disease, focusing on conditions relevant to Africa. Her work is acknowledged in heart failure and cardiac arrest in pregnancy. Prof. Sliwa’s Heart of Soweto studies; of 8000 patients brought world-wide attention to the deteriorating cardiovascular health of Africans. She is an internist, a tropical medicine specialist and a cardiologist. She is director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa (HICRA) at the University of Cape Town. She is also co-chair of the Cardiovascular Research Group at the University of the Witwatersrand, a unit which she founded in 2006. Prof.

Sliwa has worked in Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto1992.

She has designed innovative research programmes in nine Africa countries and has published over 200 publications, book chapters and policy reports. Prof.

Sliwa’s has also designed several innovative research programs in nine African countries.

SECTOR Elected SECTOR ECTOR

t

Foreword

achiever

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Government Elected Achievers A country’s government and its officials set the tone for a nation’s growth and potential growth. Government leaders who act with integrity and wisdom give society confidence in their guidance and abilities. A nation with such a governing body invests in their citizen’s well-being and over-all happiness.

When a nation selects its leaders it is based on past and current achievements and roles in communities as well as promised actions. It is when an official goes beyond their promises and invest whole-heartedly in their people that they are a true leader. By putting others before themselves and leading by example they set the standard for all others. The pages that follow present those women in government who produce quality outcomes and better those around them in order to build a better stronger nation.

Due to their beyond duty actions and investments in not only their professional roles but also the people they govern, CEO Global proudly commends the following individual’s contributions and leadership with the Government Elected Achievers award.

From South Africa Hon. Min. Tokozile Xasa

“T

he National Department of Tourism is mandated to grow the tourism sector of the country and to contribute significantly to economic prosperity and development as well as promote social cohesion,” says Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa. The Department also manages the reputation of South Africa to attract more visitors. Deputy Minister Xasa was the first female mayor of a district municipality in the transitional period of local government in the Eastern Cape. She has been an ANC Member of Provincial Legislature since 2001. She is involved with all aspects of tourism, and has a passion for youth, women and skills development. “I believe in the positioning of women in leadership in all spheres of society,” she says.

She has led overseas delegations, represented South Africa at regional and international trade shows and participated in global think-tanks to position South Africa favourably.

Deputy Minister Xasa is custodian of the highly successful National Tourism Careers Expo (NTCE) which introduces tourism at grass roots level and she initiated the Women in Tourism dialogue.

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Sustainability

The world is increasingly fascinated with Africa as the next global growth story, but, with over a billion people living in 54 recognised states, where exactly in Africa is the best place to be if you want to make the most of the expected boom? We sent a journalist to troll through a few databases in pursuit of an (un)scientific, but hopefully interesting, answer.

It Starts with GDP If you are looking for a good country to invest in, then finding a country where serious gross domestic product (GDP) growth is happening seems like a good place to start. The data from the World Bank looks at the average predicted growth rate between 2014 and 2017. Listed are all the African countries that have a growth rate higher than the global GDP growth rate for the same period.

Although most African countries are expected to grow faster than the global average, South Africa is only expected to grow by around 2.2% during this period, thus excluding it as a contender. There are a whopping 11 countries which are likely to grow by more than 6% during this period.

Growth in the Ivory Coast has largely been driven by foreign investment and a public-works programme.

The world’s largest exporter of cocoa and cashew nuts has implemented business-friendly reforms, which led the World Bank to rank it among the 10 best performers in the world for two consecutive years.

Taking Advantage of GDP Investing in a place with high expected GDP growth is one thing, but taking advantage of the GDP growth is quite another. For this reason, the World Bank’s ease-of-doing-business index is worth considering. The index ranks countries worldwide in terms of how friendly their regulations are for doing business for enterprises within the country, with 1 being the most business friendly.

Factors considered in determining the index include permits required for starting a business, labour market regulation, paying taxes, and how insolvency is resolved.

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GDP

*

Average (2014–2017)

The Best African

The top 15 African countries on the list look like this:

Ivory Coast

8.45

Mozambique

7.88

Congo, Dem. Rep. of

7.65

1

Mauritius

28

Tanzania

7.00

2

South Africa

43

Ethiopia

6.73

3

Rwanda

46

Uganda

6.70

4

Tunisia

60

Rwanda

6.65

5

Ghana

70

Zambia

6.48

6

Morocco

71

Burkina Faso

6.20

7

Botswana

74

Kenya

6.13

8

Seychelles

85

Niger

6.05

9

Namibia

88

Nigeria

5.95

10

Zambia

111

Djibouti

5.75

Mauritania

5.60

11

Egypt, Arab Rep.

112

Gabon

5.45

12

Cape Verde

122

Ghana

5.18

13

Mozambique

127

Gambia, The

5.10

14

Lesotho

128

Cameroon

5.05

15

Tanzania

131

Angola

4.98

Togo

4.95

Benin

4.90

Botswana

4.75

Malawi

4.75

Mali

4.68

Senegal

4.68

Lesotho

4.55

Namibia

4.15

Morocco

4.03

Mauritius

3.68

Eritrea

3.63

Egypt

3.60

Madagascar

3.58

Zimbabwe

3.35

Algeria

3.33

Comoros

3.30

Tunisia

3.13

Seychelles

3.05

Global GDP

3.03

The table does not include Somalia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Liberia due to data limitations.

Ease of doing business in Africa

World rating

Notable exceptions 16

Ethiopia

132

17

Kenya

136

22

Ivory Coast

147

37

Nigeria

170

43

Angola

181

44

Congo, Dem. Rep. of

184

All of the countries, except for Cape Verde and South Africa (highlighted in red), have expected GDP growth rates higher than the global average. Rwanda, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania (highlighted in green) are not only rated in the top 15 in terms of ease of doing business, but are also predicted to have an average growth rate of more than 6% between 2014 and 2017, making them potential frontrunners.

Sustainability

Country to Invest In? Being lowly rated on the easeof-doing-business index should be put in perspective. China is rated 90th on the global index, while India occupies 142nd place, yet they are some of the world’s most important markets. The index simply indicates that getting return on investment is likely to be more difficult – but not impossible – in a country where doing business is more difficult.

But Is the Country Open to All? Having an impressive ease-ofdoing-business rating and a bumping GDP is all good and well, but if a country is not accommodating to those of us who carry an XX chromosome, then it may not be viable as an investment option for many.

In order to find an index that measures gender-friendliness, we turned to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which, according to its website, uses “over 100 variables from more than 30 independent African and global sources”.

One of the components taken into account in the overall index is gender.

The gender index considers factors such as gender equality, gender balance in education, and legislation on violence against women and gender equality.

Rwanda, Mozambique and Tanzania (in green) have now featured in three indices so far, while Botswana and Mauritius (blue) have featured in two.

by Leigh Schaller

Gender (Ibrahim)

Safety and the rule of law (Ibrahim)

1

Seychelles

1

Botswana

2

Rwanda

2

Mauritius

3

South Africa

3

Cape Verde

4

Botswana

4

Namibia

5

Namibia

5

Seychelles

6

Uganda

6

Ghana

7

Senegal

7

Lesotho

8

Cape Verde

8

South Africa

9

Mozambique

9

São Tomé and Príncipe

10

Tanzania

10

Zambia

11

Madagascar

11

Malawi

12

Burundi

12

Senegal

13

Lesotho

13

Swaziland

14

Mauritius

14

Tunisia

Notable exceptions

15

Morocco Notable exceptions

17

Kenya

23

Ethiopia

17

Rwanda

35

Nigeria

20

Tanzania

40

Angola

28

Mozambique

39

Angola

44

Nigeria

Living in Safety Once you’ve invested in a promising country, you would like to have some sense that you and your investment are secure. Another component of the Ibrahim index considers factors such as the rule of law, accountability, personal safety, and national security when determining its rating.

Both Botswana and Mauritius, which rate highly on the safety index, also rate highly on the gender index and ease-of-doing-business index, although it is not expected that their GDPs will grow by more than 6%.

Favourites up to this point, Rwanda, Tanzania and Mozambique, didn’t make the top 15 cut in this index.

And the Winner Is… Spoiler alert: There is no clear winner. To choose a country based on only four measurements, where no single country rates highly on all of the indices, would amount to serious thumb-sucking, but there is a nice selection of contenders for the position.

Should your interests as an investor lie in finding the country with the highest possible growth, then Mozambique, Tanzania and Rwanda would seem like the best candidates based on these indices.

If you are looking for a safer choice, albeit one with a lower growth rate, then Botswana or Mauritius may be worth investing in.

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Sustainability

A Viable

Public-transport

System

by Andrew Ngozo

Mention the phrase ‘public transport’ to many people and you will hear all sorts of stories. Most of these are tales told of crowded buses, trains and taxi ranks.

Some of us have never been on a publictransport system before, except for being in an aeroplane –which is a luxury mode of transport for many Africans. Yet, governments across the continent and the world are advising people to use this mode of transportation on a daily basis in order to have less congested roads that can be used for the transportation of goods. In the Gauteng area, for example, there is a highspeed rail system that runs between Pretoria and Johannesburg. However, since 2010, the highways and byways of this bustling metropolis remain a nightmare. This then raises the question: is public transport really a viable option when compared with rather using one’s vehicle on the country’s roads?

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AFRICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN 2015/2016

Sustainability

A

ccording to Rachel Kyte, vice-president of sustainable development at the World Bank, good public-transport systems are an essential part of safe, clean and affordable transport as a component of development.

“From a social perspective, public transport is often the only means of transport for the poor. Without it, they would be able to look at work opportunities only within walking distance of their homes, so public transport improves their livelihood opportunities. It also gives them greater access to education, health care and recreation. For senior citizens, people with disabilities and children, public transport is also their main means of mobility,” she explains.

From an urban-mobility perspective, public transport is far more efficient than personal motor vehicles when it comes to use of road space and energy consumption.

Key Features of an Integrated System A good public-transport system must be easy and convenient to use, and must also be fast, safe, clean and affordable.

Seoul, Singapore and Hong Kong are known for their excellent transport systems. Smaller cities like Lyon in France and Curitiba in Brazil also have very good systems, shares Rachel. More recently, León in Mexico, Pereira in Colombia, Lagos in Nigeria, and Ahmedabad in India have developed good systems, with many more in the offing. A key feature is that these systems integrate multiple technologies, such as metro rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and basic bus services.

A common ticket or fare card serves all the systems, making it easy for passengers to transfer from one mode to the other.

Passenger information systems enable users to know when the next service is due and to understand the routes easily, and the high frequency of service reduces the hassle of a long wait for the next bus or train.

However, there have been barriers to sustainable public transport in developing countries. These problems differ from region to region. Says Rachel: “An important barrier is the historical industry structure. Many countries in Africa [Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa], Latin America [Colombia and Peru] and Asia [the Philippines and Indonesia] have bus systems that are owned and operated by a large number of small operators. Meanwhile, other countries in Asia [India and China], North America [the USA and Canada] and Europe [France] have a single publicly owned entity that provides all transport services. Experience shows that neither of these is the best for ensuring a good public-transport system.” Having a large number of small operators allows for low-cost services, but the quality is poor due to severe competition. Other disadvantages include dangerous driving practices, pollution, and a tendency to have too much service on profitable routes and virtually no service on nonprofitable routes. Meanwhile, single publicly owned entities may offer a higher quality of service but costs tend to be high and the quantity of service is often inadequate.

Another barrier is the financial sustainability of mass-transit systems, especially metro rail. These cost a lot to build as well as to operate, and so the operating costs are not recovered through fares. It is essential to look at additional revenue sources beyond fares in order to sustain such systems. The social image of public transport is another barrier. “In developing country cities, as income levels go up, people like to demonstrate their enhanced income status by shifting from public modes to personal motor vehicles. The public-transport system is seen as the only option for people who cannot afford their own vehicle. As a result, people tend to look down on someone who is using public transport. Getting the image of public transport right is a challenge,” notes Rachel.

The World Bank’s View The primary contribution of the World Bank has been in providing funds for urban-transport projects. According to Rachel, between 1999 and 2011, the World Bank supported over 80 urban-transport projects in different parts of the world, with commitments amounting to about USD10.5 billion. These projects are delivering results. For instance, in Bogotá, Colombia, approximately 27% of the city’s public-transport demand benefits from the TransMilenio bus rapid transit system supported by the World Bank. According to 2009 data, riding TransMilenio results in an average time saving of 32% or 20 minutes per trip when compared with the traditional bus system. This is a saving of more than 10 hours a month for the average commuter. Over the years, the programme has also led to a decrease in accident rates of about 90% in the corridors where the system operates.

The World Bank also contributes to capacity development and knowledge-sharing so as to facilitate the design and implementation of viable projects. “We have found that urban transport is complex and requires an appreciation, at leadership levels, of its multiple dimensions. Mere building of facilities is not enough and a more comprehensive approach is needed. Our Leaders in Urban Transport Planning Programme seeks to develop capacity among senior policy-makers and planners in cities, provincial governments and national governments, so they can adopt a more holistic view of transport planning within a city,” she states. As living standards continue to increase, the demand for transport also rises. In developing countries and emerging economies, the solution seems to be to increase on-road transport – private cars, buses and other shared motor vehicles.

The World Bank supports good management of transport systems, concludes Rachel. There are several well-managed public agencies that the Bank has supported. “Nonetheless, our experience has been that systems where a public agency is involved in planning and regulation, with services contracted to private operators under well-defined contracts, work best.

Therefore, we would recommend such arrangements wherever the existing arrangement is not working well.”

Source: The World Bank

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Agencies & Regulatory Authorities Properly run administrations result in efficient governments and translate into a progressive African continent. In order for this machinery to run well, it has to be well oiled through the use of watchdogs such as government agencies and regulatory authorities.

These are able to keep checks and balances on economic sectors.

From Namibia An example of a regulatory authority or agency will be South Africa’s Financial Services Board (FSB), a unique independent institution established by statute to oversee the South African Non-Banking Financial Services Industry in the public interest and to promote and maintain a sound financial investment environment in South Africa. Common mandates for agencies and regulatory authorities include ensuring fairness, maintaining integrity and ensure stability for growth, to mention a few. Other similar institutions include the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA).

National Development Agency

recognises the role of the women in this sector. Just as they kept the home fires burning during the liberation struggles, they are ensuring that the gains made run on welloiled apparatus. May energy reserves never run dry!

Menesiah Muinjo

H

er career in the media industry has been evolving since 1991 when she made an entrance as a student reporter. She grew and rose through the ranks – from student reporter, to reporter, senior reporter, chief reporter, assistant editor, editor, General Manager of News and Current Affairs, General Manager of Commercial Services, and Head of Sales. Today regional winner and country winner in the Agencies and Regulatory Authorities Sector Menesiah Muinjo is Chief News and Programming Officer at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). She says that prior to her appointment, she was ‘parked’ for over two years, “until I made what I call ‘a great come back’ to lead the teams that are, today, managing the NBC’s core business – the multi-media areas – News and Current Affairs, Radio Services, Content Hub and TV Services.” Menesiah was a Founding Member and Chairperson of the Namibia Editors’ Forum. She is currently the Vice- President of the African Network for Environmental Journalists (ANEJ).

RegionalWinner

From Uganda Jennifer Semakula Musisi

J

ennifer Semakula Musisi is executive director at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) which she administers on behalf of Central Government. She initiated the successful KCCA Restructuring and Recovery Programme; resulting in very high institutional performance. “I have made Ugandans regain pride in their capital and restored confidence that government institutions can be turned around from decadence,” says Jennifer. “…you can actually successfully fight corruption and corrupt systems...even in Africa and make visible progress.” She wants to help raise transformational leaders that will rescue Africa. Her efforts have transformed service delivery and increased revenue by 133% in 3 years. The Authority has constructed over 172 kilometres of new roads, created over 8,200 workspaces, supports over 400 women groups, and 2,000 youth entrepreneurs, and provided support to over 3,600 urban farmers. Under Jennifer’s leadership KCCA has won over 30 local international awards, and has restored public credibility and investor confidence.

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F

Countrywinner From South Africa Felleng Yende Meet country winner Felleng Yende, Chief Executive Officer of the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP & M SETA). She has 17 years’ experience in transformation and related fields and achieved exceptional success in the negotiation and execution of Black Economic Empowerment transactions, securing business licences to operate and trade, developing strategies and execution of Corporate Social Responsibility projects. Felleng initiated a project that empowers small miners in Africa with a budget of R50 million in order to ensure the establishment of black-owned mines

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Finalists From South Africa Linda Blackbeard Decades managing a business, equips Linda Blackbeard with the skills required as CEO of the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Passionate about entrepreneurship, Linda nurtured a young SMME, who won top nomination: Entrepreneur of the Year Award for SACCI. A typical week can see Linda lobbying government on the unintended consequences of the Immigration Act on investment, positioning a young black businessman with an energy supply bid, promoting export of manufactured goods into Africa, and representing South Africa overseas.

From South Africa Faranah Osman Based in Pretoria, South Africa, finalist Faranah Osman is Executive Director for Governance at the National Research Foundation. She reveals that a combination of engineering and business skills has allowed her to create enabling environments for extremely complex multidisciplinary science institutions of global significance. “As the business manager, I made a positive contribution to both the Southern African Large Telescope Foundation and the South African Astronomical Observatory. Faranah graduated with an MBA at 30 and was the youngest executive director appointed at the NRF.

From Mauritius Nomita Devi Seebaluck Nomita Devi Seebaluck was the first women to occupy the position of Manager of Mauritius Ports Authority and since her arrival in 2004 the number of women in managerial positions has increased. Nomita holds a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Economics and she has an MSc in Port Management and Shipping Administration. She is the President of the Mauritian Chapter of the Regional Association of Women Managers in the Maritime sector in Eastern and Southern Africa.

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Case in Point NDA | National Development Agency

Community

In many respects good leadership is about creating opportunities for those that need to follow in your footsteps. Dr Vuyelwa Nhlapo, Chief Executive Officer of the National Development Agency believes that providing opportunities which are aligned with the overall objectives of the organisation, is an ideal way to ensure those around you are constantly being developed.

Dr Vuyelwa Nhlapo, Chief Executive Officer, National Development Agency

Ties

by Valdi Pereira

“E

nsuring your team enjoy exposure to situations and challenges that remove them somewhat from their ordinary responsibilities, is a good way to promote development,” she notes. “Generally speaking good leaders are holistic individuals. While it is important to have sound technical knowledge or underpinning in your primary field of expertise; it is equally important to be well-rounded, particularly when it comes to your ability to interact with people. Leading people is often about dealing with diverse opinions and views. One can only develop the ability to deliver results in such a situation if you’re exposed to a variety of situations.”

The NDA’s work compels its employees to understand various perspectives within a community. The ultimate vision of the NDA is to develop a society free from poverty.

As Vuyelwa has rightly said: “By its very nature poverty is a multidimensional state, that affects individuals burdened by it on many levels. It therefore requires multi-pronged interventions that culminate in sustainable independence.”

Established 16 years ago, the NDA had some teething problems in its formative years. These have since been ironed out and in recent years there has been a renewed energy within the organisation. In terms of the NDA’s 2011/2016 strategy, there has been, and continues to be a specific focus on rural development to achieve sustainable livelihoods.

Granting funds and providing capacity building support to civil society organisations is also recognised as important.

Another area of focus is supporting organisations that are dealing with vulnerable groups and early childhood development to nurture social cohesion.

The NDA requires the commitment of its staff towards their own continued development. Vuyelwa is a firm believer in encouraging her team to continually invest in themselves through ongoing learning and development.” We all live in a world where the environments we operate in are changing at a rapid pace. It is important that you keep abreast of professional development needs and I always encourage my staff to study further and develop themselves. If you were to visit the NDA today, you will discover that many of the staff are committed to some form of training or development.”

Leaders set the tone for behaviour and it is critical that they not only fit into the culture of an organisation, but that they are able to add value to it through their own values.

Between the Lines According to Vuyelwa, men possibly need a little more exposure to the development of softer skills than women.

She is of the view that women are far more adept at reading between the lines than men.

“I intend no disrespect when I say that men tend to look at the ‘lines’ and be very factual and occasionally emotionally distant when dealing with challenges.

Case in Point NDA | National Development Agency

“This is not always the best way of getting the most out of people or a situation. Women have an innate ability to understand what the real challenges in a situation are and what the future impact of certain actions will be. It is an ability that I believe should not be underestimated or undermined.”

Values Driven Approach Asked about those values that she believes leaders should espouse at all times, she answers without hesitation. “Honesty, integrity, transparency and the ongoing pursuit of excellence is in my opinion some of the most important characteristics that leaders should demonstrate.”

In her opinion a dearth of these values is often at the root of many challenges in societies. “If you reflect on what appears to be a lack of leadership in a particular situation, you will find in most instances, that leaders have abandoned these values and that their followers are suffering because of it.”

She points out that progressive organisations, often take time to consider not only the technical prowess of a new leader they wish to hire. They also consider the leadership characteristics and values driven approach of the individual under consideration for a leadership position.

“The quality of leadership is a very important determinant in the performance of an organisation. Leaders set the tone for behaviour and it is critical that they not only fit into the culture of an organisation, but that they are able to add value to it through their own values.”

Giving Back During her formative years growing up in Wattville township outside Benoni, in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan municipality, Vuyelwa experienced first-hand the devastation wreaked by Apartheid on the people and communities in this area.

Former ANC president Oliver Tambo also lived in Wattville during the 1950s. Despite the fact that his work took him and his family away from the township, this community remained in their hearts and minds; and they attempted to serve the community after their departure. Vuyelwa also shares another aspect of her heritage in common with the struggle hero; like Oliver Tambo she was born and bred in Bizana in the Eastern Cape.

Vuyelwa has followed this example and continues to serve her former community through church activities and participation in various programmes aimed at youth development.

“I believe it is important to give back to your community,” says Vuyelwa. “Wattville not only has a rich history, but it formed me and provided me with an understanding of the challenges that so many people face and the consequences they bear today because of an unjust system.”

She is philosophical with respect to the demands that are made upon leaders and the expectations they often have to meet: “No matter how good you strive to be and the challenges you overcome and in some instances, the sacrifices you make, you will come in for your fair share of criticism as a leader. I have learned that one needs to embrace criticism, try to understand where it comes from and respond appropriately. Most importantly, I have realised that this must not deter me from doing good, because as a leader, that is my responsibility.”

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Agriculture Africa is classified as the continent with the most arable land in the world. For this reason, the education of our people in sustainable and effective farming methods is an extremely valuable step toward food security. Skills and knowledge transfer are therefore a major focus of the sector.

From Uganda Dr Agnes Atim Apea Women are seen as the workers on the ground in this sector, but also occupy the top positions of agricultural organisations and authorities. Owing to automation, agricultural processes are becoming easier to implement. However, Africans frequently lack the resources to obtain the latest machinery and to keep up with advancing practices. To this end, smart processing and sustainable methods are more important than exclusive machinery. With much land at our disposal, job creation and poverty eradication are within reach if those in the agriculture sector consider succession planning and integrate enterprise development into current practices.

We thank the women in agriculture for putting food on our plates! CEO Global applauds your achievements in the face of challenging natural forces and high demand. Your work is valuable to us all.

A

s Chief Executive officer of Hope Development Initiative (HDI) in Uganda, Dr Agnes Atim Apea has considerable responsibility. The social enterprise supports 10,000 women farmers in conflict/post-conflict situations across agricultural value chains from production to agro-processing, to distribution and to broader markets.

HDI provides micro-credit loans to rural farmers to increase their production capabilities and is empowering women.

Dr Apea’s efforts are recognised. She is listed among the top 40 Women of Influence in Uganda by UN Women and is recognised as one of the most influential women in business by a national newspaper (Monitor). She received a honorary award from Uganda Entrepreneurs Association for enhancing the lives of rural women. Columbia University in New York has acknowledged her efforts in promoting businesswomen’s rights. A doctorate in International Development gives her insight on empowering communities. A project to support the production and processing of rice and cassava has reduced reliance on imports of these crops. Whether advocating women’s property rights or providing tractor hire services, Dr Apea is empowering local farmers for a better life.

RegionalWinner

From Namibia Louisa Campbell

L

ouisa Campbell is Public Relations Officer at Lovedale Farming in Namibia. She received the Namibian Agricultural Woman of the year award in 2011; was nominated as one of the 16 Who’s Who Women of Namibia in 2012; was nominated as one of the Most Influential Women in Business and Government in 2014; is the current Vice-chairperson of the Swakara Breeders Association of Namibia; director and secretary of the Board of Private School Elnatan and the ViceChairperson of Helmeringhausen Farmers’ Association.

Louisa is the 2015 regional and country winner in the Agriculture sector. She says leadership is not just in one’s own company but getting actively involved with the national industry as a whole to share your experiences with the rest of the industry, to learn more from others’ experiences as well. One of Louisa’s main tasks in life is encouraging people to always give their best even in the smallest task.

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F

Countrywinner From South Africa De-Neasha Esebel Topkin Empowering others to take charge of their lives is what motivates De-Neasha Esebel Topkin, managing director of La Familia Farming and Projects. Starting out her career as a receptionist, De-Neasha has successfully managed and implemented financial management, compliance, general office management and human resource strategies with various companies including Jacksons Anthracite, Quality Distribution, Landmark and Bloemfontein Celtics. Based in the Free State, La Familia Farming and Projects supplies fresh produce and agro processed goods and stimulates local small businesses.

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Finalists

r

From Uganda

Clare Kabakyenga Bashemerierwe She describes herself as a social entrepreneur, who works within teams, networks and movements for change. Clare Bashemerierwe is a finalist in the agricultural sector. She is general manager of Manyakabi Area Cooperative Enterprise (MACE). Recognised by UN Women as an Influential Woman, Clare has worked in agriculture for 18 years. She has encouraged and mentored 44 women into leadership roles in the private sector and at various levels in local government. The cooperative enterprise that Clare heads up consists of 57 rural women groups, with a combined membership of 8016 individual farmers. They are mobilised to produce mostly maize and beans which is marketed through MACE, and supported through training and other projects.

From Uganda Josephine Kizza It takes a special person to lead and influence others when you come from a humble background.

Josephine Kizza is a mother to six children and executive director of the St. Jude Family Projects and Organic Training Centre. Their projects focus on the promotion of sustainable farming practices for food security and increased household income in a way that will benefit future generations. Her credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree in Organic Agriculture from Reading University in the UK. All their interventions target vulnerable women, youth and children. The training centre includes a model farm that generates 250 000 dollars per annum.

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Sustainability

Life is a curious, wonderful mystery that somehow always emerges regardless of the opposition or atmosphere. New species are emerging in seemingly uninhabitable conditions and civilisations are functioning in isolated and arid parts of the world.

Organisms Discovered in the Arctic While analysing saltwater off the coast of Norway, biologists from the University of Uppsala discovered unknown microbes from the floor of the ocean. After close examination, they believe this organism is the link between single-cell and complex organisms. Scientists think these organisms, named Lokiarchaeota, are closely, and possibly, linked to the complex cells that make up the human body.

The question remains: how did these organisms come to dwell on the floor of the Arctic?

Dark Depths of the Sea In the last 10 years, expeditions to the depths of the sea have revealed amazing, nightmarish and strange forms of life surviving in the harsh, dark conditions of the ocean depths. A new ‘ghost’ species of fish was recently discovered at 8 143 metres below the surface of the Mariana Trench.

The Mariana Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean near the Mariana Islands and is the deepest-known part of the world’s oceans. Most fish cannot survive at such depths due to the immense pressure, which affects muscles and nerves and bends protein out of shape. However, the ‘ghost’ fish, resembling a white eel with fins, can withstand the environment because of trimethylamine oxide, a chemical which supports protein structure and prevents the fish from being affected by the pressure. Little more is known about the pale fish, except that it is not affected by the lack of sunlight and that it lives in an almost unexplored world beneath the sea.

Isolated Amazonian Tribes There are around 400 to 500 tribes living in the Amazon, of which about 50 have never had any contact with the outside world. These tribes have unique languages, customs and attire. The tribesmen and women live from the land by growing their own fruit and vegetables, and hunting and fishing. Some tribes use spears, arrows or blowing darts which they lace with poison from local plants. Owing to loggers and drug traffickers, some of the isolated tribes have been forced to seek outside help in an effort to make ‘allies’ and rally support to protect their people. Since the tribes have been untouched by

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Life

by Lydia Bundred

in

Sustainability

civilisation, they are at risk of contracting illnesses and diseases which are foreign to them. Officials in the area have encouraged locals who come into contact with any tribes not to exchange or give them any household items which may carry germs. Efforts are being made in the area to preserve the tribes’ way of life and to ensure that outside influence does not harm or bring an end to the peoples and their cultures.

Unexpected

Places

Farming in the Negev Desert Nearly two-thirds of Israel’s land is comprised of the Negev Desert, thus making use of the desert essential for sustaining the small country. The temperatures in the Negev Desert vary between 3 and 37 °C throughout the year, yet farmers and their families are flourishing, regardless of the temperature. ‘Farming’ and ‘desert’ are two words that rarely appear in the same sentence, yet, in the Negev Desert, locals are growing produce by means of hydroponics and scientific techniques. Scientists have found a way to compensate for the little rain and sandy soil by feeding crops with a precise mix of fresh and brackish water. Cherry tomatoes are watered in this way and are housed in Styrofoam boxes, producing around 10 tons of luscious tomatoes per acre. The use of semi-saltwater increases the sweetness and shelf life of the tomato. This desert farmland also houses fish farms. The water in which the fish are raised is used as a natural fertiliser for the crops. Dates, tomatoes, olives, wine grapes and fish are but a few necessities being farmed in the Negev. Scientists and desert farmers are optimistic that this form of farming will expand and not only meet, but also exceed, all expectations in terms of quality and quantity.

Survival in Extreme Environments • The Sahara Desert ant is the world’s most heat-tolerant, dryland walker, as it can function even when its body temperature reaches 50 °C. • The water dweller, the Pompeii worm, lives in near boiling water and can survive in 80 °C temperatures.

• The Aratinga holochlora, a parrot species, nests in the Masaya Volcano crater of Nicaragua. How they survive the sulphuric conditions, which can kills humans within minutes, is a mystery to scientists.

• The red, flat bark beetle of North America can survive in temperatures as low as −58 °C.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Arts & Culture African arts and culture are recognised globally as world-class creativity and expression. Although women have been at the forefront of this sector for decades, men are displaying as much creativity and talent. Being a naturally resilient continent, social issues are highlighted in many artistic media.

From Congo Brazzaville Besides addressing social issues and providing a sense of appreciation for artistic and cultural diversity, Africans are also utilising arts and culture to their entrepreneurial advantage. The sector is also spilling over into the promotion and expansion of the tourism and leisure sector as local and international demand for the diverse offerings across the continent increases and many are encouraged to explore beautiful Africa. Historically, arts and culture have had a purely aesthetic purpose, but Africans have now made this a fully functioning economic sector.

Besides African women’s natural beauty, they are adding more beauty to the world through their artistic creations and their expression of diverse cultures. Hilton Hotel praises the good work of these women.

Lauryathe Cephyse Bikouta

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ome people are destined to create an impact through their initiatives. Lauryathe Cephyse Bikouta is a resident of Brazzaville in the DRC and founder and general director of the first international festival of laughter in the country, and possibly on the African continent. She launched the TuSeo Festival in 2003. “I am a promoter of culture,” says Lauryathe. Her passion for the arts, culture and communication inspired her to make a name for herself as a director of a major event. We usually see humour promoted by comedians from countries other than the African continent. TuSeo promotes comedians from Africa as well as those from Caribbean and Pacific countries.

The festival invites professionals and newcomers to take their talent to the stage, learn from each other and to be inspired. And of course laugh! The performances are also shared through audiovisual media, writing, multimedia and the internet. Since 2012 the festival has had a social responsibility project called ‘Laughter Green.’ A forest of trees was planted and extends over 2 hectares.

RegionalWinner

From South Africa

From Togo

Michelle Constant

Janine Akossiwa Dégbé-Kinvi

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assionate and compassionate, Michelle Constant is a SAFM presenter and CEO of Business and Arts South Africa (BASA). She writes monthly columns for Wanted Magazine and ClassicFeel and opinion pieces for various daily newspapers including The Star and Business Day. Michelle is also a Country winner in her sector. An BA in English and drama and a performer’s diploma prepared Michelle for a career in radio and in journalism. She wants her work to spark change in society. Michelle is mentoring a radio producer and two young professionals. At BASA she recognizes the value of different communities and sectors. She achieved a distinction for the GIBS Social Entrepreneurship Programme. She has presented papers at the World Economic Forum on Arts and Culture in New Orleans, MIDEM in Cannes, the Cultural Diplomacy Conference in Spain, the African Creative Economies (ACE) Conference in Dakar, Senegal and UNESCO, Paris.

She was awarded the inaugural Mbokodo Award for Arts and Media in 2012.

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anine Akossiwa Dégbé-Kinvi is a Country and Regional winner in the Arts and Culture Sector and she uses her writing abilities to highlight and provide solutions to problems in health and welfare in Africa. Janine has a Higher Diploma in Bilingual Executive Secretary studies, a Management Training Certificate and she was selected by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the Gender and Economic Development - Women actors of development programme. Her work has been published in Wellness and Beauty Daily in 2012 as well as two other journals in 2014 and 2015. Her aim is to improve the quality of life of her readers by informing them and equipping them with the ability to make healthy choices. Janine believes that when people are healthy “they participate more in the development of their country, which is a factor of stability and peace.”

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F

RegionalWinner

From Zambia Maureen Lupo Lilanda

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fro jazz singer and songwriter Maureen Lilanda started her career as a teenager. Today, with 35 years in the music industry, she has five albums. She is backed by Ashile Band, who play traditional Zambian, western music and other genres. Maureen is a motivational speaker and she uses music to convey concerns surrounding malaria, HIV, child abuse, domestic violence, morality, religion, and dealing with the loss of a loved one. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for Plan International and advocates against child marriages and abuse. She heads up the Art Beat Centre; a campaign to rebirth Zambian music and arts and to empower girls and women. Many children in public schools do not have access to a music and arts curriculum. Maureen has won multiNgoma awards, two Azami awards and a Starmaker accolade.

She was nominated for the Kora Award for Best Female Artist.

In 2014 Maureen was awarded the Born 'n Bred Lifetime Achievement Award. She has shared stages with artists including; the Malmo Symphony of Sweden, Baba Maal of Senegal, Leona Lewis, Jonathan Butler, and Seal.

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Finalists From South Africa Judy Ditchfield The freelance actress and business owner Judy Ditchfield began her career in 1984. Her company, Role-play, uses professional actors for Business Role-Play and she has a BA Degree in Psychology and Drama from the University of Kwazulul Natal Pietermaritzburg. In 2009 she won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Footloose the musical and the Best Comedy Performance in 2006. She has 31 years’ experience in Theatre, Television, Film, and as a voice over artist.

From Togo Chantal Donvide Chantal Donvide is the Founder and CEO of Aklala Batik Togo, a company that empowers local women and young girls in Togo by teaching them sewing, beading and art skills. Her business also donates school supplies to orphans and disadvantaged children in the area and she financially she supports female entrepreneurs. Chantal ensures sustainability by creating her own pattern designs and meeting needs in the market. She has been in the sector since 1996 and is a 2015 finalist in the Arts and Culture sector.

From South Africa Erica Elk Erica Elk is the founder and executive director of Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) and is a respected artist, activist, entrepreneur and development worker. CCDI provides business, product and market support to over 5000 creative enterprises, who together sustain an income for 14 000 people. The institute is recognised as a model craft and design hub by the Department of Trade and Industry. Erica’s experience includes other creative industries, namely: publishing, film, television and animation, and the performing arts.

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Finalists From South Africa Babalwa Fatyi Multi-talented Babalwa Fatyi has a BSc in Botany and a Masters Science Degree with distinction. An environmental consultant, she founded and directs Myezo Environmental Management Services.

Babalwa is a talented poet and published her poetry book Greetings From My Core in 2014; also available in CD audio for busy professionals to enjoy while driving. Her poetry rests on real life encounters, environmental consciousness, mining and economic realities. Babalwa believes that time is the greatest gift that we can share.

From Ghana Boakyewaa Glover The novelist and Arts and Culture finalist, Boakyewaa Glover has a Masters in Industrial and Organisational Psychology and a Bachelor degree in Psychology. The Group Director of Minds on Fire, a company that provides publishing services and a creative platform for writers, has been a writer her entire life and her first book was published in 2009. Boakyewaa believes in doing everything with respect and courtesy for others and keeping the channels of communication open at all times.

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Case in Point MABATHO | Mabatho Events and Promotions

Partners

Excellence

in

by Andrew Ngozo

In business circles, partners come and go. Sometimes, the longest that entities can stay together is a couple of months, or a year at most. However, the relationship between CEO Communications and Mabatho Events and Promotions has defied the odds and, in 2015, enters its fourth consecutive year in existence. In all the years since 2012, Mabatho Events and Promotions has never disappointed but has offered top-notch professional services, says Annelize Wepener, chief executive of CEO Communications.

Case in Point MABATHO | Mabatho Events and Promotions

“O

ur partnership with Mabatho Events and Promotions has gone from strength to strength since 2012 when we made use of their professional services for the CEO Executive Golf Day,” shares Annelize. “There has never been a point where they have failed to deliver down to the last detail of our partnership agreement. This is a rare phenomenon in the business world today. For instance, they have provided goodie bags, holes sponsorships, prizes and décor for us. Incidentally, we cater for the very top executives in South Africa’s industry and beyond, and they [the executives] have never lodged a complaint. Instead, each year, they are amazed at the glitz and glamour they have become accustomed to. All this is courtesy of Mabatho Events and Promotions.”

Dedicated to Delivering the Best According to Annelize, Mabatho Events and Promotions has been “our partner and provided décor for the prestigious Most Influential Women in Business and Government and Titans – Building Nations events held in 2013 and 2014. They have also partnered with us for external events and, in this respect, have assisted us with furniture rental, draping and lighting. This is testimony to the fact that Mabatho Events always gives a client what they want, when they want it, and never disappoints.” Their service is of such a high standard that it translates into positive feedback given by the many events attendees. “We receive feedback that the service quality and personal touches delivered by Mabatho Events and Promotions reflect their client-centric nature and dedication to delivering the best,” she states.

However, the relationship between CEO Communications and Mabatho Events and Promotions has defied the odds and, in 2015, enters its fourth consecutive year in existence.

Mabatho Events and Promotions has been involved in events and promoting products to both business and government since 2007. It has introduced different products to the market, enhanced consumer awareness, increased sales, and empowered young individuals who are interested in sales. Mabatho Events is a Pretoria-based organisation that prides itself on contributing to increasing job creation among the youth in the marketplace. Over the years, it has worked alongside many other companies in sampling and promoting brands at both on-consumption and off-consumption outlets in the main and formal market. Through these interactions it has grown and has acquired expertise and skills that have made it one of the best in the market.

Says Annelize: “I would recommend Mabatho Events and Promotions to not only the corporate world but also anybody who needs to host a breathtaking event, for top-quality décor or corporate clothing and gifts. Use them! The team is professional and helpful, and their aim is to ensure that you have an event without stressing about the finer details.” As a successful entrepreneur, Annelize concludes that it is so important to support entrepreneurs in order for them and South Africa’s economy to grow and develop. “That we have a sustainable relationship with a supplier like Mabatho Events and Promotions means that we can support each other and assist our respective brands to grow.”

Mabatho Event’s Vision Beyond events management, Mabatho Events seeks to be a market leader through invigorating sales and renewing consumer interest, as well as enhancing consumer awareness.

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Crafty

Lady

by Samantha Barnes

‘Intellectually smart’ and ‘competitive by nature’ – not words that one would usually associate with a person who weaves. After all, weaving is an age-old craft requiring heaps of patience and lots of time. It goes against the modern notion of ‘go-go-go’. Enter one Joan Milton. She shatters any perception of a granny sitting at the weaving loom wearing the quintessential apron and bonnet.

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irst of all, Joan has business savvy that is on a par with being a professional at the top of their game.

She stands at the loom, preferring the control this gives her over her craft. Secondly, and most importantly, weaving is a craft that requires thinking and planning. “It provides me with enormous mental stimulation,” Joan says. While some people will weave the same type of things over and over, Joan prefers working on more challenging designs.

Weaving provided a much-needed outlet for stress early on in Joan’s career. She started out as a programmer at Iscor.

Joan was ahead of her time in terms of her career path and thinking about the role of women in the workplace. In the 70s, computers were large structures located in a room with lesser mortals ignorant of their function. Men dominated the work scene and the information technology (IT) space.

It was a different world then. “The maximum size of the programs that we wrote was 30kb. Can you believe that?”

Joan exclaims, laughing at the recollection. She wrote programs for different aspects of Iscor’s operations, including

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stores, procurement and salaries. “As programmers, we started with tapes and punch cards (for salaries or stores). We would break things down into teeny-weeny pieces, much like a detective,” Joan explains.

Fortuitously, as a young married professional, Joan was attracted to a weaving course being offered after hours at the Pretoria Technikon. “It looked interesting,” Joan reflects. “I got hooked on the threads,” she says, sounding more like a Rastafarian than a retired computer programmer. She didn’t want to make items like tapestries or carpets. “I wanted to make clothing,” Joan stresses.

“There is more thinking involved in modifying existing patterns,” she says. “If I made a bolero from an existing pattern, I would add stripes around the sleeves or around the middle.” All the lampshades in her lounge were made by her using different techniques. By using cones of thread, she can make something unique.

Using creativity and crafts as an outlet to balance the demands of work is something that Joan has relished. As a business professional, the charm of weaving lay in the

Out of Office

satisfaction of seeing the finished product. “It is a slow craft, and you see something tangible come out of it that is useful,” she explains. By contrast, as a programmer, Joan worked on piecemeal projects. She never experienced the joy of seeing the end result, so her hobby provided this.

Using creativity and crafts as an outlet to balance the demands of work is something that Joan has relished. As a business professional the charm of weaving lay in the satisfaction of seeing the finished product.

However, Joan loved her career in IT and ascended the career ladder to a level of significant responsibility – as chief technical writer at what is now Sage VIP. This entailed a lot of interaction with statutory bodies like the revenue services of neighbouring countries: “Making sure that the payrolls we ran catered to Botswana, Mozambique and Swaziland – we wrote these programs,” she says. Joan ensured that the payrolls met with each bank’s compliance requirements for electronic fund transfers. “It was a very challenging environment,” she reflects.

Joan spent the greater part of her career – about 25 years – with Sage VIP. “When the company started, it was very small. The company consisted of three people: the managing director, a programmer and myself,” Joan says.

When VIP decided to make a commercially sellable system, Joan did all the writing for the training manual. The teaching ethic is in her genes. “I had to make manuals understandable to users. It took lots of patience and exactitude,” Joan explains. She analysed in steps.

She has transferred her love of teaching to weaving and has taught weaving at winter schools across the country. Joan continues to teach the craft at home and through workshops facilitated by the Pretoria Weavers Guild, of which she is a member. She has also taught weaving at weaving guilds in Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein.

Joan can get carried away with her passion for the craft.

“I can drive people in the shops crazy!” she points out. “Seeing the threads… to me, they want to be something. I see a thread and the thread talks to me. I can spend two hours walking around.” She appreciates the fact that you can make so many different usable items, including tablecloths, linen and cushions.

“I got hooked on the threads,” she says, sounding more like a Rastafarian than a retired computer programmer.

Among Joan’s favourite pieces is a wall hanging bearing a cityscape outline. It is done in a soft grey. Joan explains that she used blue and grey threads to come up with the unusual hue. Throughout her career Joan would weave several times a week in the evenings after work, depending on her latest project. These days, as a retired person, she spends 10 to 12 hours a week weaving when her diary allows. She shows no sign of slowing down her productive output.

There is no false modesty about Joan. In her early days as a young programmer with Iscor, she stood her ground when she noticed disparities in pay between her and her male counterparts. On one occasion, she learned that a male counterpart earned more because he was a man with a family. Joan responded: “Shouldn’t we pay for the work that we do?”

Joan’s employer told her that her colleague was much older than her. “Then he must be very stupid… .” Joan replied. When her employer berated her for her lack of courtesy to a colleague, Joan responded: “Well he must be, because he matriculated in the same year as me!”

She prefers working with finer yarns. Of her skills, she says: “It is a relaxing sort of challenge and I will be competitive about it.” She has won first prize on three occasions at the Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg for the most points for the entire handicrafts section.

The craft is by no means fading out. “We are surrounded by weaving, and most of us don’t know it! It is used in women’s clothing. CEOs wear suits, shirts and ties that are woven,” Joan explains. “It is a revelation to people that their shirts and jeans are woven.”

Joan also gardens a bit. “I really like picking the flowers and seeing the results!”

Joan says. Looking at both her garden and her weaving, the world is a more beautiful place for her efforts.

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Automotive & Components The automotive and components industry is generally associated with men. However, automation is making this sector more accessible to the female workforce.

Although the sector still has some way to go in achieving gender equality, women are making an impact through the small percentage who choose this as their work environment.

From South Africa At present, the sector appears to be somewhat stagnant despite the growing demand for automotive parts. Manufacturing of automotive components is a difficult market in which to operate on the continent. As a result, assembly and distribution are the main economic activities in what is a small sector of the African economy. Many attribute the challenges faced to the expensive resources required for manufacturing as well as the high cost of intercontinental logistics. In this regard, trade costs on the continent are hampering many economic sectors, and the automotive and components sector is no exception.

MEIBC applauds the resilience of the women who are enduring the hardships in this sector. Their hard work ensures the continuity and inevitable growth of an important sector and they are proof that success is not out of reach.

Danelle van der Merwe

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anelle van der Merwe is brand and communication manager at Retail and Motor Industry Organisation; the largest employer’s and business representative organisation. RMI has over 7500 member establishments, representing all sectors of the retail motor industry, vehicle body building and the component manufacturing sector. With an BA honours degree in Communication, Danelle drives a monthly magazine Automobil. She enjoys communicating company work, anniversaries and employer achiever awards. Danelle engages with Masterdrive and SAGMJ (Guild for Motoring Journalists) on road safety and attends events such as Car of the Year. Danelle belongs to the Golden Key team for academic leaders. She promotes emotional intelligence and believes that a team’s success rests on how well you have trained and developed them.

Danelle participates in various community outreaches to Mamelodi and to Ikageng in Potchefstroom. She is also assisting a project at Bohmer Secondary School in Bloemfontein to train students in auto skills. Danelle is also a Country winner in her sector.

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Finalist From South Africa Annette Stewart Annette Stewart was the first female appointed general manager at the Retail & Motor Industry Organisation (RMI). She is currently being admitted as an advocate. Annette has initiated numerous projects resulting in a national working relationship with government departments. She has successfully pioneered and nurtured community projects and often receives requests to assist in fund raising through Child Line, Bobby Bear and The Valley Trust. She successfully initiated legislative amendments within the Road Traffic Act and regulations for safer roads.

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Empowered Leadership

STRENGTH Development

for LEAN Functioning

by Lydia Bundred

“Most organisations remain startlingly inefficient at capitalising on the strengths of their people,” reads page four of the ground-breaking Now, Discover Your Strengths development book written by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, the creators of the Strengths Finder Profile. Any business leader and manager who desires to optimise the people they manage and their functioning should work through this international bestseller. By strategically placing your workforce within roles that play to their strengths, lean functioning within your organisation will be easily accessible.

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fter interviewing 80 000 managers worldwide, the authors of Now, Discover Your Strengths found that most organisations base their functioning and their views of employees on two erroneous assumptions: firstly, that anyone can learn to be efficient at anything; and, secondly, that everyone will improve most in their greatest weakness.

“Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?” was a question asked in a survey taken by Gallup’s Strength Centre among 1.7-million employees from 101 companies in 63 different countries. Only a mere 20% of those interviewed felt they functioned in their strengths every day. The study also showed a direct relationship between employees’ functioning in their strengths

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and an increase in customer satisfaction and overall organisational productivity.

The question then is: How are strengths identified? Talent, knowledge and skills combined reveal someone’s strengths.

Talent can be understood as natural behaviour and patterns of thought, knowledge as learned facts and lessons, and skills as the mastery of steps in a process. To identify core talents, one must take note of what comes naturally and of which processes are learnt quickly by self-application.

Through extensive research, Marcus and Donald have created a Strengths Finder Profile which contains themes relating to 34 talents, as discovered in their search around the globe. The purpose of this profiling is to help people “find where they have the greatest potential for a strength”, not to

Empowered Leadership

Most organisations remain startlingly inefficient at capitalising on the strengths of their people. limit them to only one set of strengths.

By logging on to the strengthsfinder. com home page you can use the code, found inside the back cover of the book, to access the test. A series of questions is used to highlight prominent strength themes, with each theme being explored in chapter four.

Strengths-based Organisation Even after identifying the strengths of your employees, the question still remains: How can you utilise these strengths to build a leanfunctioning organisation? The key is individuality and application.

According to Marcus and Donald, “functioning must be based on two new assumptions, one; each person’s talents are unique, two; each person’s greatest area for growth is in their greatest strength.”

Time and resources can be saved from the start by hiring the right person for the job or by restructuring internally.

Similarly, a person should not be promoted or moved if the role is outside of their strengths. There is a fine line between limiting your employees to one designation and properly reinforcing and equipping them to excel in one area. Employees must be in agreement and willing to grow and further their skills to support their strengths within the company. By raising awareness of strengths within the organisation, you will eliminate the problem of management not knowing what their teams can, and should, do, and employees will know which skills and areas they can focus on. Marcus and Donald outline a ‘promotional ladder’ for a strengths-based organisation as one where “prestige, respect, and financial reward” replace moving up the corporate ladder, but which still allows career growth. Much of the process and responsibility will lie with managers to efficiently make use of the strengths at their disposal for lean functioning.

Achieving a Lean State The concept of lean functioning originated in the manufacturing sector, but has evolved to include all sectors of business. In essence, ‘lean,’ is the streamlining of all processes towards efficiency and the use of all resources to eliminate waste. In their book, Lean Thinking, Womack and Jones outline five key steps in achieving lean functioning:

1. Identify value from the view of the customer or end receiver.

By identifying what your customer needs and where they find value in your product or service, you can pinpoint areas of focus. View the product/service as they do and then break down the process. People who are strong in empathy tend to identify easily with others and can interpret feelings and views more accurately.

2. List all the steps in the production or service process.

Identify each step and the people who operate at those levels. Match personnel and their strengths with areas that customers value and areas that require improvement.

Someone who is strong as a people’s person but struggles with confrontation should not be in a role where there is continuous problem solving, but may thrive at customer support. Processes will be improved when they are managed and run by someone with natural strengths in those areas. This is where managers must know their teams and the company processes so as to harness employee abilities to meet organisational needs.

3. Create flow between the different steps.

Eliminate any unnecessary steps in daily processes and add new ones to save time and resources. Create teams internally that are strong as arrangers and communicators who can think a process through logically.

4. Focus on areas most accessed and used by customers.

Track products and services and the value they add to your customers and organisation as a whole. Eliminate products and services which add little to no value and focus on areas that do. Empower the people who operate at this level and provide them with the tools to bring about improvement and make necessary changes.

5. Continue the process until it is perfected.

Repeat the process until you are left with a functional model that meets your needs and objectives and deploys the abilities of your workforce. Record the results, then, before restarting the process, make adjustments to ensure a better outcome.

A good starting point would be to measure the strengths of your managers and then to filter the process through the different departments. Once strengths have been pinpointed, managers will easily be able to assemble effective teams. Though streamlining and achieving optimal efficiency seems like a daunting task, it is a state that will keep on improving and proving itself time and time again. An organisation is only as good as its functioning parts and what better way to build your organisation than with the best and strongest. By utilising the strengths at your disposal, you will not only have a fulfilled workforce, but also satisfied customers and a lean-functioning organisation. By taking the time to discover the strengths of those you manage, you can achieve a state of efficiency and excellence.

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Best Business

Practices

by Lydia Bundred

Best business practices are a blend of those that have been tried and tested, those that cause loss if not implemented, and those that are emerging to accommodate change and customisation.

As organisations evolve, so do the practices that sustain and develop them. Adaptable methods and processes that allow for change, innovation and learning are the most successful in the information society.

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s the market has become more saturated with information and consumers drive the market, businesses must use effective and efficient practices to maintain a competitive edge.

Organisations can maximise their resources and eliminate waste by making use of best business practices.

Information Management In a study conducted by the Virginia Commonwealth University, it was found that less than 10% of organisations document the processes involved in all steps of information management. Not managing information can have devastating effects for organisations. Mismanagement can result in financial loss, resource wasting, time wasting and incomplete records. In contrast, organisations that religiously manage information processes have better communication, efficient use of resources and higher profit.

Information is the lifeblood of every organisation and its effective management is vital to the life of the business.

Information management includes sourcing, creating, collecting, storing, dispersing and retrieving information. The best businesses have efficient information management systems which allow all employees access to all relevant information. Open access to information increases productivity and improves morale among employees. Complete information reserves have a direct bearing on productivity and effectivity. For this reason, identifying areas that need improvement and fulfilling organisational needs are essential. Such a practice is encouraged in learning organisations.

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Skills Transfer

Learning Organisations raises your bottom line revenues, lowers customer acquisiLearning organisations are those that continually learn tion cost, increases customer retention and profitability,” says new methods, skills and practices in order to grow and Rob Frankel, the man labelled as ‘the best branding expert on resolve problems as they encounter them. Such businesses encourage employees on all levels to think crit- A business’s image and identity are wrapped in its branding, ically, learn continually and bring a practice, which if done correctly, immensely benefits an new ideas to the table. This practice is characterised by open commu- organisation. This factor distinguishes one brand from another nication, support, and expectation in the minds of consumers and it creates a rapport with them. of learning. Organisations remain competitive and innovative by inspiring their teams to always seek better methods to com- the planet’ by Fortune 1 000 companies and various media plete daily tasks. However, sometimes businesses need agencies. When creating or revamping your brand, factors assistance in evaluating their efficiency and getting started such as company values, objectives and brand colour must on improvements. be wisely selected.

Business Psychology Business psychology is becoming a popular term in many business circles, and for good reason. According to the Association for Business Psychology, this field is defined as “the study and practice of improving working life. It combines an understanding of the science of human behaviour with experience of the world of work to attain effective and sustainable performance for both individuals and organisations.”

Professionals in this field can provide valuable insight into the inner workings of an organisation and can provide advice on steps towards improvement and optimal functioning.

“Psychology is at play in the most important areas of business. It’s the magic bullet and secret keystone to client acquisition, contract negotiation, expansion and growth, sales and marketing and more,” says Peter Shallard, business psychology expert and therapist. For this reason, any business can benefit from an evaluation to pinpoint problem and growth opportunity areas.

Branding A business’s image and identity are wrapped in its branding, a practice, which if done correctly, immensely benefits an organisation. This factor distinguishes one brand from another in the minds of consumers and it creates a rapport with them. “Branding is way more than just your logo or name.

It’s the reason why people evangelise you. Real branding

Karen Haller, a business colour and branding expert in the United Kingdom, has identified some of the meanings behind colours in branding and what they say to customers. Red is linked with passion and power; it shows energy, excitement and courage. Green attracts young and energetic clientele and is the symbol for money, envy and an environmental awareness/ connection. “Quality, luxury, and decadence,” are all associated with purple, says Karen, and many consumers associate it with quality and superiority. Regardless of what colour is used in branding, it must be matched with the message and unique selling point of the business in order to reinforce its ideals for its target market. Using a light shade of blue in a brand reveals playfulness, whereas a darker blue is linked with a serious business. Colour is an amazing element because it immediately generates a positive or negative association and can speak volumes to people without actually using any words. Branding must be uniformly applied internally and externally to have a lasting impact.

A combination and interworking of these practices allow organisations to operate optimally. Businesses in the information society must adopt practices, new and old, that meet organisational and consumer needs. Some practices are a method to ensure adaptation while others implement stepby-step processes. The best practice is to adhere to and create custom strategies around existing ones that cater for your personal needs.

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Aviation As with so many sectors, aviation is facing a major developmental period thanks to the economic boom that Africa is experiencing. With a growing economy, demands are on the increase for effective and efficient air transport and trade. Women occupy various positions in this sector and are becoming a more prominent part of the sector’s workforce.

From South Africa Recently, African aviation has received much foreign investment due to international demand for the continent’s goods and services. This investment is, however, a drop in the ocean when compared with what is needed to improve infrastructure for the good of local and foreign trade and travel. Costs linked to intercontinental air travel are an obstacle to many local businesses and addressing this is at the forefront of many sectoral priorities. Despite these challenges, aviation is a thriving sector and holds much value for a thriving economy.

Aviation is set to be a very rewarding sector in the near future and those women working in the aviation sector are well positioned to reap the benefits that they deserve after much hard work. We at Air Mauritius acknowledge your unfailing dedication.

Refilwe Ledwaba

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efilwe Ledwaba has achieved several firsts. She is the first woman of colour to fly both fixed wing (aeroplanes) and helicopters commercially. In 2015 Refilwe was awarded a scholarship for training on Boeing 737’s in the United States. In 2014 she made the cover of Women in Aviation International magazine, and is only the second person in Africa to be on the cover. As CEO of Southern African Women in Aviation and Aerospace industry (SAWIA), Refilwe focuses on the empowerment of women in aviation and in space. She developed and implemented the first aviation and space camp in Africa for girls. In partnership With Women in Aviation International Cameroon chapter, she is implementing the same camp in Cameroon. Refilwe runs SAWIA’s Girl Fly Programme in Africa (GFPA); an information and skills development education programme for high school learners and assists a CSI project at SA Express. Refilwe is also a Country winner in her sector.

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Finalists From South Africa Amanda Kandawire The only woman and pilot selected as one of Barclays South Africa’s Brightest Young Minds for 2014, was a huge achievement for Amanda Kandawire and for women in aviation. Besides obtaining her commercial pilot’s license and qualifying as a flight instructor, Amanda is first officer on SA Express Airways jets. She started the Ladybird Fund project; helping girls pursue an aviation career. She mentors high school girls and aspirant female pilots. Her other initiative, Cupcakes of Love, helps preschool children.

From South Africa Lynne Ross Communications executive at Starlite Aviation Group, Lynne Ross, has put the company on the global map. Her projects include producing a coffee table book; The Starlit Journey - From Humble Beginnings to Global Status. She has produced a new corporate video, employee handbook and established an in-house events group, which spearheads charity drives. Lynne’s higher diploma in Education reflects a passion for education. Concerned about literacy and numeracy, Lynne initiated a drive to collect books for underprivileged schools; “Educating Africa.”

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Case in Point Air Mauritius

Carla da Silva, Regional Manager for Southern Africa and Latin America, Air Mauritius

Airline Creates Goodwill in

Community

by Samantha Barnes

Case in Point Air Mauritius

It is a wonderful thing to encounter a business executive who recognises that the small efforts we all make each day add up to something significant. The British novelist Emily Dickinson once said: “If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves. You can gain more control over your life by paying closer attention to the little things.”

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t is also important to dream big. “My passion as a young girl was to fly,” says Carla da Silva, regional manager of Air Mauritius Southern Africa and Latin America. “Although I would have succeeded in law as I could have negotiated my way out of everything!

I started out as a flight attendant with South African Airways and flew internationally to all international destinations. This was a phenomenal experience in terms of global exposure. I then moved to working on the ground and started my climb up the corporate ladder. I have worked in most aviation departments. It is so important to understand the nuts and bolts in aviation as aviation is a complicated business.”

Everyone Needs a Mentor Carla has had phenomenal leaders inspire her over the years, but it was definitely her dad that was her number one mentor. “He was the one who sat me down and who said, ‘My girl, you must have a dream wall. Absolutely nothing is impossible.’ I attribute a lot of my success to my dad,” says Carla.

“My folks really wanted me to study law. Most of my career has been in management. Today I am a Director of an international airline; the Chairman of the Board of Airline Representatives in South Africa and a Board Director of Aviation Coordination Services. I have an absolute passion and appreciation for Board directorship as business success sits on the shoulders of leadership. All begins and ends with leadership.”

Giving Back Carla is the brand ambassador for a very worthy cause, I am Worthy and the Face of Woman of Worth. This programme was started by a South African, Dr Beverley Wolmarans; who has dedicated her life to Women and Orphans. Dr. Beverley’s starting point was that every woman is a Woman of Worth but Women do not always value their abilities and believe in their potential to achieve all that can be achieved. Dr Beverley’s

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Case in Point Air Mauritius

motivation is to help women turn their lives around through her life experiences.

I am Worthy attends to orphans and abused women situated on the East Rand of Johannesburg. 100 hectares of land has been purchased and a home will be established for these orphans and abused women. Education and Healthcare will be provided for this children’s village.

I believe that these children will be the future leaders, scientists and engineers of South Africa, says Carla da Silva.

“Dr. Beverley had a dream to create a consolidated home with orphans and women; first in South Africa and thereafter in Africa and then internationally,” says Carla.

“I believe that these children will be the future leaders, scientists and engineers of South Africa,” says Carla da Silva.

“She identified different orphanages on the East Rand in Johannesburg. Her aim was to support them on a monthly basis with food. An organic product range for women and men was developed in order to uplift and inspire and the products imparts inspiring messages; ‘I choose to be positive. I choose to love. I choose to live a full life.’ “The idea was to uplift women with these messages,” says Carla. There is a range for

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men too. “Their products have messages about bravery, integrity and valor. So it talks to men as well,” says Carla. “The most amazing phenomena about supporting these amazing products is that proceedings go to a worthy cause.”

Moreover job creation has also been established as products can be purchased via the website www.iamworthy. com and commission structures established, so that women can earn a living whilst the proceedings are invested into the building of the children’s home.

Rallying Support Carla is using her influence; rallying support from other travel and tourism companies, to spend their corporate social responsibility project towards the children’s village.

“Companies like Beachcomber South Africa, The Cullinan Group and The Holiday Factory have come on board,” says Carla. She has gone public with her call to assist the project on various radio and print media channels.

We have taken onboard various organisations to walk the journey with us.”

Air Mauritius supports other worthy causes and donates old, but functional computers, printers and laptops to three homes for abused women to teach IT skills.

The women are fed and are supported through counselling.

“Addiction is a problem,” Carla explains, “Some of them arrived off the street and a life of prostitution. It is very sad

Case in Point Air Mauritius

that so many people have walked a dark road. We are truly blessed by comparison.”

Carla is personally involved with the children’s home and feeding the orphans. Many young girls are having babies and abandoning them for grants. “We find newborn babies, naked and left stranded at the orphanage,” says Carla.

Strategy as a Corporate Sponsor “As a leader, it is your duty to influence other leaders and people to give back”, says Carla. She has been successful in attracting other leaders in travel and tourism to other corporate social responsibility projects. “We are definitely created for a bigger purpose,” she says. “The footprints that we leave in people’s hearts are important although we still need to generate revenue as an entity.”

Harnessing Human Potential: a Business Perspective Aviation is an industry with low margins. ‘Profit margins are less than 1%,’ confides Carla. “If an airline generates more than 1% it is a wow factor. It is a tough business. It is a complicated and challenging business with so many uncontrollable factors. ” Besides reaching and exceeding revenue targets, Carla needs to ensure the sustainability of the airline. “We fly all over the world. Air Mauritius is the biggest employer on the island, and Mauritius is a second home to many South Africans.”

Providing excellent service and a memorable travel experience is what ultimately, giving Air Mauritius a competitive edge over its competitors. The airline has set up a performance management culture. “This involves succession planning, mentoring and coaching people, and ‘up your service,’ explains Carla. ‘Up your service’ is part of the airline’s seven step recovery plan and strategy.

“It is all about uplifting and extracting maximum potential of your people. Service is measured on a monthly basis,” says Carla. “This first step harnesses human capital to take it to the next level and is about accountability and productivity.” The programme was designed by the well renowned customer service expert, Mr. Ron Kaufman. “All staff do a refresher course every year to create unbelievable experiences and memories for our customers,” says Carla.

At Air Mauritius service and relationship management is a key focus area of the business. All interactions are measured on a daily and a monthly basis. A quarterly incentive is offered to reward sterling efforts. “Staff really compete against each other,” says Carla, with a chuckle.

The top performer is rewarded with a seven night stay in Mauritius for them and their family at our annual staff awards ceremony.”

With Carla at the helm, and her passion and dedication to the aviation and the broader industry, she is building a sustainable business with passionate people.

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Building & Construction The building and construction sector has a far more gender-equal workforce owing to the integration of services such as engineering, architecture, building and various utilities. The aim is to craft sustainable and conservative structures to match current environmental demands. Smarter processes also contribute to the longevity of the sector’s products.

From South Africa The integration of various services into the building and construction sector has resulted in an increasing number of well-planned developments, thereby making the resulting buildings more sustainable.

The better planning taking place in this industry has seen Africans moving toward much-needed infrastructural changes and developments. There is hope that this transition will assist in meeting the growing infrastructural demands of a fast-developing economy. Although building and construction still prove to be expensive for most Africans, they are no less in demand and there are forecasts of continuing growth on the horizon.

Bigen Africa is proud to see the women in this sector making a success of their careers in what is a challenging sector. We applaud you for your much-needed work in growing our communities and economies.

Marna Van Der Walt

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arna Van Der Walt has been the Chief Executive Officer, Excellerate Property Services Group (EPS) since October 2012. She has scored a double this fall after landing the accolade of regional winner and her country winner respectively. She began her career at Gensec as a senior internal auditor in 1996. This led to her eventual appointment as a CEO in November 2003.

The company value quadrupled over the latter three years. Among many achievements, Marna was the first person that held the position of president for both the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) and the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA).

According to her, people development is critical because it is the only true legacy that one can ever leave. “It is not about me but all about the growth of the team,” she notes.

With more than two decades in the property industry, she sits on various panels and boards.

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Finalists From South Africa Belinda Collins Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Belinda Collins is the Owner of Shoop Sharp Construction Services. Her venture into a traditionally male domain and conquering against all odds has earned Belinda a spot among the elite of women making an impact in society; thanks to her recognition as a finalist in the Building and Construction Sector. Great things start small for Belinda has serviced local government and corporate clients alike she says. With over 20 years’ working experience, she uses ‘focus and precision’ as a guiding principle.

From South Africa Debbie Wintermeyer Finalist Debbie Wintermeyer, Senior Member at The Workplace Architects has been involved in the architectural sector for more than a decade. She says she has unparalleled expertise and ability to conceptualise projects and working with diverse client and stakeholder groups to achieve project goals. Her list of achievements includes being awarded the Top 40 under 40 accolade by the Nelson Mandela Business Chamber for 2014. A career highlight for her is that she started her own private practice with only two employees but now has 10.

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Going Green

Building a

Green House

by Lydia Bundred

Planet Earth isn’t our best, it’s our only, and, contrary to popular culture, Earth cannot renew its resources infinitely. It is up to the inhabitants to think green and eliminate wasteful living. Across the globe, resourceful and imaginative energy-saving ways have become part of everyday life for some.

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y far the biggest impact that we have on the environment comes from how much energy we use, what we take from the environment (food, clothing materials, etc.) and our travel choices. By eating locally grown fruit and vegetables, you can save on the impact of plastic packaging, reduce gas emission and promote good land use. The means used to generate electricity are often the largest source of air pollution, and, by using energy-saving light bulbs, solar geysers and solar garden lights, less energy can be used.

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Green Practices Thanks to innovative thinking and a desire to reduce the burden on the planet, some individuals have created and implemented small wonders that generate energy. A hotel in Denmark gives free meals to guests who can pedal and generate 10 watts of electricity on an exercise bike attached to a generator. Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen hopes the initiative will challenge guests to use their own and not the planet’s energy to do things.

A nightclub in Britain has made use of its dancing clientele to generate power using a method called piezoelectricity. This energy-creating method uses crystals and ceramics to generate energy from pressure. As dancers exert pressure on the dance floor, the energy is transferred from the crystals to batteries. “We estimate that if you had loads of clubbers dancing vigorously it would provide 60% of the club’s energy needs,” says owner Andrew Charalambous. The club uses wind turbines and solar power to sustain itself and all visitors are required to sign a pledge to do their part in saving the planet in order to raise awareness.

Going Green The Nanyang Technical University in Singapore has turned its art campus into a green design. The swirling building is glass on all sides with a green, grass and foliage roof. The all-glass sides allow natural light to illuminate and heat the interior, while the grass rooftop provides insulation and captures rainwater for irrigation. This garden focus resonates with the new ‘Zen Garden Sink’ that redirects all run-off and excess water used in your bathroom sink to grow a small plant. There is a groove in the side of the sink that allows water to run off to feed the greenery while draining soapy and used water away.

Green Tips

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Water More than 45% of home water usage is in the bathroom, which presents a big area for improvement.

If a tap is left running for one minute, it is estimated that it will use 7.5 litres of water. The average home toilet uses up to 13 litres per flush, which amounts to 6 388 litres per person per year. Toilets can eliminate waste with far less water, and, by placing a brick inside the toilet bowl, you can save up to 10 litres. Using a clay brick may be damaging to your plumbing, so green companies have introduced a rubber brick which is specifically designed for this purpose.

While you wait for the shower water to heat up, use a bucket to catch the excess water to use in the garden, for brushing teeth or flushing the toilet.

Natural Use and Reuse What we take from the planet and how we do it is equally important. By eating organic products, consumers are not only opting for a healthier body, but are also supporting an organic growth process where harmful chemicals are eliminated. Don’t dispose of food waste in the garbage; instead, compost it. Compost enriches the soil and sends less waste to the landfill.

Natural household cleaners eliminate harmful chemicals and gases from entering your air supply and eliminate any accidental contact with pets or children. Indoor plants can act as home purifiers. A 2 000 squarefoot house would require about 15 to 20 plants to effectively purify the air. Peace Lilly, Dracaena, Florist’s Chrysanthemum and Areca Palm eliminate formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia and other air pollutants.

Eat Green Meat-free Mondays can be a great place to start for a family that wants to eat more healthily, save cash and help the environment. “We devote well over half of our cropland to growing food for animals that we eat, and we’re artificially watering these crops with water that can’t be replaced. Additionally, the animal waste is not put through a sewage-treatment plant, so all the antibiotics and hormones given to the animals can end up in our streams and rivers,” says Joan Gussow, professor emeritus of nutrition and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Eating organic, local food saves in the distance that needs to be travelled to transport or purchase food goods.

Why It Matters Besides the benefits of health, wellness and frugal living, if more people adopted a greener lifestyle, the environment would be in a much better state. Water is a finite resource and every bit saved helps conserve our world’s water supply. By preventing leaks and using only what you need, you will save on water bills. Recycling and making home composts will reduce landfill and save energy. Every effort reduces the burden on Earth and its resources while extending the quality of life for not only our generation but also the next one.

Newsweek’s Top 5 Green Companies Globally 1. Vivendi 2. Allergan 3. Adobe Systems 4. Kering 5. NTT Docomo

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Empowered Leadership

Fuelled by

Rocket Fuel

and a

Some of us are destined for greatness. Sure, we create our own destiny. But some people seem to have been blessed with an extra spark of specialness. Meeting Lumka Msibi is proof positive.

Don’t let her youth fool you. She has packed lots of living into her 24 years and has achieved accolades aplenty.

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fficially, Lumka Msibi is a chief systems engineer and structural design engineer at Denel Spaceteq – in plain speak: an aeronautical engineer or rocket scientist. Unofficially, she is a woman with a dream and the drive to make it happen.

Spaceteq is responsible for projects such as the development of an earth observation satellite, the EO-Sat1.

Reading a list of Lumka’s achievements leaves you enthralled at all she has achieved thus far. Born in Soweto, Lumka matriculated from Parktown High School for Girls and was among the top 10 achievers in Gauteng in 2011. With a bursary from Denel, she completed a degree in aeronautical engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering.

In November 2014, Lumka won first prize in a global competition hosted by the international Astronautics Conference in Toronto, Canada, a competition with 500 entries. Her technical paper was based on her research in Antarctica and her part in Denel Spaceteq’s Schools Outreach Programme. Spaceteq engineers visit various Western Cape schools to advise learners in Grades 10 to 12 about the role of Denel and about engineering as a potential career.

Footprints on the Moon Being a rocket scientist is not your average career path. It prompts the question: What motivated her to follow this path. “In 2011, I found out about aeronautical engineering in high school while job-shadowing a pilot. I was fascinated at how this machine was in the air. Seeing this heavy mass lift off into the sky was an amazing experience and I realised that I didn’t want to just fly in a plane, I wanted to design it.

“Then I got to university and aeronautical engineering broadened my horizons.

There is this saying: ‘Don’t tell me the sky is the limit, because there are footprints on the moon.’ There is always more to see and to explore.”

Lumka applies her mind to whatever she does. “What drives me to succeed is that I want to change the world. I wanted to do this from when I was small.

Then I grew up and realised that you can’t change the whole world, but you can change it for the better. Then I got into STEM –that is science, technology and mathematics. I found that was a powerful weapon to change the world, because most of everything actually comes back to STEM. Engineers, medical doctors, architects, biologists, mathematicians, and economists – they are the ones that come from STEM education and that change the world and the economy.”

She describes herself as a strong believer and as a Christian.

“I believe that God has a purpose for everyone’s life. My parents brought me up to understand that you can change the world and that God has called you into a certain future.”

Empowered Leadership

Strong Belief Impacting the World “My career is amazing! I am a rocket scientist – how much more amazing can a career get?”, says Lumka, laughing with delight. Everything for her is special – from just the thought of sending something into space like a satellite to a satellite’s applications on earth: observation, helping people with socioeconomic problems and deforestation, helping people understand the planet, communication to help people on earth, and so on. “It is exciting to know that, as you are designing, you are doing more than just designing – you are impacting the world!”, she emphasises.

Lumka has travelled extensively: “Six continents, except for South America,” she declares. “It has been an amazing journey. It is exciting to see the different ways in which different countries have used space and how, through it, we can solve many of South Africa’s and Africa’s problems by using it as a tool to give back to the community.”

Testing Engineering Skills in Antarctica During her internship at Denel Dynamics, the division in the defence group responsible for advanced technology in the fields of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle systems, Lumka was given the opportunity to participate in a South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) in November 2013. The objective of the four-month mission was to upgrade the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) at the research base, SANAE IV. This installation monitors the dynamic weather of outer space and serves as an early-warning system for satellites by analysing solar activities.

“It was such an exciting time!”, Lumka says of the experience, for it involved “the actual application of engineering to an environment like Antarctica, which is unmanned – although there is a presence of stations there, there is no garage and no shop!”

Among Lumka’s tasks was assisting helicopter engineers with the service and maintenance of two Bell 212 helicopters (being an engineer, Lumka is very specific).

“In an environment like Antarctica, and without everything at hand, you have to think on the spot and make do with what you have,” she says. “That was a challenge that advanced my engineering thinking and capabilities. I had to figure out, together with all the experienced engineers, how to reroute and solve problems.”

Fight for What You Believe In This year, Lumka received South Africa’s prestigious Ubuntu Youth Diplomacy Award at a banquet in Cape Town

Lumka Msibi is a chief systems engineer and structural design engineer at Denel Spaceteq

by Samantha Barnes

hosted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and attended by President Jacob Zuma. This recognised her contributions “to promote South Africa as a dynamic country which creates an environment where youth can thrive and help to make the world a better place”. She attributes her achievements to ambition and drive, as well as to looking at how she can solve problems with what she refers to as an ‘ubuntu spirit’.

Lumka has always wanted to pursue a career that benefits people. “I am an initiator. I would not have gone to all the countries that I have, had I not got sponsorships and scholarships. You have to go out there and fight for what you believe in and let people know that. My Twitter handle is ‘trailblazing’.”

Finding Solutions to Problems Lumka describes a typical work week as ‘quite a fun experience’. She does lots of design work, trying to find solutions to problems, in addition to development and research projects. Lumka enjoys seeing how different engineering disciplines come together to make something work. There are also simulations and testing to make sure a satellite is structurally sound.

“A satellite project takes three to four years. We have started concept design and development now. By 2019, it should be done, but that is because we are developing products of our own. We are buying products off the shelf, but also developing our own,” says Lumka. Our interview over, she bounds out of the media room intent on her next mission.

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Business & Professional Services Women in business and professional services occupy various positions in which they have invested many resources, taking great care and time in order to reach the pinnacle of the tertiary sector of our economy. They offer services that are essential with regard to the personal and professional affairs of most Africans.

Although Africa has suffered from a brain drain for many years, we are fortunate to have retained many professional women who practise their professions ethically and for the benefit of our businesses.

What is unique about our professionals is that they frequently occupy more than one position, making their skills and knowledge base more diverse and specialised than most. Although professional services were previously a sector dominated by a male workforce, women have made a name for themselves in this field, the proof whereof is in the number of women operating as professionals across numerous industries.

Professional services are an irreplaceable asset in our growing economy. Parinama accordingly congratulates the women in this sector for keeping up in this fast-paced environment and for contributing to the smooth operation of the tertiary sector of our economy.

From Mauritius Aisha Allee

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he BSc Communications degree holder, Aisha Allee is the Founder and Chairperson of Blast Communications, a PR company, and the CEO of The Jupiter Drawing Room Mauritius. The Country and Regional winner in the Business and Professional Services sector has a Diploma in Travel Studies and a Certificate in Marketing from the International Air Transport Association.

Aisha is a Member of the International Association of Public Relations Professionals and a Founding member and trustee of Mauritius Africa Business Club, which acts as a bridge between Government and the business community. In 2014 she was the first woman to be awarded the Tecoma AfrAsia Entrepreneur of the Year award and she was nominated by the US Embassy in Mauritius for the International Visitor Leadership Programme in 2016, whereby selected entrepreneurs get a tour of major US companies and a session with the President of the United States of America.

RegionalWinner

From Ghana

From Kenya

Dr Ellen Hagan

Gina Din Kariuki

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s the Chief Executive of L’AINE Services Limited, Dr Ellen Hagan provides human resources services ranging from recruiting and training to payroll and business development. She is the Country and Regional winner in the Business and Professional Service sector for 2015. Her resume includes a PhD in Philosophy in Humanities, an MBA in Employee Relations and a BA in French and English. She is an honorary fellow of the Boardroom Institute of the Graduate School of Governance and Leadership and Dr Ellen believes “in drawing people’s attention to their purpose and to encourage them to set achievable goals towards implementing their purpose.”

She introduced the first ever management training videos created and acted in by Ghanaians to cut across cultural barriers and also introduced the first and only Human Resource magazine in Ghana – the HR focus magazine.

The Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana has recognised Hellen as the Best Entrepreneur in Corporate Services.

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amed as one of Africa’s Most Influential People, Gina Din Kariuki has added a Country and Regional award in the Business and Professional Services sector to her repertoire. She is the Executive Chair and Founder of the Gina Din Group, a company that functions in the Public Relations sector providing communication strategies, development and planning, government and media relations as well as crisis management. The Group has to its name more than 100 awards including: Kenya’s Red Cross Goodwill Ambassador, PR Consultancy of the Year in 2011 and Public Sector Campaign of the Year.

Gina is a Chairperson of the Gina Din Foundation and the Director on several boards. She obtained her Bachelor of Journalism in 1985 from the London School of Journalism.

To continually improve her and her team’s practices she focuses on developing areas of leadership, sustainability, efficiency, accountability and integrity. She leads by example and does so with passion.

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RegionalWinnerC

From South Africa

From Zimbabwe

Anne Pratt

Florence Erina Ziumbe

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he Regional Winner in the Business and Professional Services Sector, Anne Pratt is the Managing Director of Memela Pratt & Associates. The organisation is one of the leading, high reputation, well respected, dominant players in the premium end segment of the Executive Recruitment industry in South Africa, Africa and globally- placing many of South Africa’s (and Africa’s) top leaders that drive our economy in the private and the public sectors, at board and at top executive levels.

Anne indicates that they create awareness and sensitise corporate South Africa and leading multinationals internationally to the challenges of attracting and retaining high calibre talent and live the legacy of the Mandela Brand of leadership. She has developed an impressive track record in executive recruitment and management selection which includes the placement of the top leaders in industry leading organisations.

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eeing women unable to afford to afford the expert services of a lawyer in divorce cases motivated Florence Ziumbe to become an expert commercial lawyer and in women’s empowerment. She has been practicing law for 34 years and was the first Zimbabwean woman to establish her own legal practice. A senior partner at Ziumbe and Partners, she is a director of the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, which supports the professional development of female lawyers. Florence is the founder and convener of Professional Women, Executives and Businesswomen’s Forum (PROWEB): connecting small businesses to big business and helping them access finance, training and mentorship. Florence secured a coal concession which will be owned by 200 000 women. She is lobbying government for pro women legislation and quotas, and advocates increased participation by women in decision-making positions. She has established and participates in mentorship programmes for young women. Florence runs a construction firm and has a farm, which employs 36 people. She has sat on more than 50 boards, including NGO’s.

Countrywinner From Swaziland Thandeka Dlamini As the Associate Director of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Swaziland, Thandeka Dlamini has scooped the country winner prize for her efforts in the Business and Professional Services sector.

She says that as leader in key audit engagements, she manages client relationships, maximises quality control and client satisfaction as well as overall project economics. Thandeka attributes her success in the corporate world to a culture of hard work, passion and commitment that is applied to any endeavour. People development is vital for functional organisations, she asserts.

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FinalistsF From Mauritius

Nawsheen Ahmed Ahmine As the Senior Associate of Balgobin Chambers, Nawsheen Ahmed Ahmine handles areas of civil, corporate, employment and international law. In her capacity she works closely with national and international banks and she has represented and advised the Director of Public Prosecutions of Mauritius. The 2015 Finalist has her LLB with Honours and a Post-Graduate Diploma. Nawsheen believes people grow best through responsibility and that it is “important to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each individual to allow them to excel.”

From Mauritius Neelum Chamroo Neelum Chamroo is the MD of CITC –Investment and Trade Consultants Ltd, a boutique consultancy firm specialising in business consulting and advisory services on trade and investment, strategic planning and economic development. Neelum has a Masters in Business Administration and a BSc (Hons) in Management Studies from the University of Mauritius. She was the manager of special entrepreneurship programme, the National Empowerment Foundation, where she developed projects aimed at the economic empowerment of vulnerable sections of the population.

From Comoros Ali Bazi Fatoumia The Business and Professional Services Finalist, Ali Bazi Fatoumia can speak four languages including French, Swahili, English and Arabic. In 2013 Comoros recognised her with the Person of the Year Award. Ali is a Diplomatic advisor to the World President of Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales (FCEM) and a Knight of the National Order of Madagascar. She has a Masters in Political Science and International Relations as well as Diplomacy and is passionate about women’s entrepreneurship, sustainable development, food security and combating gender-based violence.

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sFinalists From South Africa Nompumelelo Madisa To her inner circle she is fondly referred to as Mpumi. Nompumelelo Madisa, Executive Director at Bidvest Group Limited is a finalist in the Business and Professional Services Sector. She shares that she made history in her lifetime when she was appointed as a Chief Director in a government department which made her the youngest at the time. Mpumi has served in senior level positions in many organisations and local government authorities as well as sits on various company boards.

From South Africa Jenni Newman Jenni Newman is the CEO of Jenni Newman Public Relations, which she manages with 14 other PR professionals. Jenni and her team provide crisis management, media relations services and event management, to name a few. The Business and Professional Services sector finalist has a BA degree from Wits University, a Diploma from Dante Alighieri Society in Italy and a PMD diploma from Graduate School of Business in Cape Town. She is a former Chair of the Businesswomen’s Association.

From South Africa Sindi Zilwa She passed her final qualifying examination at first attempt and became the second black woman Chartered Accountant in South Africa. Today, a finalist in the Business and Professional Services sector, Sindi Zilwa is the Chief Executive Officer of Nkonki, a registered firm of auditors and accountants which she co-founded. Even after reaching the pinnacle of success Sindi has never stopped learning. She sits on various boards which include Discovery Limited, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited and Rebosis Property Fund among others.

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The Pros & Cons of

Guerrilla Marketing

by Andrew Ngozo

The first Guerrilla Marketing book was published by Houghton Mifflin in l984. Today, there are 58 volumes in 62 languages, and more than 21-million copies have been sold worldwide. The book is required reading in many MBA programmes throughout the world. The author taught the subject at the University of California, Berkeley Extension Division, in the United States of America (USA). He now lectures on the subject worldwide

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or Jay Conrad Levinson, considered to be the ‘Father of Guerrilla Marketing’, this form of marketing is about “achieving conventional goals, such as profits and joy, with unconventional methods, such as investing energy instead of money”. The term ‘guerrilla marketing’ was inspired by guerrilla warfare, which is a form of irregular warfare involving tactical strategies used by armed civilians on a small scale. Many of these tactics include ambushes, sabotage, raids, and elements of surprise. Much like guerrilla warfare, guerrilla marketing uses the same sort of tactics in the marketing industry.

According to Professor Ashish Nathwani, professor of management in the Department of Business Management at the Saurashtra University, India, guerrilla marketing is often ideal for small businesses that need to reach a large audience without breaking

Corporate Governance the bank. “It [is also] used by big companies in grassroots campaigns to complement ongoing mass-media campaigns. Individuals have also adopted this marketing style as a way to find a job or more work,” says Professor Nathwani. The objective of guerrilla marketing is to create a unique, engaging and thoughtprovoking concept to generate buzz and, consequently, turn viral. Guerrilla marketing involves unusual approaches such as intercept encounters in public places, street giveaways of products, public relations stunts, or any unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources. More innovative approaches to guerrilla marketing now utilise mobile digital technologies to engage the consumer and create a memorable brand experience. “This has been proven in action to work for small businesses around the world. It works because it’s simple to understand, easy to implement and extremely inexpensive,” he points out.

Professor Nathwani elaborates that the need for guerrilla marketing can be viewed in the light of the following: downsizing of big businesses, decentralisation, relaxation of government regulations, affordable technology, and a revolution in consciousness with people around the world gravitating towards small businesses in record numbers.

“There are no rules as to what a woman can or cannot do. Be feminine, be confident and work hard.”

Key Features Distinguishing Conventional and Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla marketing is flexible: Among other marketing strategies, this strategy is more flexible. The strategy is unconventional so it can overcome the barriers of traditional marketing communication. Moreover, it is relatively easy to respond to change when such a tactic is adopted by a company.

Low cost: Guerrilla marketing is a low-cost strategy, which makes it ideal for firms that do not have massive marketing budgets. Celebrities are very costly and so are television-advertising rates. So, many small firms can select other media and work with a small marketing budget.

Targeted: The message can be designed to reach the target market, which reduces waste and ineffectiveness. The product or brand breaks through the clutter and stands right in front of the target audience.

Simple: Strategies are simple and easy to use and implement, which is ideal for smaller businesses or new ventures.

Many communications are very effective when they are made simple rather than complicated.

Impact: There is higher brand recall and better positioning, as the message is targeted at the audience. The impact of such strategies can be directly seen in the sales and profits of the company.

Ethical Issues in Guerrilla Marketing Content and intent: Guerrilla marketing is desirable only if the content is proper and acceptable. Often, the content may

invite moral policing if there are images of, for example, bloodshed. The target should receive the message with the same objective. If there are any lapses in interpretation, then the effectiveness of the advertisement is diminished.

False and misleading advertisements: Then there is the issue of false and downright disingenuous advertisements. While in itself an important ethical issue, an extension of this is the question of credibility. Nowadays, newspaper columns are rife with advertisements which blatantly compare features of brands with those of their competitors. Citing the experts’ opinions, these advertisements may claim their brands to be quantitatively and/or qualitatively better than those of their rivals. In India, for instance, a leading car manufacturer had to terminate its advertising campaign when it incorrectly stated that one of its car models was superior to that of its competitor, says Professor Nathwani.

Information misuse: Many marketers are found to be misusing information. The adverts may deliver something which is not true and not disclose the correct facts, thereby forcing an audience to make wrong decisions. The information source is also a major concern in such types of advertisements.

Negative emotions: Marketers use negative emotions, like fear and anger, to provoke people to purchase their product(s).

The use of fear appeals may lead to murky communication if used over a prolonged period. Negative emotions should be negligible and should be used only if truly necessary.

Distraction: It has been found that advertisements placed in terms of these strategies are quite unusual. Marketers select places where people do not expect to see an advertisement, such as inside washrooms, under bridges, hanging from the ceiling, paintings on a public wall or stunts at public places. Many such incidents may cause distraction and lead to accidents.

Exposure to children: There are usually no advert filters, so even children are exposed to some ads which might not be suitable for them. Some deodorant adverts are aired during prime time when even children are watching the TV, and their content may not necessarily be suitable for children.

Acceptance in society: Many issues like live-in relationships or one-night stands are not acceptable in society. So, if the ads are targeting such issues, then there will not be social acceptance. Many ads also attract attention by highlighting race or colour. This may be successful at first, but social acceptance will erode over time.

Surrogate advertisements: In some countries, alcohol and cigarette advertisements were banned outright a few years back.

However, alcohol and cigarette companies alike are using the avenue of surrogate advertisements to press forward their case.

For the viewer, though, the ‘subtle’ pointer towards the real deal is enough, as the surrogate advertisements leave no ambiguity in their minds.

Unhealthy competition: Many companies will try to adopt a marketing strategy which, apart from being a low-cost strategy, leads to unhealthy competition. If, for instance, all marketers show content that is not acceptable to all, then this will lead to unhealthy competition in the market.

Additional source: http://gmarketing.com

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Gender

Div

on the Rise

by Lydia Bundred

The barriers and challenges that women face in male-dominated industries are very real, but, globally, progress is being made towards a standard of gender diversity in the workplace and other areas of life. Previously, certain sectors and recreational activities were dominated by one sex, but, in the last decade, there have been advances in dismantling gender stereotypes. Women have now joined the male-dominated streets of India and the fight ring in the mixed martial arts (MMA).

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ortune 1000 companies have seen a rise in the number of women on boards and in high-ranking posts. This development is in large part due to a joint effort by, and mutual support from, both genders. With women comprising just over 50% of the world’s population, it makes good business sense to attract potential employees from the population as a whole.

The Barriers The SA Journal of Industrial Psychology inquired into the challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries

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and found that, in most cases, organisational practices were a hindrance. Cultural and formal policies showed bias towards the fairer sex and created physical and emotional obstacles.

Work–life balance, especially for mothers, was found to be problematic, as the demands and hours in the workplace were interfering with home responsibilities. The study also revealed that women entering such organisations had to adopt certain male characteristics and seek out male mentors in order to integrate into the organisational culture. These findings can help organisations re-evaluate their formal policies so as to be more inclusive and accommodating of the needs of both genders.

Corporate Governance

versity The investigation discovered that, even though some woman changed occupations because of the barriers, the majority persevered, adapted, and grew to enjoy the challenge.

“There are no rules as to what a woman can or cannot do. Be feminine, be confident and work hard.”

Female Cabbies A new breed of cab which caters for female clients navigates the hostile and male-dominated streets of New Delhi, India.

‘Cabs for women, by women’ is the slogan of Sakha Consulting Wings, a company that trains women to be drivers and chauffeurs in a country known for its gender-based violence and that has been ranked as one of the worst for women. Sakha provides comprehensive training for its female employees and educates them on their rights and their legal recourse should their rights be violated. This education provides young women with confidence not only to drive assertively but also to live assertively, women such as 21-year-old Chandni Gautam. Though the job has its dangers and prejudices for women, she says it is because “people think small”, but she embraces the change and loves her job. This initiative is not only empowering for the female cab drivers, but for their clientele as well. Women who travel alone or with small children feel more at ease using the woman cab service, especially in the evenings.

A Woman’s Fight Dr Santa-Marié Venter, MMA fighter by night and lifesaving surgeon by day, has made an incredible name for herself both inside and out of the ring in South Africa. “I grew up in a female-run household… So I was brought up realising that there is nothing that men can do that women can’t do as well,” she says. As a woman excelling in a maledominated sport, she has been met with huge support from the opposite sex. She says her male mentors “acknowledge

The SA Journal of Industrial Psychology inquired into the challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries and found that, in most cases, organisational practices were a hindrance. me as a woman, but don’t dwell on that too much” by ensuring that she receives fair and thorough training as an MMA fighter. Her focus is on “competing with myself and being a better person than I was yesterday”.

Her advice to other women entering a male dominated field? “There are no rules as to what a woman can or cannot do. Be feminine, be confident and work hard.” In her profession as an orthopaedic surgeon, she has found that “once you earn the respect of your colleagues by performing your job well, the gender divide disappears”. For her, breaking into the “boys’ club” of orthopaedic surgery wasn’t about doing away with her femininity but proving her abilities. “The masculinity crisis and female ultra-feminist movements are overemphasised. We should just embrace each other’s differences and unite in our diversity,” she emphasises.

Benefits “Research shows that there is a strong correlation between financial performance and the participation of women on boards,” states Gerald Seegers, PwC director for human resources services, Southern Africa. Gender-diverse boards and teams offer organisations different points of views and talents. In studies conducted in the United States, evidence emerged of a 42% higher return on sales in companies with men and women board members than those with one gender only. Diversity brings different views and different ways of thinking, and it ensures that both men and women as consumers are represented. An appreciation of both male and female traits in organisations will go a long way towards encouraging gender diversity. Moreover, not only will individuals benefit, but organisations as a whole.

How to encourage gender diversity: 1. Be gender-sensitive.

2. Implement policies that cater for parents (mothers and fathers).

3. Encourage men-to-women mentorships, and vice versa.

4. Create a culture that embraces diversity.

5. Have a zero-tolerance policy regarding prejudice.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Chemical Pharmaceutical & Petrochemical The question of sustainability frequently arises when examining the chemical, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. These sectors play an important role in the development of various industries and in the health of our citizenry.

From Mauritius The chemical industry plays a largely supportive role with regard to the manufacturing and engineering industries. As a sector responsible for both products and processes, it remains in high demand. The pharmaceutical sector, in turn, is a growing economic contributor and is evolving quickly together with Africa’s developing economy. Pharmaceuticals are being researched and assessed on a large scale in sub-Saharan Africa, making the continent a hub for development in this sector on a global scale. Lastly, there is the petrochemical sector, which remains a fluctuating and controversial one. We look forward to some consistency in this field in the future.

CEO Global thanks the women in this sector for their contributions to highly specialised fields. Not only are your contributions assisting other sectors, but they are also valuable in ensuring the good health of our populace.

Joan Njeri Njoroge

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ngen Petroleum Mauritius Ltd, of which Joan Njeri Njoroge is the MD, markets petroleum in the local market and is the fastest growing oil company in Mauritius. She is the Country and Region winner in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical sector and in her current role she manages 50 staff members.

She won the Leader of the Year award in the Engen international business division and the Affiliate of the Year in 2013 and she continued her streak in 2014 with the Outstanding Leadership award. Joan has her Master of Business Administration from the Leicester University UK and Bachelor of Education in French and History from the Kenyatta University in Kenya. She believes that by developing individuals one builds a strong organisation, which led her to drive an MBA sponsoring programme within the company where employees wishing to do their Masters would be financially supported.

RegionalWinner

From South Africa

From Kenya

Rose Nkosi

Jillian Usagi

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he country and regional winner in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical sector is a highly accomplished corporate executive with a career that spans over 30 years of leadership and strategy execution capability in support of the business. Rose Nkosi is the General Manager – Global Diversity and Transformation at Sasol Chemical Industries. She says of her leadership style: “I believe that people will deliver great results if empowered and left alone to get on with the job. My leadership style, therefore, is to provide the space for people to grow, excel and be accountable.”

With a list of achievements that an arm includes such accomplishments as being selected as an industry expert by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to present on strategies implemented in Sasol in driving inclusion of People with Disabilities in 2010. Rose is the custodian of the women empowerment strategy at Sasol that is aimed at fast-tracking gender mainstreaming.

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illian Usagi, a graduate of the Hillary Clinton women entrepreneurs programme, Vital Voices Grow, is the CEO of the House of Chemicals Africa. The company supplies industrial chemicals to manufacturing companies in East Africa and is involved in the community by offering training to young cosmetic manufacturers. The Sales and Marketing Diploma holder from Kenya Polytechnic University is a double winner in the Region and Country awards for her sector. In 2011 she was amongst a lucky few that were selected to be mentored by Dow Chemicals, a fortune 500 company based in the USA. Julian believes that people learn best by taking responsibility, which is why she allows them freedom in completing tasks and being solely responsible for their duties. Under this philosophy she has seen her staff flourish and develop. Julian mentors 50 female farmers in her village by teaching them business skills and how to break into new markets.

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Finalists From Namibia

Grace Penonghenda Hikumwah At the turn of the 21st Century Grace Penonghenda Hikumwah, Managing Member of Onehealth Pharmacy and Temma Pharmacy, started her pharmacy career as a Pharmacist Assistant. After working as a pharmacist assistant for two years, she furthered her studies in 2006. She serves on the Pharmaceutical Society Committee and on the Health Professional Council of Namibia as an inspector. The finalist in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical sector is an expert in private and state hospital pharmacies and retail pharmacies.

From South Africa Julia Thandeka Shungube South Africa’s Julia Thandeka Shungube, a finalist in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical sector is the Managing Director of Siphandane General Trading, an oil manufacturing business entity situated in one of the rural areas of Nkomazi Municipality in Mpumalanga. Julia professes that she is a young and enthusiastic business woman set for the summit of success. She is a champion in her own community as she has provided direct and indirect employment for the many unemployed individuals.

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s

Water Sustainability

Waste Not, Want Not

by Samantha Barnes

South Africans need to wise up! Unduly harsh in our assessment, you think? It is not an unfounded statement if we heed the water experts. Put in layperson’s terms, we are wasteful: we are using far too much water and are also wasting exorbitant amounts of this precious resource.

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acts speak volumes (if you will excuse the pun). “The average per-person water use in the world is between 150 and 170 litres per person per day,” says Niel van Wyk, chief engineer for National Water Resource Planning in the Department of Water and Sanitation. “In [the] RSA, which is a dry country, the equivalent figure is in excess of 250 litres per person per day. We need to do some serious thinking.”

Addressing this challenge is not as simple as opting to shower instead of bath. Our nation’s dilemma is far broader.

Among the issues that go hand in hand with our water dilemma are water distribution, political will and technical expertise.

Also, water protests have been hot news of late.

What a Lot I Got – or Not? The pressing question is whether we can meet our water needs into the future. Statistics don’t paint a pretty picture.

According to the 2030 Water Resources Group, demand for water in South Africa is projected to reach 17.7-billion m3 by 2030, with over a third coming from households. Current supply is just over 15-billion cubic metres.

However, as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz: “The sun will come out tomorrow.” With sufficient will and long-term planning, South Africa will have enough water to meet its needs, but this outcome rests on critical factors (which we will get to later). What is encouraging is that the private sector has met voluntarily to address the problem of water supply.

The report issued by the 2030 Water Resources Group is the culmination of nearly two years of work. It involved collaboration by hundreds of experts, including government,

development institutions, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), universities, industry, agricultural associations, irrigation suppliers, farmers and water-utility builders. Expert advice was also sought from overseas.

Tellingly, the report is captioned, ‘Charting our water future: An economic framework to inform decision making’.

The 2030 Water Resources Group concluded that meeting the demand for water is possible at reasonable cost. However, in a resource-stretched country like South Africa, where rainfall is low, there are limited aquifers and heavy reliance has to be placed on significant transfers from neighbouring countries.

Mind the Gap! Closing the growing gap between water supply and demand is possible, although it will be a considerable challenge. As the 2030 Water Resources Group stresses, the water challenges faced by South Africa, as Africa’s largest single economy, will, by extrapolation, have to be faced by most of the rest of the continent. A cautionary note: the report repeats the observation often heard in the ‘Peak Oil’ debate that business-as-usual approaches will not meet demand for raw water.

The Group concludes: “South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs between agriculture, key industrial activities such as mining and power generation, and large and growing urban centres.” The authors recommend an “integrated economic approach to water resource management” based on the following principles: Agricultural productivity is a fundamental part of the solution. Efficiency in industry and municipal systems is critical. Quality and quantity of water are tightly linked. Most solutions imply cross-sectoral tradeoffs. So, exciting times lie ahead…

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Sustainability

“No Water,” We Cry Protests about service delivery of water have been hot news of late. Niel van Wyk confirms that the cause can mostly be ascribed to the failure in the distribution of water rather than a water resource problem. He cautions that this should not be confused with drought-related problems experienced in parts of the country.

Everybody Has a Part to Play In the words of Jacques-Yves Cousteau:“Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” Engineer Niel van Wyk observes that we are unfortunately not at a stage where everybody is playing along in meeting future water supply.

Nevertheless, he is cautiously hopeful. “We can survive the water supply requirements up to the medium term reasonably well, but then the recommendations and provisos need to be satisfied,” he explains.

more sophisticated,” he explains. Underutilised groundwater must thus play a bigger role, provided that we overcome the tendency of mismanaging groundwater.

Chief engineer for the southern region at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Isa Thompson, agrees. “Groundwater has to be managed very carefully. In South Africa, if people cannot see water, they use it.” She stresses that, with any aquifer, you can only extract water at a certain rate. What happens is that people overextract groundwater. Then, when levels drop, they see ground water as being unreliable.

The Fragility of Water “The one thing we must remember is that we have the same water as from creation to today. We cannot make water.

We must use it very, very carefully. The fresh water that we have forms only 0.001% of water that is available on the planet. Some is in icebergs and some is in groundwater. So we have enough water,” explains Isa Thompson.

As the 2030 Water Resources Group stresses, the water challenges faced by South Africa, as Africa’s largest single economy, will, by extrapolation, have to be faced by most of the rest of the continent.

A decline in technical skills remains a problem. The Department of Water and Sanitation has started receiving graduate trainees from universities in fair numbers, something not experienced in years. Niel’s hope is that these skills remain within the Department or within the water sector and that technical ability and skill are nurtured carefully. A promising sign is Treasury insisting on improved accountability and results in respect of funds allocated.

Water Wears a Sophisticated Hat Many people equate water resources with dams. However, Niel stresses that most opportunities have been utilised, with the exception of the eastern seaboard of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, which have higher rainfall than the rest of South Africa. “Our sourcing of water will have to become

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“Opportunities like reuse of water, rainwater harvesting and desalination of water are fast becoming attractive options,” Niel observes. “Unfortunately, reuse of water and desalination come with an energy requirement that has to be seen in perspective. We currently do not have electricity in abundance, and offsetting increased energy requirements with green energy will have to form part of the consideration.”

Semantics – Using What We’ve Got “We talk about water demand… The consideration should be how much water we actually require,” Niel says. “Can we still afford to irrigate water-hungry tropical kikuyu grass with water purified to drinking-water standards, in our gardens?

In the domestic water use sector [currently about 30% of all water use in the RSA], arguably the fastest-growing water use

Sustainability

South Africans don’t realise how scarce water is in our country. Isa Thompson confirms that we are starting to stretch our available resources to the limit. “Any further water resource development will come with a many billion dollars price tag – water reuse, desalination of seawater, importing water from far-away big central African rivers, etc.”

Isa Thompson

sector in the RSA, much of our water is lost through poorly maintained distribution systems. In rural areas a water loss of 50% is not uncommon and even in metropolitan areas it is often unacceptably high.”

Isa recommends: “We have to start reusing water. Sewage water is being treated for use in irrigation and in Windhoek in Namibia it is being treated to potable standards. George, Beaufort West and Mossel Bay are doing the same, with the treated water mixed with groundwater, with no ill effects.”

Setting the Standard In 2014, eThekwini Water and Sanitation, which serves the Durban metropolitan area in South Africa, was named the winner of the Stockholm Industry Water Award for its transformative, inclusive approach to providing water and sanitation services. Soon afterwards, Durban expanded its boundaries to include 3.5-million people, some living in poorly serviced rural areas with huge water and sanitation challenges. What must also not be forgotten is that the right of people to water is enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution.

The eThekwini Municipality has faced these challenges head-on. In the past 14 years, 1.3-million additional people in greater Durban have been connected to piped water and 700 000 people have been provided with toilets. Access to basic water supply and sanitation is provided at no cost to poor families. eThekwini Water and Sanitation is at the forefront of exploring technical and social solutions, including a mini hydro-power project. The Municipality is also investigating solutions to convert urban wastewater for agricultural opportunities and to harvest rainwater.

Vaalharts is the largest irrigation scheme in South Africa at over 29 000 hectares. The canal system consists of 1 176 kilometres of concrete-lined canals and supports 1 040 irrigation farmers. The scheme provides industrial water for six municipalities. In 2010, Kobus Harbron’s work on water distribution

management at Vaalharts Water resulted in his receiving the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) Award in 2010. Computerisation of the manual water administration system using digitised and electronically imported flow data saved 17.5-million m3 in a single year. Water orders are now captured on the system by water control officers, with volumes being quantified weekly instead of monthly. Canal leakages and breakages are also easily monitored.

Across the Border Niel confirms that South Africa is doing well in managing cross-border water relations. Among the success stories are the bilaterally constructed and utilised dams (Driekoppies and Maguga) by South Africa and Swaziland on the Lomati and Komati rivers. The Interim IncoMaputo Agreement concluded between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland in 2002 regulates water sharing by the member countries.

Water Resource Development Carries a Hefty Price Tag South Africans don’t realise how scarce water is in our country. Isa Thompson confirms that we are starting to stretch our available resources to the limit. “Any further water resource development will come with a many billion dollars price tag – water reuse, desalination of seawater, importing water from far-away big central African rivers, etc.” Isa urges us all to halve our water consumption to stretch available resources. Further, she notes: “Losses in municipalities through wastage and old infrastructure is a serious problem that needs huge amounts of money to address.” Interesting times lie ahead.

Sources: African Review, August 2014; ‘Charting our water future: An economic framework to inform decision making,’ 2030 Water Resources Group; Stockholm International Water Institute

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Education & Training: Academic The academic education and training sector has a great responsibility toward the youth of our continent in particular. A major challenge for African academics remains accessibility of such education and training.

For those working in this sector, it is unacceptable that young children have to walk long distances to enjoy their basic right to education.

From Zambia A lack of monetary resources is a major limitation inhibiting this sector, as making an academic education more accessible requires a great deal of capital. As those making up the majority of the workforce in this sector, women endure these challenges in order to promote the development of people and, in turn, our economies. The sector does, however, come in for criticism owing to its inconsistent methods and lack of resources. These are issues of concern to government, which is looking to standardise educational practices and improve the level at which educational institutions operate.

Our future growth and development depend largely on the women of this sector. Sizwe IT Group thanks you for your exceptional and often understated contributions.

Gertrude Akapelwa

“I

have a conviction that my value as a person depends on how much I contribute to other people’s exploitation of their full potential,” says Gertrude Akapelwa, founder and vice- chancellor of Victoria Falls University of Technology (VFU). Founded in 2009 by Gertrude, with 12 students starting in 2010, today the university has 380 students and 46 staff, and offers diploma, degree and masters programmes in diverse fields. Gertrude founded the university with the objective “of creating a larger multiplier effect in human capital development.

“In Zambia an educational impact on one person impacts on at least six households,” says Gertrude. She is doing an education doctorate majoring in higher education leadership. This has provided her with knowledge about globalisation trends affecting universities. She visited two countries in 2014 and negotiated partnerships. One resulted in a faculty exchange with the USA, and another partnership resulted in two students being sponsored abroad for 6 months at subsidised fees.

RegionalWinner

From Uganda

From Congo

Dr. Barbara Ofwono Buyondo

Prof. Francine Ntoumi

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s a volunteer in Sunday school I discovered that there was a gap in early childhood education and the way society handled children was very disappointing,” says Dr. Barbara Buyondo. “Children were referred to as noise makers and destructive. From birth to eight years are the foundation of everyone’s life so I had to give them love, fulfilment, care and a listening ear. Children need sharp sound minds and energetic care givers.” This concern led to Dr Buyondo establishing Victorious Education Services in 1999, with about 30 children and three staff members, in a three bedroom home and her personal savings. Today Victorious is an education institution with over 350 staff and over 4000 pupils on five campuses, which educate children from kindergarten until 13 years. Dr Buyondo introduced welcoming and hugging children at the gate and this habit has caught on in most kindergarten and day-care centres in Uganda.

It has become a model education institution in Uganda. Dr Buyondo received two awards as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 from the Uganda Investment Authority and the Uganda Women’s Entrepreneurs Association.

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entral Africa does not have a medical research culture.

“It is rare to see an African icon in science,”says Professor Francine Ntoumi. She is a scientist with a background in Molecular Biology and Parasitology. She established the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research (FCRM), the first foundation supporting biomedical research in the Congo.

Professor Ntoumi established the first molecular biology laboratory at the Marien Ngouabi University. Research activities here are in line with national public health issues and address specifically child mortality. She initiated studies on tuberculosis including research evidence based data on Mycobacterium Tuberculosis drug resistance. She is the first African woman to receive the scientific Georg Forster award, the first scientist in the Republic of Congo on the board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the first scientist to receive the African Union scientific award, and the first African scientist to lead a multilateral initiative on malaria.

She has raised more than 3 millions euros for research in the Republic of Congo.

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From Kenya

From South Africa

Prof. Jessie Githanga

Prof. Tebello Nyokong

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hair of Trustees of Kenya Medical Women’s Association, Professor Jessie Githanga is the Country and Regional winner in the Education and Training: Academic sector. She is an associate Professor in haematology and blood transfusion at the University of Nairobi, the largest and most established School of Medicine in Kenya. Professor Jessie holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and a Masters in Medicine Degree in Pathology. From 1990 to 1991 she did her Post-doctoral Fellowship at the University of Manitoba, College of Health Sciences in Winnipeg, Canada. As a leader within her field she believes in “mentorship and role modelling as an important way to develop the people around me”. Her work has been published in medical journals and she regularly provides services and valuable advice to the Ministry of Health, and other such organisations. Even in her busy schedule she prioritises minimising costs, delivering quality and timely lectures and keeping admin up-to-date.

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rofessorTebello Nyokong holds a DST/NRF professorship in Medicinal Chemistry and Nanotechnology at Rhodes University in South Africa, where she is a Distinguished Professor and Director of Nanotechnology Innovation Centre. The regional and country winner in the Education and Training: Academic sector has received many awards for her research including the following the 2015 appointment

by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as part United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries. She has trained a large number of doctoral and masters students who hold high positions in government and industry in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Lesotho, Angola, Zimbabwe, USA and Australia etc. “Education is the key to success of any country. I used education in my own life to get out of poverty and I believe all people can overcome their unfavourable circumstances through education. Training doctoral students is crucial for the development of top leaders,” she says

Countrywinner From Namibia Yvonne Dausab With over 15 years of human rights training, legal training, facilitation, teaching and learning, litigation practice and research experience, Yvonne Dausab is the Deputy Dean: Faculty of Law sat the Universality of Namibia. A Country winner in the Training and Academic sector, she has served and still serves in various capacities which include; Member of the Board for Legal Education, Commissioner of the Law Reform and Development Commission, Member of the Law Society of Namibia, Director on the National Qualifications Authority and Transparency International (Zambia).

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Finalists From Namibia

Prof. Elizabeth Amukugo

Professor Elizabeth M. Amukugo, Head: Educational Foundations and Management at the University of Namibia is a finalist in the Education and Training: Academic sector. She serves as an Academic Leader and Mentor to both academic and administrative staff within the Department, which include among others: Professors and Lecturers, Directors of UNAM Campuses, Deputy Deans and Departmental coordinators at other UNAM Campuses. Professor Amukugo teaches graduate students and carries out research and publication in her area of expertise i.e. education and leadership.

From South Africa Hellen Manakedi Ntlatleng She spent the first 18 years of her career as a History and English teacher at Tsako-Thabo High School in Mamelodi, Pretoria where she always achieved a 100% pass rate. It is no wonder then that, at the tender age of 24, Hellen Manakedi Ntlatleng was appointed as a head of department at the same school. Today she is the Principal and CEO of Ekurhuleni West Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) College and a finalist in the Education and Training: Academic sector.

From South Africa Phuti Ragophala “I am an educator who leads by doing,� says Phuti Ragophala, the Principal of Pula Madibogo Primary School in Limpopo, South Africa who landed a finalist position in the Education and Training: Academic sector. She teaches Grade 7 Economics and Management Sciences and says most of her lessons are practical hence she utilises a Project Learning approach that she has instilled in entire school and in her colleagues. Phuti says it is her goal to put curriculum in technology tools and social media for learners to enjoy education.

From South Africa Prof. Susan Visser Over the years Susan Visser has received seven awards for excellence in teaching. She is dean of the Faculty of Economic & Management Science at North West University. Susan was the first woman to obtain a DCom in Accounting Sciences at Potchefstroom University in 1983 and the first woman to be promoted to professor in the School of Accounting and Management Sciences in 1997. She has received two separate national awards from Deloitte and from KPMG in terms of her contribution to the accounting profession.

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GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Education & Training: Private Complementing the academic education and training sector is the private education and training sphere, a sector that is more diverse than its academic counterpart.

Those working in this sector have undergone a shift in their thinking and have realised that the development of others does not stop at a formal institution. This sector has taken great strides to include people of all ages in development of all kinds.

From South Africa Women remain a prominent part of this sector and play an important role in bridging the gaps in formal education as well as providing skills development of a more practical kind. The field is more diverse because it is not limited to a particular curriculum.

This gives rise to the opportunity for many to become breadwinners for their families and contributors to their economies. The strength of this sector lies therein that people are able to empower one another through skills and knowledge transfer.

CEO Global strongly supports and commends the hard work of those who take the time to develop others. The women in this field are noteworthy as the frontrunners in private education and training.

Lillian Patricia Masebenza

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s the Founding Director of Mhani Gingi Social Entrepreneurial Networks, Lillian Patricia Masebenza has 10 years’ experience delivering holistic skills training to individuals. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and B.A Honours degree from the University of South Africa and was awarded an Ashoka Fellowship in 2008. Her insight led to her being invited as a speaker to the 2014 TEDxUFS project where she spoke around the theme of ‘Changing Tomorrow, Today’. Lillian is passionate about developing people and enriching the communities of those she trains and for this reason she was a semi-finalist in the Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government 2014/15 awards. She has spoken at events and conferences around the world and has been recognised by Hillary Clinton and the Mail & Guardian book. In addition, her exceptional achievements have made her a Country and Regional winner in the Private Education and Training Sector for 2015/16.

Countrywinner From Lesotho Adv. Mamosebi Theresia Pholo Advocate Mamosebi Theresia Pholo received her Diploma in Law, her BA Law and LLB from the National University of Lesotho in 1982, 1984 and 1988 respectively. In 1997 she was a recipient of the Woman of the Year Award, presented by the American Biographical Institute for Outstanding Accomplishments and the Noble Example for peers and entire community.

Mamosebi is currently a member of Federation of Women Lawyers of Lesotho and has been active in her sector for 33 years.

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Finalists From South Africa Kim Meredith Kim Meredith is the CEO and Founder of The Dealmaker Company, which focuses on developing and growing individual’s deal making and negotiating skills. She holds a BA degree in Psychology and English and is the best-selling author of four internationally published books on deal making.

Kim was a 2013 finalist for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Awards and a 2011 winner of the 1st for Women Business Icon and Entrepreneur, Feather Awards. She is passionate about people and a natural teacher.

From South Africa Hema Vallabh Hema is involved with WomEng, a global NPO that develops and executes curricula, training material, programs and events, as well as The Passionate Professional (TPP), a program that focuses on mentorship. She has been in the Education and Training: Private sector for 10 years and is passionate about assisting young girls and women to achieve their goals. Hema holds a BSc (Hons) Engineering (Chemical) and an MSc Engineering (Chemical – Catalysis) degree from the University of Cape Town.

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Sustainability

The E-ducation Revolution

by Lydia Bundred

E-learning is sweeping the African continent and opening doors in order to bridge the digital divide and improve education. In Kenya, initiatives have, for more than a decade, been taken to introduce technology into schools and other learning centres so as to equip pupils for a better future.

Though Kenya faces barriers in the form of access to electricity, as well as availability of classrooms and teachers, it has taken big steps through the use of ICTs (information and communications technologies).

The new iMlango project is intended to reach out to the young people of rural Kenya, especially young girls, by purposefully using ICTs for education and skills development.

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Sustainability

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oth boys and girls are affected by the lack of educational infrastructure in Kenya. However, according to a recent study done by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), girls from rural areas are most affected. Many families in the rural and slum areas cannot afford to send their children to school, and, when there is an opportunity to do so, most families choose to send their sons, as they are seen as contributors to the family business and to future income streams, while young girls stay at home and often prepare for marriage. Poverty and lack of education often lead to child and forced marriages for many young Kenyan girls. Education for marginalised girls in Kenya is a priority owing to the limited options available to them.

The Statistics A staggering 1.09-million children in Kenya are currently not attending school, with a higher percentage being female than male. According to UNESCO, one in 10 young people have not completed their primary schooling and thus struggle to find a well-paying job in Kenya. With technological advances in this century, having an understanding of ICT is no longer a luxury but is indispensable to anyone wanting to participate in the information society.

Kenya has an estimated population of 45 941 977 people, according to figures released in 2014. Of these 45 million or so, only 13.8-million – a mere 30.6% – have access to and use the Internet, with the majority falling in urban, richer areas.

Exposure to and training in ICTs are limited in the rural areas of Kenya and are in great need of improvement if Kenya hopes to play in the same league as developed countries.

Lack of infrastructure and available funds has caused the dilapidation of school buildings as well as low motivation on the part of teachers in these isolated areas. Since computers are expensive in Kenya and out of reach for the poor, many

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use their mobile devices to access the Internet. With ICT development projects making headway, young boys – and especially girls – will benefit from the education and skills development initiative. For many, this will mean the opportunity to finish their schooling and even attend a college or university – a chance at choosing their own future.

A staggering 1.09-million children in Kenya are currently not attending school, with a higher percentage being female than male.

The iMlango Project The partnership between the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and several private companies, including sQuid, Avanti Communication, Whizz Education and Camara Education, is the driving force behind the iMlango project, which, in Swahili, means ‘doorway’ or ‘portal’. “The project is being supported by the Ministry of Education and specifically the Centre for Innovation within the Ministry of Education. Together, we are collaborating on what is the best way forward for iMlango,” says Keith Magee, Camara’s senior education specialist.

The iMlango mission was launched at the end of 2014 and, according to Keith, it is planned to have e-labs and learning centres in 195 schools in the coming months of 2015, at the same time training and teaching pupils the skills they need to use ICTs in their education. Camara and its staff have observed that teachers and students in rural areas have very limited exposure to ICTs, and, therefore, training with regard to this platform is essential. The objective is to familiarise teachers and students with ICTs and allow teachers to deliver high-quality teaching material via this medium.

Sustainability

The iMlango mission was launched at the end of 2014 and, according to Keith, it is planned to have e-labs and learning centres in 195 schools in the coming months of 2015, at the same time training and teaching pupils the skills they need to use ICTs in their education.

According to Keith, Project iMlango delivers: ■ High-speed broadband connectivity to schools.

■ Personalised maths tuition with a virtual online tutor, alongside digital learning content for maths, literacy and life skills.

■ Tuition and support for teachers to enable them to use ICT in their teaching.

■ Electronic attendance monitoring, with conditional payments as incentives.

■ In-field capacity in information technology (IT), technology and support resources.

■ Real-time project monitoring and measurement.

The project offers a helpline which teachers can use if they have questions, and field officers do monthly followups at the different schools so as to track progress and offer support. “We have delivered training in the use of iMlango in five schools so far and there has been a positive response to all the components of iMlango. Teachers are starting to actively use MathsWhizz, the maths online tutor, for their teaching practices and have adopted the attendance monitoring,” comments Keith on the programme’s reception.

The programme keeps record of student attendance and, in exchange, poor families receive payment as an incentive which they can use at local vendors for sending their children to school. By using an incentive system, the creators of iMlango hope to increase school attendance by children in poor regions.

According to Keith: “In one school, HGM Malindi Primary, teachers have reported that children are excited to come to their computer lab every day and are passionate about learning maths using the online tutor.”

Goals and Objectives Lynne Featherstone, international development minister at the Department for International Development (DFID), offers her views on the project: “Education is vital to helping

improve the life chances of millions of marginalised girls and protecting them from harmful practices like child and forced marriage. Through this private-sector partnership we are able to deliver innovative and cutting-edge solutions that mean marginalised girls in Kenya get the education they deserve.”

The project anticipates that 150 000 learners will be reached across Kenya, from 195 schools, of which 25 675 will be young girls who live in poor rural areas. Tutoring and lessons will be offered in maths, life skills and English. The iMlango undertaking intends to provide the young people of Kenya with the tools they need to build the future they want.

Source:http://camara.org/blog/2015/03/06/project-imlangoroll-out-begins/ Success with ICTs in Kenya ■ Computer Pride, a computer centre, has been teaching computer skills in Kenya since 1990.

■ Kenyan farmers are greatly benefiting from a website called M-Farm. This website offers locals a platform where they can buy seed and fertiliser and can market their produce.

■ The user-friendly iCow service offers cow farmers weekly information regarding nutrition and breeding. The service also tracks livestock gestation periods, alerting the farmers when they should expect new calves.

■ The Karibu Centre, placed and sponsored

by Intel Education Service Corps, has become a destination for children and adults to engage in learning.

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Financial Services Less than one in four adults in Africa has access to financial services, and increasing such access is an issue that the African Development Bank has emphasised as an immediate goal for the sector. Sustainability of our fast-growing economy is largely dependent on financial inclusion for all.

From Zambia The percentage of women who operate in this sector has risen steadily. For the sake of our population’s financial wellness, it is important that education about money matters becomes a more prominent focus at all levels. A growing economy also requires greater financial responsibility on an individual and organisational level. Financial institutions and government are laying down new policies in order to make this responsibility easier for all.

KPMG

praises the women in this sector for their role in the movement towards a more financially inclusive continent. Although there is a long road ahead, we can look forward to a financially sound environment through their efforts.

Mwangala Muyoyeta Palale

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ambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) is the largest of the 19 banks in Zambia according to number of customers, outlets and assets and is in the top three using other statistics. Mwangala Palale heads up Information Technology at ZANACO and brought the bank’s IT department in line with industry Best Practice, with respect to IT service management, governance and management. She also stabilised core infrastructure by building a tier – 3 datacentre. Her BSc Hons degree in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham supports her drive to make a difference in her field of expertise. Among her qualifications is a Master’s in Business Administration. Mwangala is active in the banking technology sector and has chaired the Bankers Association of Zambia Technical Committee since 2013. She is recognised as a leading female engineer in Zambia. In 2015 Mwangala was recognised as one of only five Zambians and the first woman to be certified in the governance and management of an IT enterprise.

RegionalWinner

From South Africa

From Kenya

Sinothando Pupuma-Peter

Dr. Jennifer Nkuene Riria

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rue Freedom is only possible when people have control of their financial lives,’ said Old Mutual Founder, John Fairbairn. Sinothando Pupuma–Peter imparts this thinking to clients in her role as corporate sales manager of Old Mutual Finance.

A higher diploma in Education, a diploma in General and Developmental Psychology and management training gives Sinothando insight into bringing the best out of people. Sinothando enables clients to see the difference between a need and a want. She has a pivotal role to play when one considers that 47% of people are financially impaired, which means that that they have debt which is seriously in arrears. Sinothando once assisted a client who was financially over indebted to the point of contemplating suicide. By consolidating the client’s debt, this was averted. Sinothando was a worthy award winner for Most Influential Women in Business and Government Country award in the Finance sector in 2014, a title she still holds in 2015 along with a Regional award.

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ith several qualifications to her name such as a Bachelors, Masters and a Ph.D. in Education, Doctor Jennifer Nkuene Riria is the Country and Regional winner in the Financial Services sector for 2015. She is the CEO of Kenya Women Holding, a company that provides support to entrepreneurial women in rural areas. When she joined the company 23 years ago it was near collapse but due to her efforts it was revived and today it is a thriving, sustainable and widely recognised financial institution in Kenya. In her capacity she oversees 3 000 employees and she is the Chair of the Post Bank. In 2015 she was awarded the Africa Economy Builder’s award and the Global Hall of Fame Entrepreneur of the year in 2014. Jennifer motivates her staff to “dream more, learn more and become more efficient” through mentorship and by being a role model.

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Countrywinner From Swaziland Nelisiwe Zanele De Sousa Nelisiwe de Sousa wears several hats, as CEO of Dups Holdings (six companies) in Swaziland.

She founded Dups Direct Insurance in 2000, the first Swazi owned insurance company and she established the first crematorium in Swaziland. In 2005 she was nominated for the Swaziland Women of the Year Awards, in 2014 was appointed chairperson of Businesswomen’s Forum and in 2015 was appointed executive chairperson of Dups Holdings. A former educator, Nelisiwe coaches all senior managers at Dups Holdings by agreement.

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Finalists

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From South Africa Ency Litsoane

As CEO of IFA, Ency Litsoane describes herself primarily as Chief Encouraging Officer. She landed this role through focus and commitment. Ency offers her skills as a motivational speaker, leadership strategist and personal development trainer. Building on her personal brand SamSam, Ency branched out into corporate and community upliftment projects, later founding a training institute, THERATO. She is provincial chairperson (Western Cape) of South African Women Entrepreneurs Network and received their Inkanyezi Service award for stellar performance in 2014.

From South Africa Kalyani Pillay Achievement sums up Kalyani Pillay, including being voted Most Influential Women in the Financial Services Sector (Banking) and becoming the first Black State Attorney for South Africa. As CEO of SABRIC, Kalyani lobbies to prevent and fight organised crime. SABRIC was established by the four major banks in South Africa to assist the banking and Cash-in-Transit industries fight organised crime. Kalyani successfully negotiated with the Department of Home Affairs for banks to access the online fingerprint verification system.

From Zambia Brenda Thole “Mobile commerce in Zambia is in its infancy, and as a result each day requires sharpened input to drive the recruitment and retention of quality customers,” says Brenda Thole, country director of Airtel Mobile Commerce, a leading mobile commerce financial institution in Zambia. Her team is shaping business and regulatory trends for mobile commerce. This includes lobbying for industry best practices on transaction limits and pricing. Once approved, Brenda expects this to ‘positively drive industry growth and contribute to the growth of financial inclusion in Zambia’.

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Case in Point KPMG | KPMG Global Africa Practice

African Business Leaders

Bryan Leith, Chief Operating Officer, KPMG’s Global Africa Practice

by Samantha Barnes

Developing a GlobalMindset

Africa has had many despots in the past. Some are still around today. What is significant and encouraging, are signs that business leadership in Africa is maturing. Not in the sense of reaching advanced years - although many government leaders have enviable longevity - but in terms of displaying the leadership skills that will enable African leaders to compete globally against their counterparts. For too long, African leaders have been deemed inferior or less relevant.

Signs of Progress Development is as much about human capital as it is about infrastructure. Business leadership sets the tone for a nation in creating role models for others to emulate, and the belief to turn dreams into reality.

Bryan Leith is chief operating officer of KPMG’s Global Africa Practice and in his personal travels he has met business leaders in various African countries with capabilities that are on par with leaders elsewhere in the world.

What Bryan is observing among these leaders is a growing realisation that Africa cannot wait for foreign direct investment to come to the continent. “They have a keen appetite to go out and find the necessary investment,” says Bryan. “African leaders are also looking to Africa to bring new developments to the continent, and the acknowledgement that the success of this is hinged on examining cross border expansion and intra-Africa investment opportunities.”

A Business Lesson for Everyone Asked what the most valuable business lesson is that Bryan has learned, he has a ready reply. “Tom Grieve taught me that, ‘To succeed in business and in life, you need to focus on your strengths and surround yourself with people whose strengths make up for your weaknesses.”

It is not only actual leadership skills that KPMG is paying attention to, but also in supporting the call for the development of women to executive positions and for a spread of employees reflecting diversity in the workplace.

“At KPMG we believe that inclusivity, diversity and transformation are critical success factors to not only growing our

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business, but to supporting job creation and economic growth,” explains Bryan. “More than 50% of the staff compliment in South Africa is female, and for our offices across Africa, the number of female employees is increasing all the time.”

“Additionally, we have a number of initiatives that are run yearly – globally and locally – aimed at fostering growth and equal opportunity among our female staff, though we also have phenomenal women working for the firm who are going out and achieving high positions based on merit and their work, which is also something to be celebrated.”

Employer of Choice KPMG retains the Employer of Choice accolade for 2014/15*. Bryan confirms that this is for good reason. “We provide excellent work experience, work environment and training. Within our offices we use the latest in technology, which resonates with younger generations and enables them to learn on the latest and most efficient platforms available.

Additionally, through our international network we have offices in 155 countries and offer the opportunity to gain work experience around the world.” It is heartening to have a firm of this calibre playing such an integral part in Africa’s growth and development. * Universum Most Attractive Employer Rankings 2014/15 – Students

Celebrating 70 Years of Collective Bargaining

The Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) is a statutory body created under the Labour Relations Act to provide for the co-regulation of stable and productive employment relations in the metal and engineering industries in South Africa.

Contact Details: The Metal and Engineering Bargaining Industries Bargaining Council (National Office) Physical Address 1st Floor Union Corporation Building 77 Marshall Street Johannesburg 2001

Postal Address PO Box 9381 Johannesburg 2000 Tel: 011 639 8000 Fax: 086 636 8690

www.meibc.co.za

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Government Employed Officials The public sector frequently comes under fire, with little regard for the considerable demands and extensive mandates it has to meet. For this reason, being an employed official of government has become seemingly less attractive to younger generations entering the work environment.

Employed government officials are therefore tasked with the process of making this career path more attractive for the continuity thereof. Government policies are largely beneficial to state employees and seek to bring about employee attraction and retention for the smooth functioning of publicservice provision. Women are active in this field at all levels and have made major strides in streamlining processes with a view to serving the interests of the public. Despite major challenges, service quality and efficiency are a primary focus in most sections and continued improvement is on the horizon.

Women in this sector are faced with vast demands and ever-expanding populations which must be serviced efficiently. Despite the challenges, the following women have proved that this sector is moving toward change and ongoing development. CEO Global applauds your integrity and hard work.

From Rwanda Clare Akamanzi

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t takes considerable effort and skill to grow investments in Rwanda from 5% to 11% of GDP in the space of a decade. Clare Akamanzi, Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board was key in leading her team to contributing towards this result. Exports have also grown by 20% over the past 5 years. Clare manages 500 people. She has led reforms in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report, with the ranking of Rwanda improving from 158 in 2008 to the Top 50 over the last 3 years. Under her leadership, the Rwanda Development Board has closed 19 deals worth 2 billion US dollars, with over 30 000 jobs created. She has a Masters of Law: International Law and Investment Policy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Clare believes that an organisation is as good as its people. The results being achieved are an indicator of her leadership skills. The Rwanda Development Board is recognised as one of the top development bodies on the African continent.

RegionalWinner

From Zambia

From South Africa

Dr. Anna Chifungula

Adv. Thuli Madonsela

“O

ur audit reports are on time,” says Dr. Anna Chifungula, Auditor General at the Office of the Auditor General in Zambia. She has served as Auditor General for 12 years. Her auditors have helped several institutions, especially in Information Technology audits and with fraud and other investigations. “Almost all investigations prosecuted by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) are done by my officers,” says Dr. Chifungula. Numerous forensic investigations under her watch have led to successful prosecutions and institutional restructuring. She takes pride in the assurance that she has maintained a highly qualified and motivated team. With a honourary doctorate in Auditing and Accounting Dr. Chifungula has restructured the office and developed its institutional capacity. She assists the community where possible. “I belong to a number of organisations dealing with deprived communities, so as a group, we help out by setting up small ventures such as keeping chickens, sewing and other small undertakings so that these households can become self-reliant.”

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egional and South African country winner Advocate Thulisile Nomkhosi Madonsela, the South African Public Protector is popularly known as Thuli. She was appointed as Public Protector SA by the President on the recommendation of Parliament in October 2010. At the time of her appointment, Adv. Madonsela was the only full-time Commissioner in the South African Law Reform Commission. Before then she held various leadership positions in civil society and the public sector. These include membership of the inaugural Commission for Employment Equity and the Steering Committee of the Legal Services Charter and various executive management positions in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. One of the 11 Technical Experts that assisted the Constitutional Assembly in drafting South Africa’s new Constitution, Adv. Madonsela is a human rights lawyer, equality expert, constitutional analyst and policy specialist.

She has written extensively, published and provided training on various aspects of the law, equality and human rights in general.

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Countrywinner From Namibia Adv. Bience Gawanas Advocate Bience Philomina Gawanas is Special Advisor to the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services. The country winner has more than two decades of service in the public sector where she has served in various capacities and organisations. Adv. Gawanas is also a distinguished author and writer whose works have been published in various books and journals national and international, including the Lancet, a United Kingdom based medical journal. Her entire career has been characterised by multiple leadership roles, she shares.

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Finalists

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From South Africa Nthabiseng Malinga

A finalist in the Government-Employed Official, Nthabiseng Selina Malinga, Chief Executive Officer of Parys District Hospital has been in the public health care system since 1987, when she started out as a Professional Nurse at the Bethlehem Municipality Clinic. She rose to Senior Professional Nurse, Chief Professional Nurse: Primary Health Care, Potential Regional Manager, and Primary Health Care Manager until her appointment to the current position where she got recognition from the services monitoring unit for running a vastly improved hospital vis-à-vis front line services requirements standards.

From South Africa Nomshado Matselane As a Deputy Director in South Africa’s Department of Public Works & Infrastructure, Nomshado Matselane, a finalist in the Government-Employed Official sector has a barrage of accolades to her name. These include the 2014 finalist for the SADC region Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government, Excellent Trainer of National School of Government Programmes Award from the Public Service Trainers Forum National Conference in November 2014 and the Best School Management and Governance Developer in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District in 2007.

From Namibia Dr. Gabi Schneider A finalist in the Government-Employed Official Sector, Dr. Gabi Schneider, Director at the Geological Survey of Namibia graduated in 1980 with a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Frankfurt, where she also obtained her PhD in the Faculty of Earth Sciences in 1984. Dr Schneider is the President of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys and the Vice Chairperson of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia and a founding member of the Small Miners Association of Namibia.

From South Africa Phumla Williams “When I was appointed as Acting CEO of Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) the first element I prioritised was to project an organisation that responds,” says Phumla Williams, who is now director general of GCIS. “I instilled the standard, that any issue that comes out in the media that requires government response, be responded to before 11:00am daily except for weekends….striving to inculcate a culture of a responsive and accountable public servant.” She is also an acting cabinet spokesperson. She oversees the governance area of the department.

Corporate Governance

the Whole

Truth

by Samantha Barnes

Yeah! It feels great to win at poker! My pot got bigger and bigger (as did my ego). All that bluffing paid off. I didn’t expect to hold the best-ranking hand.

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his got me thinking… about the corporate game we call risk management, reputation management or public relations management; about what all companies dread like the hot fear of a springbok before being mauled by a leopard; about the moment when the showdown has come and the corporate entity has to lay its cards on the table.

Just how much responsibility or accountability should a company like Eskom demonstrate to its shareholders, and to consumers, in terms of telling (or withholding) the truth? When is the right moment for companies to play honestly and by the rules when managing their reputation? Well, the bottom line is: reputation has financial impact. American business magnate Warren Buffet should know about this. He is considered the most successful investor of the 20th century and is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people.

The tycoon sums up his take on managing reputation beautifully: “If you lose money for the firm, I will be very understanding... If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless.” And that folks is perhaps the most important lesson on managing reputation. Making an ill-considered move could have dire consequences for your job as an employee and for the company’s survival.

When Top People Leave under a Cloud…

We pose the question: from an ethics standpoint, how accountable is a public entity in terms of answering questions regarding management infighting and of giving the true picture of why top executives leave when they supposedly ‘resign’? Prof Piet Naude is suitably qualified to give a considered reply. Appointed to the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) in 2014, he holds a doctorate in theology and a master’s degree in philosophy and is a sought-after speaker at business engagements.

“The responsibility for transparency is high, as shareholders of public companies have the right to know whether leadership events could impact on their investment,” he advises. “It is even higher for a state-owned entity, as such an entity is in fact accountable to the public at large, [for] it is this public that funds the entity and that relies on its services.” As we well know, reality does not always bear this out. Companies can drag their heels in making their leadership accountable – regardless of whether this is due to tardiness on their part or because following due process can take many months.

Corporate Governance When former SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) chair Zandile Ellen Tshabalala came under fire for having applied for the top position at the public broadcaster when she did not have the qualifications listed on her CV, she maintained her innocence throughout. Members of Parliament called on Unisa’s head of legal services, Jan van Wyk, to testify regarding the University’s records relating to the former chair’s supposed qualifications obtained at the University. In his testimony, he declared unequivocally: “No qualification whatsoever was awarded to Ms Tshabalala.”

The question perhaps remaining in the public’s minds is: why were the former chair’s qualifications not audited at the outset when applying for a position entailing significant accountability? Another question we may pose is: when is it in a company’s best interests to withhold information concerning management disputes at executive or board level? Prof Naude confirms that this depends on the nature and extent of the disputes. His answer is refreshingly candid: “It is normal to have conflicting views, but it is not normal if a CEO or COO suddenly resigns. In this case, the shareholders have a right to know as much as would make sense and is allowed by due process or the law.”

Just how much responsibility or accountability should a company like Eskom demonstrate to its shareholders, and to consumers, in terms of telling (or withholding) the truth?

State utility, Eskom, had much explaining to do when Board Chairperson and Director Zola Tsotsi stepped down (apparently voluntarily) in March this year. This followed a three-hour board meeting at which Zola requested that the Eskom board defer a planned motion of no confidence in him.

In a statement issued shortly thereafter, the Eskom board, through Acting Chairperson Ben Ngubane, thanked Zola for what it called “the selfless decision he has taken in placing the interests of the company and the nation first”. One cannot help wondering what was behind the former chairperson’s lack of support from top executives at the power utility. Was he the scapegoat for questionable decision making? As the saying goes: ‘The tallest trees attract the most wind.’

Prof Naude explains that, in the event of any alleged misconduct, the matter would be subject to due process. He hastens to add that the timing of the disclosure must respect any processes, on condition that these processes themselves are effective. “A matter cannot be allowed to take an inordinate amount of time to be resolved,” he cautions.

Shedding Light in the Darkness The next question is: how best should a company manage its public relations strategy in times of prolonged stress and when constantly in the public eye? Prof Mari Jansen van Rensburg, Unisa’s area head for strategy and marketing, says that many companies fall into the trap where they think that, if they ignore a crisis, it will go away. “Truth is, with silence comes speculation, and with speculation come rumours that could be blown out of proportion,” she says.

In times when a company’s reputation is under prolonged stress, Prof Jansen van Rensburg advocates that the public relations function become more proactive and less reactive. This can be done by sharing news and developments timeously using clear, easy-to-understand messages. She adds a cautionary note: “These messages should, however, be shared internally with staff first before informing other stakeholders. It is also important to have available and assessable spokespersons who can respond to specific questions.”

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Corporate Governance

‘If you lose money for the firm, I will be very understanding...

If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless,’ -American business magnate Warren Buffet

‘When All Hell Breaks Loose’ In this age of instant communication, the risk of company fallout is higher. Prof Jansen van Rensburg stresses the importance of being guided by the truth and realistically managing expectations. “If the worst is expected, one can plan accordingly, but, if the real situation is covered up and the truth is then revealed, the damage is irreversible.”

Prof Naude also proposes playing open cards. “It is always better to take people into your trust once a matter has reached the public domain.

Even if you brief them ‘off the record’ at first, it is better than a seeming cover-up. That is why one has to build strong relations in the good times,” he explains.

The Truth Will Out No amount of reputation management can detract from what has become blatantly obvious in the public view. When Eskom recently lost almost half of its available capacity and plunged the country into Stage 3 load shedding, our lights went out.

Emerging Stronger from a Crisis Some companies have acted swiftly and prudently to emerge unscathed in the public’s eyes in the face of what could have been a public relations disaster. Regine le Roux, CEO of Reputation Matters, shares a situation experienced by the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA). “You may recall that, a number of years ago, there was the medical-waste scandal that was uncovered. The president of the IWMSA at the time was implicated and his name, his company’s name and the IWMSA were all mentioned in a front-page Sunday Times article,” Regine says. “So, purely by association, the IWMSA was negatively impacted.”

“After an emergency Council meeting on that same Sunday, it was agreed that the IWMSA would conduct their own independent investigation into the matter and support the Green Scorpions with their investigation. It was also agreed that the president would step down until the investigations were completed. A media release was drafted and firstly

circulated to all the IWMSA members and then to all the media, encouraging them to direct any queries directly to the IWMSA and inviting them to meet with the IWMSA to discuss the matter further.”

All possible questions were addressed and open channels of communication were encouraged. Rumours regarding the IWMSA’s involvement were squashed. Once the investigations were completed and the president’s name was cleared a few months later, all stakeholders were informed and he was reinstated.

Regine recommends several actions that companies can take when facing such a crisis. Respond speedily and do take action, she suggests. Empathy is crucial. Acknowledge the situation and support investigations to resolve the matter. Keep your message short and simple, and ‘stick to your guns’ in terms of relevant information. What is also crucial is to keep stakeholders in the loop.

In the IWMSA scenario, once the investigation was completed, all stakeholders were informed. Regine reports that very positive feedback was received from the members of the IWMSA and the public on how they managed the crisis. Ultimately, reputation management is about bringing issues to light in a managed way instead of ‘dancing in the dark’.

Sources: Mail & Guardian, 31 March 2015; Mail & Guardian, 17 April 2015

Death with

by Samantha Barnes

The topic of death is never an easy one – and even less so when a loved one is alive, but is suffering from a terminal illness.

Their breathing is laboured. They are in constant pain, with every day something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Their physical appearance bears little resemblance to the person they once were and their spirit is weary of the constant struggle.

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Empowered Leadership

Sean served five months’ house arrest, after which he returned home to Cape Town in South Africa.

Going to Court for a Compassionate Cause In 2011, Sean founded Dignity SA. Sean and his fellow campaigners are calling for a change in the law in South Africa to save others from the harrowing experience that he endured. On 29 April 2015, Dignity SA went to court in Pretoria, South Africa, calling for the right to an assisted death for Advocate Robin Stransham-Ford. Robin was 65 years old and suffering from terminal prostate cancer.

Prof Landman explains: “In medicine, terminal illness usually means having about six months to live. This can be pretty inaccurate. So, one needs to distinguish between suffering from a terminal illness, and being terminal or terminally ill. One may have a terminal illness and still have two years to live.

LEGAL MIND: Dignity SA board member, Prof Willem Landman is also Professor Extraordinaire, University of Stellenbosch as well as non-executive director, Ethics Institute of South Africa (Ethics SA) and founding CEO

Y

ou are there for them – as best one can be in such instances. There is no respite from their suffering. In such cases, one’s recurring prayer may be: “If only they could be free of this discomfort.” South African and New Zealand citizens may recall the heart-wrenching case of Sean Davison, the University of Cape Town professor who was arrested in New Zealand in 2010. Sean had helped his 85-year-old mother, Patricia Ferguson, who had terminal cancer, to die by giving her a lethal dose of morphine.

Euthanasia is currently illegal in New Zealand.

In 2011, Sean was charged with attempted murder in the Dunedin High Court in New Zealand. This was later changed to the lesser charge of assisted suicide after Sean had entered a plea bargain.

The Dignity SA website reported of Robin at the time: “He is in such constant pain that his medication to manage his pain also means that he is constantly sedated. With the support of Dignity SA he has filed a motion with the court asking that he be allowed to choose the time and place of his death with assistance from a licensed medical practitioner.” This was against the law in South Africa at the time.

Dignity SA board member, Prof Willem Landman explained: “The applicant (supported by Dignity SA) asks for his constitutional and human rights to be recognised, and this requires reform or development of our common law, bringing it in line with the Constitution. In our common law, assisting someone to die is murder. The important distinction here though is that our Constitution embodies rights, such that, if they are recognised, it would mean that assisted dying would no longer be murder, but decriminalised.”

Prof Landman refers to the relevant constitutional rights as being human dignity, not to be treated in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way, and bodily and psychological integrity. Upholding the importance of the right to dignity, he emphasises that former Constitutional Court Judge Laurie Ackermann recently published a ground-breaking book, Dignity, Freedom, and the Post-Apartheid Legal Order, in which he argues that the right to dignity is a foundational human right.

In a ground-breaking decision, Judge Hans Fabricius ruled on 30 April 2015 that Robin, who had been given weeks to live, could commit suicide with the help of a doctor. He ordered that the doctor who would help him should not be prosecuted or face disciplinary proceedings. Robin died that same day. It was not clear whether he passed away before or after the ruling.

Empowered Leadership

Justice Ministry spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga confirmed that the ruling had far-reaching implications with regard to the National Prosecuting Authority’s ability to determine which cases it could prosecute.

Immediately after the ruling, Mthunzi told reporters that the Justice Ministry would appeal as soon as Judge Fabricius had given his reasons for judgment on 4 May 2015.

Euthanasia: Good or Bad? Prof Landman makes a compelling (if controversial) argument regarding the distinction between passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. ´”There is no intrinsic, general moral/ethical difference between ‘passive’ euthanasia (withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment), which is legal, and ‘active’ euthanasia (assisted dying), which is illegal.” He reasons: “We should therefore either legalise assisted dying (which we believe is also constitutional, and should therefore be done), or criminalise withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, which would be absurd.”

being terminal or terminally ill. One may have a terminal illness and still have two years to live.

Public-policy Changes Carry Risks Asked whether there is a risk that South African lawmakers will fear a backlash from certain members of the community based on assisted dying being contrary to their religious beliefs, Professor Landman faced the question head-on. “In a violent society, more so than in law-abiding ones, any public-policy change of this magnitude carries risks. But the crucial point is that in a constitutional democracy the Constitution must speak.”

In this regard, he quotes former Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson who said: “Public opinion

“In a violent society, more so than in law-abiding ones, any public-policy change of this magnitude carries risks. But the crucial point is that in a constitutional democracy the Constitution must speak.”- Professor Willem Landman.

Critics of assisted dying hold that there is a general, intrinsic moral and ethical difference between withholding or withdrawal of life support and assistance with dying. However, as indicated, Prof Landman contends that there is no intrinsic, general ethical/moral difference between the two. He maintains that, in respect of all the variables, the two are no different. These variables include, among others, an intention (to bring about death sooner), an underlying motive to promote the best interests of the patient in circumstances of terminal suffering, and making a decision or choice about the time and manner of death for which one accepts responsibility.

Dignity SA emphasises that the organisation refers to ‘assisted dying’ or ‘assistance with dying’, which includes both assisted self-death (‘suicide’ in layperson’s terms) and voluntary euthanasia.

When Enough is Enough One wonders at what point a patient should be afforded the right to assisted dying. At what level of pain or suffering could it be considered that ‘enough is enough’? Dignity SA is lobbying for the right to an assisted death at that point where there is ‘unbearable and intractable suffering’.

Prof Landman confirms that this term is the one used in the South African Law Commission (SALC) report of 1998.

Dignity SA does not consider terminal illness to be a necessary condition for such an application. Prof Landman explains: “In medicine, terminal illness usually means having about six months to live. This can be pretty inaccurate.

So, one needs to distinguish between suffering from a terminal illness, and

may have some relevance to the enquiry, but, in itself, it is no substitute for the duty vested in the courts to interpret the Constitution and to uphold its provisions without fear or favour. If public opinion were to be decisive there would be no need for constitutional adjudication.”

According to Prof Landman there have been several public-policy changes since 1994. These have been guided by interpretations of the Constitution that run contrary to the majority, or large sectors, of public opinion: termination of pregnancy (abortion), polygamy, and same-sex marriages are all constitutional, whereas capital punishment is unconstitutional. “So, a public backlash is totally irrelevant in so far as lawmaking within the requirements (letter, spirit, values) of the Constitution [are] concerned.”

Whatever one’s views on the contentious topic of assisted dying, compassion lies at its core. In the words of the Dalai Lama: “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

Sources: News 24; IOL News, 27 September 2014; IOL News, 23 April 2015; www. dignitysa.org

Case in Point

Ann Kleynhans, Chief Executive Officer, CEOS Technologies

CEOS Technologies

Growing

by Valdi Pereira

and

Learning

Continental and regional winner for 2014 in the ICT sector of Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government and brand ambassador for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government, Ann Kleynhans knows what it’s like to start right at the bottom and work your way to the top.

Case in Point CEOS Technologies

“W

hen I decided to leave the engineering sector and venture out on my own it was both exciting and daunting at the same time,” the CEO of CEOS Technologies shares. “I soon learned the more opportunities I took, the more opportunities came my way.”

Looking back on those days, Ann admits a lot of her success was driven by raw talent and by using her natural energy and drive, to achieve her goals. “The ICT sector and market was very different in those days. When I started out I knew very little but was able to grow my technical knowledge along with business growth. I believe in today’s environment it will be far more challenging to adopt an approach of this nature.”

A Learning Experience She points out that while she may have ‘founded’ CEOS Technologies in 1998, the company has played an equal role in ‘founding’ her. Pointing out the business helped shape her as an entrepreneur in equal measure to the work she put into shaping the business to achieve her objectives.

“I think a lot of entrepreneurs will be able to identify with what I am saying. Your business almost becomes an extension of you and how you like to do business. In the beginning it was about taking an opportunity in a male dominated environment. Today a large part of the business is about giving opportunities to women and the youth. In some way things changed but still remained the same.”

While the recognition Ann achieved via Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government has been gratifying, it has also been somewhat of a pleasant surprise to her. “It has been a humbling experience to be recognised by my peers in this fashion. As I travel through Africa I get to meet many women and when I listen to their business stories, it puts my own challenges in perspective.

“It has also been a surprise for me in the sense that I never consciously worked towards recognition of this nature. As an entrepreneur you work towards making sure your company is competitive and that it is delivering the best possible service that it can, within the limitations of your resource base.

“When you receive recognition of this nature it does give you cause to pause and reflect. In my case I have decided that it provides me with an ideal platform to encourage young people and other women; showing them what heights can be achieved in the sector if you apply yourself.”

Plan for Growth Ann’s years in business have taught her the value of planning – identifying that on every occasion when she has failed, it was because her planning has not been up to standard. Putting plans in place and underpinning them with

strategies, is therefore key to her business approach. So is the ability to remain flexible and work around challenges that may arise.

“I have also learnt that growth can be a tricky proposition, especially when you are a SMME. You have to pay careful attention to financial principles when making growth plans or you can inadvertently place yourself in difficult financial circumstances,” she shares. “You also have to ensure that before you pursue growth, you have the emotional support and intellectual engagement of your staff to achieve success.”

CEOS Technologies has evolved over the years to the point where it offers 24/7, 365 days a year four hour repair services to its corporate customers through its branches across the country.

Presently the company is one of the leading professional project management firms in the South African ICT sector.

This means it is able to take on huge projects and provide a wide range of professional services. This includes building server rooms and equipping it with the necessary technology and extends further to civil and fibre projects that involve running as much as 40 kilometres of fibre.

Being a system integrator company they pride themselves in being a Gold partner and certified partner of other leading brands, which attests to the capabilities and expertise that it can make available to clients.

Looking Ahead “While I believe creativity and innovation is a very important part of business nowadays, old fashioned values are still very important,” says Ann. ‘The Customer is King’, no matter how you look at business, it would not exist without the support of the customer. While I have a great team at my side who are driven and committed, I always remind them that we need to be humble and respect the needs of our customers.”

With almost two decades of experience in the ICT sector CEOS Technologies has become adept at reading market changes under Ann’s guidance. Presently it is strongly positioned as one of the leading professional project management companies on the continent, but is aware of the fact that it cannot rest on its collective laurels.

“The beauty of technology is that it quickly erodes barriers and our competitors will no doubt quickly follow in our footsteps,” Ann acknowledges. “As a result we are already thinking about how we can offer expanded services in the cloud space. Something we believe will represent a big opportunity on the continent amongst SMEs. “I also believe training and providing people with skills is going to become increasingly important in the future. We have already entered into this field with a training centre in the Eastern Cape. The first interns have graduated from the centre in recent months, marking an important milestone in what I believe will be another new development for CEOS Technologies.”

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

C winner

ICT Information and communications technology (ICT) is an ever-developing field. The continent’s ICT sector is massively underestimated owing to the immense lack of hardware accessibility. For this reason, hardware is positioned strategically in public areas for those without access to such devices. The movement towards greater accessibility is creating demand in numerous other sectors too.

From South Africa The growing ICT sector seeks to employ improved ICT systems throughout the continent for the betterment of people and the streamlining of numerous processes in most economic sectors.

Government has begun to rely heavily on ICT systems to enhance communication with the public as well as streamline service delivery. Women in ICT have become prominent across the continent. This sector is also very attractive to younger generations, which are naturally drawn to technological systems and developments. With this in mind, it is clear that continuity of this sector is not a current concern and that we can look forward to greater developments in this area.

ICT plays a major role in our sector and CEOS TECHNOLOGIES therefore values the role of the following women in this field. We laud your contribution to the expansion and efficiency of a growing economy.

Megan Nicholas

A

s a region and country winner for South Africa in the ICT sector Megan Nicholas is a woman of great talent, passion and skill. Her 21 years’ experience with turning start-up businesses into thriving entities is proof of her golden touch. She successful launched Cell C into the South African market in 2003 and became the Executive Head of Commercial Sales in 2007. She has been the Managing Executive: Telkom Business Mobile with Telkom South Africa since November 2012. Megan’s resume includes positions such as Senior Manager at Nashua Mobile, Head of the Business Division at Cell C, Executive Head of External Service Providers at Cell C as well as Country Director for Motorola Mobility. She finds satisfaction in helping her teams grow. In addition to her passion for mobile communication and technology, Megan also supports the Mother Theresa Outreach Home and is passionate about the people in her community.

Countrywinner From Lesotho Palesa Kaloli With an MBA from Bradford University School of Management in the United Kingdom and a BA degree in Economics & Human Geography from the National University of Lesotho, Palesa Kaloli was a natural choice for General Manager at Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL). Palesa commenced her position as GM of the Data section for ETL in November of 2014 and led her section to be the only one that achieved the revenue target for the financial year, which ended in February 2015.

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Finalists From South Africa Carol Hall Since January 2013 Carol Hall has been in the position of Managing Executive of the Eastern Region of South Africa for Vodacom. In 2008 Carol was recognised by the Eastern Cape Women in ICT Awards and in 2006 she was voted BusinessWoman of the Year by the Businesswomen’s Association in the Corporate Category. She completed her MBA with the University of South Africa in 2005 and continued to complete several short courses including Banking Skills, Customer Relations, Sales Skills, Advanced GSM Training and Media Relations Training.

From South Africa Sharon Tshabalala Sharon Tshabalala has been in the ICT sector for three years and is currently the Executive Chair and CEO of Nano Solutions & Technology, a company that provides free Wi-Fi to disadvantaged areas. She holds a B Com degree in Business Management and Industrial Psychology from the University of South Africa. Sharon has launched the first professional meter taxi service in South Africa and has been instrumental in the successful launch of free Wi-Fi in the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

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s Accolades aplenty

for

IT group

by Samantha Barnes

So what does a company need to do in order to be positioned as one of Southern Africa’s biggest value-added distributors of technology and converged communications solutions? We talk to WestconGroup Southern Africa’s top female leadership to unravel the mechanics behind the company’s success. We discuss how recent investments have given the group a further foothold in geographies in Africa. The company has an ethos of “value-added” services. This, and their high performance culture are among the reasons for WestconGroup’s success.

Case in Point WESTCONGROUP

Case in Point WESTCONGROUP

P Elmien du Toit Chief Operating Officer

ulling all the pieces together is the best way to describe Elmien du Toit’s role as chief operating officer at WestconGroup Southern Africa. Elmien and her team create the glue that holds operations together. Their ‘to do’ list is comprehensive: from ensuring that there are enough operational people to service the business practices, to making sure that the various teams have the right systems and processes to meet client demands, to working with the executive team to help foster the right culture and environment.

Recent investments have yielded handsome returns. “The acquisition of Comztek has given WestconGroup a further foothold in geographies and customer and vendor base in

S Robyn Newel HR Director

peaking to the executive female leadership of WestconGroup Southern Africa has exposed a single golden thread – people are what make the business, teams are what drive its success, and it is a company where staff are its most valuable asset.

“One word in my view describes Westcon Southern Africa and that is: Dynamic,” says Robyn Newel, Westcon HR director. When Robyn joined Westcon two years ago she set about preparing the hearts and minds of the people for any potential business impact that would be felt from its merger with Comztek, while also managing the post integration process. The merger was in HR terms a great success as the cultures of both companies melded into one. Today, together with the WestconGroup leadership and HR teams, Robyn continues to drive what is deemed a high performance culture.

To this end, WestconGroup and its stakeholders ‘invest significantly’ in attracting top talent. “One of our key strategic

B Bridget Nkuna Marketing Director

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ridget Nkuna joined WestconGroup Southern Africa earlier this year as marketing director. “I am really enjoying the energy, the people, the discipline and the business ethos of the company,” says Bridget. She has approached her role with a combination of humility and confidence.

“It is never my intention to walk in and change things, set new goals and force the people around me to deliver on what I deem to be right. I wanted to first understand the mechanics of the business and see how I could help the marketing team to work smarter, ensuring that they have the right tools to do their jobs effectively, and in that, unearth new ways of driving value to all of our stakeholders – be these our staff, executive, shareholders, resellers or vendors,” says Bridget.

Case in Point WESTCONGROUP

Africa where we previously didn’t have a presence,” says Elmien. “It has enabled us to grow our product portfolio to over 50 vendors, and this has positioned us as one of the biggest value-added distributors in the Southern Africa region.”

Other steps taken by the company include facilitating continued growth; namely continued investment in new staff and the on-boarding of new vendors to remain current in the ever changing IT industry.

WestconGroup prides itself on being a good ‘corporate citizen’. Something that is evidenced in its myriad CSI projects as well as in how it ensures compliance in all aspects of its business. The company, through its BEE shareholding, held by the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC),

are serious about transformation. Other areas where the business drives transformation include: employment equity; affirmative procurement and enterprise development.

The success of the IT distribution company is underpinned by how its logistics and supply chain is aligned with the supply and demand generated from customers. The stakes are high as are the challenges. “We are all only as strong as our weakest link – we cannot afford any weak links in our business,” says Elmien. “So it is that continual strive for consistency, perfection and excellence in all that we do.”

As WestconGroup Southern Africa is part of a global business, there is a strong emphasis on compliance and governance and best practices.

attractions is being not only a Distributor of Choice but an Employer of Choice,” confirms Robyn. “Succession management and retention management strategies focus on rewarding and retaining our key top talent.”

Westcon is mindful that technical and sales staff need constant upskilling and certification. “This is achieved through the implementation of a skills matrix that identifies individual needs and tracks the execution of training interventions,” says Robyn. One way is by attending international technology events for example HR manager Suzannah Bligh, attends programmes in the UK equipping her with the latest leading HR technology best practices. While, security channel manager Rory Vorster recently attended the F5 Agility conference in Edinburgh, confirming this as a fantastic opportunity to engage with peers and senior executives of leading brands.

Being registered with relevant professional bodies empowers individuals to keep abreast of ‘what’s truly

happening’ in their areas of expertise. “This knowledge acquisition increases the level of skill for individuals and contributes to the mitigation of risk within our business,” explains Robyn.

Westcon plays a significant role in increasing the pool of IT professionals in the sector, and has partnership relationships with Torque IT and MICTSETA; Microsoft and Woman in IT. Robyn and her team are succeeding in contributing to the broader strategies of WestconGroup.

The common thread communicated by Westcon staff is how much they enjoy the company culture. “We continuously work on and instil in our staff the values of family, fun, compliance, honesty and integrity. This enables people to consistently perform at their best,” says Robyn. Work life balance programmes address total employee wellbeing; an important consideration in a fast paced, ever changing sector like IT.

“At WestconGroup we deem ourselves to be a ‘valueadded distributor’. We are the first port of call for resellers of consumer and enterprise IT equipment to source their products. This is not something we simply want to pay lip service to. Marketing forms a key part of this service promise and our team acts as an extension of the entire business. We provide support to resellers and customers where for instance marketing skills or departments don’t exist.”

WestconGroup was named F5’s Europe and Middle East and Africa Distributor of the year. Bridget emphasizes that awards in the IT industry are not simply dished out to those with the best relationships: they are awarded based on sales, support, skills, teams in place and even marketing a brand.

Working within the IT industry is special. “You are right at the forefront of innovation at all times which is incredible. There is most certainly the people aspect – I have a team of Westcon warriors around me, from marketing and events specialists to digital strategists, creative designers and communications leads – all working together for a single goal.”

Bridget appreciates being part of something bigger than herself that extends beyond South Africa. The new WestconGroup building in Midrand, Johannesburg has been awarded the best commercial building by SAPOA. This is an environment which encourages a work life balance, as well as improving logistics to clients: a winning combination all-round!

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Case in Point WESTCONGROUP

L Louise Taute Comstor Director

ouise Taute enjoys working for the Westcon Group and after leaving the company, “for a mere six months,” returned as she was “drawn to the culture of the company.”

She describes it as a high performance environment within a family type culture. Louise believes that this culture is among the reasons that people tend to stay with the company for a long time.

She is Comstor Southern Africa Director. For people less familiar with the IT industry, Comstor Southern Africa consists of two divisions, namely the Cisco centric business that covers all of the Cisco architectures excluding Cisco Data Centre. The other division, the Data Centre business,

W Leane Hannigan Cloud Solutions Director

hen someone works within an industry just made for them, you can feel it.

Leane Hannigan is one of those people.

She is cloud solutions director at WestconGroup. Her days are packed with activity and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Every week I seem to hit the ground running, but I love it,” says Leane. “From driving this profitable business machine, through to ensuring we are on the right trajectory from strategy, aligning to WestconGroup globally, being available to our sales people, enabling our customers and, most importantly, working with my team and promoting their individual success. It’s a roller coaster and I adore it.”

“T

Hanle Carver Services Director

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here is an incredible sense of community and belonging among the people at WestconGroup. We all bond together, put our heads down and get the job done,” says Hanle Carver, services director. “What really struck a chord with me when I joined the business was being part of a dynamic fast paced and welloiled machine.”

Working within the services solutions team, Hanle communicates the relevance of integrity and business acumen to her team. “I like people to possess a sense of integrity at all times and the business acumen to develop and chase ‘smart deals’, not just a simple tick on the bottom line. These factors

Case in Point WESTCONGROUP

includes leading data centre solutions and technologies that are supported by global vendors such as Cisco, Netapp, Panduit, Simplivity, VMware, Veeam and Oracle.

Under Louise’s leadership the Comstar team is achieving great results as the first distributor in the region that is accredited with all Cisco architectures. The team made it happen. “We prioritised our business goals and go-to-market strategies, formulated an action plan, assigned people and timelines to these set priorities and ensured we executed as planned.” says Louise Louise is delighted that in the past two years her team has grown and surpassed many of their vendor’s expectations. This has acted as a catalyst to growing Comstor

business throughout the region. It helps that Comstor has a competitive advantage in EDGE. “This is a programmatic approach where we partner with resellers to enable them, and ourselves, to accelerate the business in a methodical manner,” explains Louise.

Any successful business has to adapt in the face of change.

The adoption of cloud computing poses challenges as well as opportunities in the market. WestconGroup embraced this challenge by acquiring its own global cloud offering which will enable resellers to offer and expand their own cloud solutions. Louise finds the ever changing ICT industry rewarding and believes that forming the right partnership can determine the success of a business.

She was with Microsoft for 10 years, initially in its Dublin office (her husband is Irish). After returning to South Africa with her family, she managed the Microsoft South Africa professional services division. Before joining WestconGroup Southern Africa, Leane handled distribution for Microsoft in South Africa.

Leane loves the innovative, constantly changing nature of the cloud. It is particularly beneficial for small business; enabling efficiencies and benefits that are required today.

“Cloud is not a new phenomenon. Vendors like Microsoft have been living and breathing cloud for years, resellers and business not so much,” explains Leane.

“Suddenly we are seeing awesome products that represent cloud come to market and to some extent businesses

and resellers have lagged in this journey. They simply aren’t geared to adequately sell, service and grow anything to do with cloud.”

This is where WestconGroup steps in: offering all the products and services that starting a cloud journey entails.

“Watch this space; we are about to launch something that will bring everybody up to speed on the cloud journey and observe how this accelerates through the market,” says Leane.

With Internet banking, consumers started seeing the true benefits of technology, which triggered the popularity of cloud.

Consumers were experiencing ‘wow’ moments and the efficiency of not needing to go to a bank anymore. “That’s the cloud – that’s the same wow factor that the cloud brings to business – it is no wonder it’s popular,“ explains Leane. “It just works.”

of a person’s character are a win-win for all parties involved,” says Hanle. “I always try and ensure that my team listen to a customer’s requirements first and foremost – before they try and sell or pitch a service to them. It is so important for us to not only deliver quality services, but relevant ones.”

Ensuring that there is enough back up stock in a world with fast turnaround times takes skill. “It comes with experience in knowing and reading the market, understanding the technology and being able to anticipate with a certain amount of accuracy (based on the systems we have) exactly what a client might want and need,” explains Hanle.

Service means different things to different people. “To me service means our ability to define our capabilities and

offerings beyond the box and into the realm of value-added services and then executing on them,” says Hanle. There are occasions when she has to draw the line and communicate to the client that they need to pay more based on their requirements. Hanle confirms that WestonGroup is really pushing its service promise and solutions to countries throughout the Southern African Development Community.

Her team is seeking new opportunities, embracing new offerings and driving them to the client base, and securing new markets and clients ‘with incredible guts, determination and positivity.’ Hanle also appreciates the renewed focus from the WestconGroup global parent company to drive services.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Logistics & Shipping Logistics and shipping the continent over have become costly for those aiming to import and export intercontinentally. This challenge causes most businesses to trade within African borders, as infrastructure on the continent does not allow for less expensive imports and exports. Improved infrastructure is therefore an immediate goal for this sector.

From South Africa Women occupying the logistical sector make up a good deal of the workforce. However, men are still the predominant players at all levels. The sheer cost of logistics and shipping in Africa is an immense hindrance to the growth and development of numerous sectors, wholesale and retail being some that are impacted directly. Despite the obvious infrastructural challenges, logistical passageways are being extended in the Southern African Development Community region, thus opening doors for many industries to reach the region with ease. Although there is a long way to go, this is a start and could see all African countries reaping the benefits in due course.

Egypt Air

applauds the prospects of this sector as the following women strive for the development of logistics and shipping.

Nosipho Siwisa - Damasane

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anaging in trying times and inspiring others is the mark of a leader. Nosipho Siwisa – Damasane leads where others could wilt under pressure.

Nosipho is Chief Executive Officer of Richards Bay Coal Terminal, the single largest export coal terminal in the world. When she joined Transnet in 1998 as East London Port Manager, Nosipho became the first Black woman in this role. As CEO of Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), she turned around the operation and led the development of a world class terminal for Mercedes Benz. She developed the corridor concept for the Saldanha – Sishen Iron Ore and the Port Elizabeth Manganese Ore supply chain.

In 2013, Nosipho went undercover to core operations, working at the plant, rail and maintenance for 2 weeks, day and night shift. She discovered challenges affecting health and safety and housekeeping; introducing improvements. In 2014 Nosipho won the IPM CEO of the Year. In the same year RBCT was awarded Best Port Terminal in Africa.

RegionalWinner

From Uganda Jennifer Mwijukye

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In her role as chief executive officer of Unifreight Cargo Handling Jennifer Mwijukye advocates a business environment conducive for the private sector and for economic growth. She is also passionate about enterprise development in Uganda. “I believe if business managers and owners in Uganda are trained and mentored on how to develop and grow their businesses then we shall have a strong private sector that can enhance the advocacy for better business policy and the economy will grow,” says Jennifer. She and her team at Unifreight Cargo Handling in Uganda are playing their part in contributing towards economic growth. “I have realised that our government (of Uganda) is eager to listen to business people, but we need an organised business sector that can tell government what we want them to do and we consistently demand that it is done,” says Jennifer. She is one of 10 founders of the Uganda Freight Forwarders Association (UFFA) and Secretary General, as well as an advocate for the business sector particularly the transport sector.

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Finalists From Ghana Ivy Appiah To support and develop her local community Ivy Appiah began a consultancy school where she trains young women at no charge. She is the CEO of Tiwajo Industry Limited, a company that manufactures cosmetics and lotions from natural, local materials. Her products received FDA approval just three years after its launch in the Ghana market. Ivy has a Bsc. Biochemistry from the University of Science and Technology, Ghana and a MSc. Food Science from the University of Ghana.

From South Africa Jenny Retief Working within logistics requires a motivated team. National marketing executive at Bidvest Panalpina Logistics, Jenny Retief, leads a national servicing team of 35 people. Jenny received the Top Achiever Award in 2010 and was one of five staff chosen from 1000 employees to attend a Bidvest incentive trip to Singapore in 2011. Jenny received the Special Recognition Transport Award for 2014. She successfully rebranded Safcor Panalpina and Rennies Distribution Services to Bidvest Panalpina Logistics. Jenny ensured the company’s participation in the successful Supply Chain Professionals (SAPICS) exhibition.

From South Africa Lise van der Berg Who would have thought that a Fine Arts graduate and one time goldsmith had the making of a successful business in a male dominated industry? Lise van der Berg started Mpumalanga Transport Brokers in 2000, with no experience in the industry. She spotted a gap in the market after seeing empty trucks returning to other destinations from the Lowveld. By 2013, with Lisa as MD, Tradevest Logistics and Mpumalanga Freight had a turnover of R44 million and a fleet of 27 superlink truck and trailers.

From South Africa Sibongile Zikalala Sibongile Zikalala commenced her career with Telkom; within community relations, and became a specialist in black economic empowerment. She then started a new department at Joy Mining Machinery as BEE manager. Today, as sustainability director of Imperial Logistics, she oversees B-BBEE and Employment Equity compliance and environmental sustainability. Her qualifications include a Master’s of Business Leadership (MBL), a Bcom and an Executive Leadership Development programme. Sibongile has developed a supplier development programme, obliging existing service providers to yield financial, operational and strategic results over 3 years.

s African Brain Drain The

by Andrew Ngozo

Africa has, for ages, been recognised as a continent that produces for the world. In precolonial and colonial times, it was a provider of cheap labour and precious resources.

Many years later, in a different era, the continent is regarded as one that produces highly skilled personnel for the world. The exodus of highly trained human capital from developing countries to industrialised nations is not a new phenomenon. However, the magnitude of the problem in Africa and its alarming increase present a growing urgency for action as the consequences of the brain drain threaten to stunt the overall development of the continent.

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ccording to a report on global migration released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), there are about 30-million African migrants out of the global total of 232-million migrants. The report says the brain drain is particularly acute for small countries and island states in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. John Wilmoth, director of the UN DESA, says more than half of all highly educated migrants currently live in the United States, Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Spain. John states that the loss of human capital has adverse effects on the provision of services, drains fiscal resources and reduces economic growth. As it stands, the number of highly educated immigrants has been rising ever so sharply in the past decade in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

The Brain Drain in Figures: a Bleak Picture Statistics on the brain drain from Africa are scarce but troubling.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Africa

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has already lost one-third of its human capital and is continuing to lose its skilled personnel at an increasing rate, with an estimated 20 000 doctors, university lecturers, engineers and other professionals leaving the continent annually since 1990. There are currently over 300 000 highly qualified Africans in the diaspora. Thirty thousand of these have PhDs. At the same time, Africa spends about USD4 billion per year to employ some 100 000 Western experts performing functions generically described as technical assistance. This figure represents 35% of total official development aid to the continent. For example, 90% of private firms in Gabon are managed by expatriates!

Africa as a whole has only 20 000 scientists – which is 3.6 % percent of the world total – and its share of the world’s scientific output has fallen from 0.5% to 0.3% as it continues to suffer the brain drain of scientists, engineers and technologists. The problem of the brain drain has reached quite alarming proportions in certain African countries, with Ethiopia ranked first in the continent in terms of rate of loss of human capital, followed

by Nigeria and Ghana. Over the past decade and a half, about 50% of Ethiopians who went abroad for training did not return after completing their studies. According to the IOM, Ethiopia lost about 74.6% of its human capital from various institutions between 1980 and 1991. While Ethiopia has only one full-time economics professor, there are more than 100 Ethiopian economists in the United States.

According to the estimates of the Presidential Committee on the Brain Drain set up in 1988 by the Babangida administration, Nigeria, between 1986 and 1990, lost over 10 000 academics from tertiary education institutions alone. Total estimates, including those who left public, industrial and private organisations, are over 30 000.

Of the Nigerians in the United States aged 25 and older, 64% have at least a bachelor’s degree. In 1997 only, more than 1 000 professionals left Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe National Association of Social Workers estimates that 1 500 of the country’s 3 000 trained social workers left for the United Kingdom over the past 10 years. Basically, African countries are funding the education of their nationals only to see them end up contributing to the growth of developed countries, with little or no return on their investment. In Kenya, for example, it costs about USD40 000 to train a doctor and USD10 000 to 15 000 to educate a university student for four years.

A Dire Situation in Health Services As serious as the consequences of the brain drain are for the overall development of the African continent, the health sector is particularly affected. The desperate shortage of health professionals is the most serious obstacle as Africa tries to fight HIV/AIDS and support other health

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programmes. In several countries, including Kenya and Ghana, the brain drain of medical professionals is threatening the very existence of the countries’ health services. Kenya loses 20 medical doctors on average each month. Ghana lost 60% of its medical doctors in the 1980s and between 600 to 700 Ghanaian physicians are currently practising in the United States alone, a figure that represents roughly 50% of the total population of doctors in Ghana.

The 1993 UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Human Development Report indicated that more than 21 000 Nigerian doctors were practising in the United States alone, while Nigeria suffers from a shortage of doctors. If we were to add the number of Nigerian doctors in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, Europe, Australia, and those in other African countries, the figure would be close to 30 000. One-third of Ethiopian medical doctors have already left the country. According to Randall Tobias, the former United States government’s global AIDS coordinator, there are more Ethiopian-trained doctors practising in the city of Chicago alone than in Ethiopia. In Zambia, the public sector only retained 50 out of 600 doctors trained in the country’s medical school from 1978 to 1999. The flight of health professionals is not limited to doctors; it also affects nurses, pharmacists and social services personnel. The loss of nurses, in particular, is a growing phenomenon, fuelled principally by the shortages in developed countries. The United States has 126 000 fewer nurses than it needs and government figures show that the country could face a shortage of 800 000 registered nurses by 2020. Because of such shortages, industrialised nations have embarked on massive international recruitment drives, offering African nurses the opportunity to earn as much as 20 times their salaries.

Causes of the Brain Drain  Low wages/salaries.  Unsatisfactory living conditions, lack of transport, lack of housing, etc.  Underutilisation of qualified personnel, lack of satisfactory working conditions, and few prospects of professional development.  Lack of research and other facilities, including support staff, inadequacy of research funds, and lack of professional equipment and tools.  Social unrest, political conflict and wars.  The declining quality of the education system.  Discrimination in appointments and promotions.  Lack of freedom.

Sustainability

Impacts of the Brain Drain Negative impacts  Reduces the already small core of skilled personnel available in African countries that are needed for these countries’ development.  Reduces the number of dynamic and innovative people, whether entrepreneurs or academics.  Increases dependence on foreign technical assistance.  Slows the transfer of technology and widens the gap between African and industrialised countries.  Negatively affects the continent’s scientific output.  Money is lost in income tax revenue and in potential contributions to gross domestic product.

Positive impacts  The contribution of new skills when migrants return.  Remittances from skilled migrants boost household welfare.  Remittances support the balance of payments.

Estimates suggest that Africans working abroad send home some USD45 billion a year. While the importance of remittances for developing countries is not disputed, it does not make up for the social costs and adverse effects on developing economies of the outflow of skilled personnel in the form of the brain drain.

Until recently, African governments had expressed little concern about the loss of skilled people, while lending development agencies often compounded the problem by compelling recipient countries to hire foreign expatriates as part of the conditions attached to their loans.

Moreover, politicians often portrayed their fellow citizens who opted to work and live abroad as unpatriotic. But the African continent has witnessed a growing political will to formally include the diaspora in its development efforts.

Thus, in July 2001, the Organisation for African Unity – the forerunner to the African Union (AU) – adopted a resolution urging member states to “to develop strategies for utilising the scientific and technological know-how and skills of the African Diaspora” for the development of the continent. The AU went one step further by calling for the Diaspora to be considered the sixth region of Africa, after North, South, East, West and Central Africa. Moreover, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) called for the establishment of a reliable continental database to determine the magnitude of the problem of the brain drain and to promote collaboration between Africans abroad and those at home.

Source: www.universityworldnews.com

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

Manufacturing & Engineering Manufacturing and engineering is no longer the stereotypical male-dominated work environment that it once was. With fast-developing technology in this field, automation makes this sector more accessible to all. Nevertheless, women are not flocking to pursue a career in this sector.

From Uganda For this reason, those in this sector are tasked with emphasising the change in this work environment and the fact that it is no longer only a man’s world.

Continuity of manufacturing and engineering is largely dependent on its appeal to younger generations as an equal-opportunity sector. Women are becoming more prominent in the engineering field as educational and job opportunities in this sector become more focused on equality in terms of who is right for the job rather than stereotyping men into positions that women can just as easily fill.

This is one more sector that shows that women are stepping up and filling the shoes of their male counterparts. The merSETA congratulates the women who are elevating this sector to the heights it deserves.

Florence Nsubuga

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lorence Nsubuga is chief operating officer of Umeme, the largest electricity distribution company in Uganda with over 98% coverage. Recently appointed as an executive director for Umeme, Florence championed a new connection process, which ontributed to an increase in electrification from 10% in 2005 to 15% in 2014. She was directly responsible for: reducing distribution losses from 38% in 2005 to 21.3% by 2014, energy sales have grown by 150% and revenue collection rates have improved by 10%.

These efficiencies have saved the sector in Uganda USD500million over the past 10 years. The business has doubled over the past four years and attracted international investors.

Through championing key technological initiatives including pre–payment, Umeme has partnered with local engineering firms and start-ups to the tune of USD10-million annually.

She recently led 300 Umeme female staff on Women’s Day to the biggest slum in Uganda to give back through charity. “I later challenged the women to live ambitiously and not just exist,” says Florence.

RegionalWinner

From South Africa Francie Shonhiwa

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imbabwe–born South African Francie Shonhiwa and Head: Corporate Social Investment at PPC Limited is both a regional and country winner in the Manufacturing and Engineering Sector. She is a Founding member of the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) Zimbabwe (South Africa Chapter) and she developed the Invest to Empower CSI [Corporate Social Investment] model which has been effective in changing the lives of marginalised people for the better. These include “growing youths from nothing to something”. Francie says the secret to her success in this regard has been ‘behind the scenes’ conversations with the youth; engaging with them on the importance of believing in oneself. “Our youth are not victims but victors to whom I speak during motivational talks and mentoring sessions,” she says. Francie shares that she often writes articles for major South African magazines and newspapers and has been a panellist at the Dalberg Development International Retreat.

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Finalists From South Africa Karin Clark Karin speaks English, Afrikaans, Italian and German! Finalist Karin Clark is Founder and Managing Director of KARMA Clothing which made its entry into business in 2003 with only one seamster.

Today she has in excess of 70 seamsters under her wings. She says she strives to create exciting, liberating and motivational opportunities for all employees. For instance a general cleaner will rise through the ranks through to management because it is essential to enable learning and personal development for each individual.

From South Africa Mpume Dlamini She is a champion of transformation that prefers to be known as Mpume. Gloria Nompumelelo Dlamini, Transformation Officer at PPC Cement is a finalist in the Manufacturing and Engineering Sector. A holder of certificates and diplomas in such areas as human resources management and skills development Mpume says she was once a KwaZulu-Natal township girl that had no expertise. But she has grown through self-development and guidance by fellow industry experts and colleagues who have assisted her to realise her dreams and reach her ultimate abilities.

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s

We celebrate

LIFE

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QVC/2013/AEH/01

Case in Point merSETA | The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority

Dr Raymond Patel, CEO of merSETA

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r Raymond has to his record 10 unqualified audit reports, top 10 rating in CRF’s Best Employer survey for 2009/10 and more than 24 000 learnerships and apprenticeships in 2010/11. SETAs play a crucial role in a country’s skill development and job creation. Dr Raymond speaks economy and shares his words of advice.

The Economy In order to effectively contribute to and grow our economy, in addition to skills and jobs, South Africa must ensure that a manufacturing strategy is in place, Raymond further elaborates. “Manufacturing is the core of any country’s economic growth. The European economy is crumbling because the continent decided to place more emphasis on services and transferred its manufacturing capacity to China and India. Twenty years later, China and India have shown exponential growth, directly as a result of increasing its manufacturing output. For South Africa to become a competitive player among the BRICS group we need to double our manufacturing capacity.

This is not an unattainable objective. Government recognises this and has formulated a comprehensive manufacturing strategy. It is only through small and medium manufacturing enterprises working in conjunction with larger organisations that South Africa will be able to retain its manufacturing capability. Furthermore, we are one of only a few countries in the world that collect training levies. We need to use them wisely to train people for the future economy. It’s also interesting to note that 80% of countries in the world include South Africans among their workforce. This shows that we have the ability, but we need to make sure we don’t lose it,” explains Patel.

Lessons to be Learned MerSETA has consistently been performing at the top of the pack. Other SETAs can learn much from the achievements of merSETA thus far and Raymond offers them these words; “We cannot afford to move away from forming alliances with state organs of training as well as development partners in the private space. These include Further Education and Training facilities, universities, local and provincial economic councils, national departments and international partners. Partnerships are invaluable to all SETAs because through these we can improve service delivery; by involving more people in training and enhancing the acceptability levels of training. Another essential lesson that can be learned is ensuring we stay focussed on the role of SETAs. I believe it’s important to every now and then reread the Skills Development Act, upon which the establishment of SETAs is based, to remind ourselves of the role of the task at hand.”

More than Skills Development

by Lydia Bundred

The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) was established in the year 2000. Their focus is on metal and engineering, auto manufacturing, motor retail and component manufacturing, tyre manufacturing, and plastics industries. In total merSETA is comprised of approximately 44 000 companies, with a workforce of about 600 000. At the helm of it all is Dr Raymond Patel, who has been the CEO since 2006.

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21 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY WE BUILD THE PEOPLE THAT BUILD THE NATION The merSETA is one of 21 SETAs established through the implementation of the Skills Development Act of 1998. The merSETA is also part of the manufacturing and engineering cluster. In the merSETA domain, there are five economic sub-sectors, Metal and Engineering, Auto Manufacturing, Motor Retail and Component Manufacturing, New Tyre Manufacturing and the Plastics Manufacturing.

VISION

Leaders in closing the skills gap

VALUES

The merSETA facilitates implementation of provisions of the Skills Development Act through our levy-paying companies: these companies sign learnership agreements and apprenticeship contracts and offer workplace experience to learners or internship opportunities to graduates. The merSETA incentivises and supports the companies that recruit learners in the afore-mentioned chambers.

MISSION

To increase access to high quality and relevant skills development and training opportunities to support economic growth in order to reduce inequalities and unemployment and to promote employability and participation in the economy.

WE CARE:

WE BELONG:

WE SERVE:

It’s about caring for people we render services to

It’s about working together with colleagues

It’s about going beyond the call of duty

merSETASocial

www.merseta.org.za @merSETASocial

merSETA Social

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

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GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Media Competition is a natural part of the ever-evolving media sector across the continent. In this fiercely competitive environment, women are making major strides in the elevation of the African media. Increasing access to mobile devices and other platforms has created major demand for media in all its forms.

From South Africa Although ‘anything goes’ in most media circles, consumers are setting high standards through their demands for ethical reporting. Execution has become everything in this sector as most media firms strive to be the first with the next-most unique idea the continent has ever seen. A challenge faced by African media is that African media are not always the first port of call for reporting on African events. For this reason, those occupying this sector are looking to take media to a level of global recognition and high standards.

We look to the following women to continue their good work in developing African media. CEO Global appreciates the development of the media sector, as it is an important part of our economy and the reputation of Africans.

Paula Slier

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aula Slier is the CEO and Founder of Newshound Media International, a media production services agency that covers television, print, radio and online. Her clients and team span the globe, with over 20 studios, she prides herself on being an efficient and effective team leader. Newshound Media International’s aim is to provide newsworthy content from around the world in several languages. Paula has been awarded for bravery in journalism for extreme work perils faced in Libya, Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. She has her BA with majors in Philosophy and International Relations and she lectures at universities and trains journalists. The bi-monthly columnist for The Media magazine in South Africa has addressed the Eurasian Media Forum, the MENA journalism forum, Global Editors Network and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to mention a few. She hopes to improve the standard of journalism and to counter unreliable information by bringing together people from vast backgrounds.

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Finalists From South Africa Lynn Madeley With more than 20 years’ experience as a marketing and advertising specialist, Lynn Madeley brings a wealth of knowledge to her position as CEO of Havas Southern Africa. She oversees 80 staff members and takes pride in developing and investing in them. The former Managing Director of Ogilvy is a member of the Advertising Standards Authority Appeals Committee and the Advisory Board to One Young World. She is passionate about people because she believes that business is about the people in it.

EXTRAORDINAR EXTRAAWARD ORDINARY Masingita Masunga is the first-ever winner of the Judges’ Choice for Extraordinary Achievement award. The 2006 Cosmopolitan Awesome Women award winner is the Founder and Managing Director of Masingita Masunga Media. As a hands-on leader she is involved in all areas of her company and manages her brand with integrity.

With 16 years of media involvement on her resume, she has let nothing hinder her from being the first African woman with a speech impediment to host a television show. As an active member in her community she has established Masingita Masunga Foundation, a NPO that assists vulnerable children in receiving education and building their futures. Masingita was the recipient of the Mapungubwe Arts Award in 2008 and her business progression has been used as a case study for the Project Management and Master’s Degree Leadership class at the University of Witwatersrand Business School. She also holds a Diploma in Programme and Project Management in Public and Development Management.

From South Africa Masingita Masunga

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Empowered Leadership

No matter what the industry, a strong team is a must if you want success. Building an efficient and cohesive workforce doesn’t have to cost millions but can be as easy as playing a game of whodunnit. Owing to its effectiveness, team-building activities have become popular in the culture and growth of organisations around the world.

a CRIME that leads to Success

by Lydia Bundred

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nspiring your employees to be an efficient team happens not only from inside the four walls of your business, but also from without. Team-building activities are a great way for companies to create a connection outside of the everyday work activities by inspiring, energising and strengthening their personnel. By removing people from their normal work environment and procedures, new strengths and characteristics will emerge. Your quiet receptionist just may step out and lead a team to the final prize or that controlling accountant might surprise the team by bringing humour and entertainment to the group. There are hundreds of ways to incorporate team building into your business, for both short and long periods of time.

From the middle of October until their year-end function in November 2014, Direct Transact, a major player in the banking industry, created a team-building activity in the form of a crime scene investigation (CSI), which included a series of follow-up clues and challenges. Danette Coetzee, head of human resources, along with two other ‘game masters’, as she calls the team, were the engineers behind this Agatha Christie murder plot. She describes the story line as “a fraud investigation dating back to the start of the company in 2002

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that included a murder committed by a notorious Kingpin who tried to cover his money laundering, drug dealing and blackmailing tracks”.

Teams of four to five individuals were formed by selfselection and creative names and team attire had to be selected and assembled by the members. CSI identification cards were then printed with each team’s name and slogan, and “all the teams were provided with basic crime scene collection kits and instructions on how to investigate crime scenes, and the rest was left up to their googling skills and logic,” explains Danette. Teams were then invited to a location where a ‘crime’ had taken place. On arrival, members had to take pictures, samples and notes of any evidence from the staged crime. Over a period of seven weeks, the teams were detectives solving the crime week by week. These short intervals allowed the groups to meet at their convenience and interact on a different platform. By spanning the activity over two months, teams had time to learn about one another and to develop their key roles together.

All the clues built up to a full and final day of investigating during which family members were included in the crime-solving journey. At the year-end function, teams “had to

Empowered Leadership

“A special rapport was established between teams that formed alliances with various other departments,” which is still evident months after the challenges, states Danette. Benefits of such an activity include building relationships, increased trust, improving communication, and creating an awareness of employee strengths and weaknesses. Direct Transact’s Danette Coetzee found that “the invisible barriers were broken down between employees and this gave them something to talk about for weeks after the function”. Pictures and items from Inspiring your employees to be an the team building were used to trigger efficient team happens not only memories of the interaction during that from inside the four walls of your time. By involving the loved ones of your workforce in team-building activities, business, but also from without. your employees will gain a sense of value and care beyond their job descriptions.

Spouses also have the opportunity to interact with colleagues whom they have heard of and to become acquainted with the culture and feel of the organisation.

At the start of the project, there is likely to be some stiffness and reluctance, but, as the teams get to know one another, they will start to open up and enjoy themselves. The majority are likely to accept, and be enthused by, the initiative. According to a survey undertaken among employees at the outpatient psychiatry department of the Franklin Square Hospital Center, 9 out of 10 employees were interested in seeing team building incorporated in their departments, 6 out of 10 found it to be effective, 3 saw it as somewhat effective, and only 1 out of 10 thought it ineffective.

There are some stationery and other props required for this activity, but it can be simulated with any scenario. It can be customised to suit your financial, objective and industry needs by focusing on the areas your organisation wants to develop.

“Planning is the foundation of successful team building and complete a few challenges to find the crime scene, as well as discover the victim’s identity and the identity of the Kingpin, it is very important to decide what you want the outcome to and then put the whole story together,” says Danette. The day be – the goal and purpose of the game,” emphasises Danette. started with employees embarking on a race around Pretoria She also suggests planning a more brain power-centred expehunting for bread crumbs to find their next destination. Once rience rather than a physical one, as the latter may limit the the crime had been solved and a winner declared, the day then participation of personnel. This can be applied to any business wrapped up with a meal. The groups were rewarded for their in order to rally your team around organisational objectives and crime-solving mastery with prizes. By the end, they had also improve communication, and, in turn, increase productivity. built relationships and alliances.

“The more introverted employees also participated and Source: http://www.slideshare.net/butrflykris/team-buildingthe game took everyone out of their comfort zone. Employees survey-results-111909 became more creative in their thinking and natural leaders emerged during the game,” says Danette. Activities that involve all employees are essential and extremely beneficial When creating your team-building activity, for those employees who tend to work in isolation. In this focus on these key areas: way, they feel integrated and involved in the life of the organisation. Discourage any shop talk during the team■ Current barriers and issues. building expedition so people can interact on a different level ■ Weaknesses in communication. within a different function. Employees will learn to work ■ The organisation’s vision and goals. towards a common goal with purpose, and while having fun ■ Building trust. and experiencing one another outside of the week-to-week ■ The approachability of management. business goings-on.

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Body Talk

by Samantha Barnes

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hether we like to believe it or not, human beings are still dominated by biological rules that govern our behaviour, body language and gestures. That should level the playing fields, right? Give us another chance to make sure we make the right impression by using body language that is appropriate to the situation, as well as respectful and authentic.

Whether in a business setting or our personal life, we need to ensure that the story our body language conveys matches the actual conversations that we are having with one another. Body language carries more weight than our words in the sense that it is an outward reflection of a person’s emotional condition.

Biological Differences Influence How Men and Women Communicate Perhaps because our Creator has a sense of humour and because human beings are complex beings, there are actual differences between the sexes in terms of body language.

Research by psychologists at Harvard University showed how women are more alert to body language than men.

Participants were shown short films of a man and woman communicating, but with the sound switched off.

The participants were asked to interpret what was happening by reading the couple’s expressions. The research found that the women read the situations accurately 87% of the time, while the men read it correctly 42% of the time.

Scientific evidence indicates biological reasons for the differences in the way that men and women communicate.

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans show that women have a greater capacity for communicating with, and for evaluating, people than men do. Women have between 14 and 16 areas of the brain to evaluate others’ behaviour compared with men’s four to six.

Sexist jokes aside, a woman can talk about several unrelated topics in one conversation and can use five vocal tones to change the subject or to emphasise points. Most men can only identify three tones. This is why men often lose the plot when women are trying to communicate with them. We are not berating men here, merely sharing a distinct difference in the way in which men and women communicate.

Communicating over the Telephone versus in Person In The Definitive Book of Body Language, Allan and Barbara Pease state that studies have shown that, when negotiating over the telephone, the person with the stronger argument usually wins. This is not the case when negotiating face to face.

Dressed for Success When a person mentions that they are paying special attention to the way in which they communicate through body language, the assumption could be made that this is a form of manipulation. Yet we understand the reasoning behind putting on our most flattering outfit for an interview, presentation or meeting. Surely this is the same thing?

Jokes about the differences between the sexes abound. They gravitate towards saying that women talk too much and men stopped listening a while ago! Truth of the matter is that neither gender pays enough attention to nonverbal cues. Most of us are pretty clueless on this score.

Carol Kinsey Goman is in favour of an awareness of body language: “In any business interaction you are communicating over two channels – verbal and nonverbal – resulting in two distinct conversations going on at the same time. A well-rehearsed speech or bargaining strategy is important, but not the only message you send. In a 30-minute business discussion, two people can send over 800 different nonverbal business signals.” It is not, she says, inauthentic to prepare for this second conversation as for the first.

Actions Speak Louder than Words Joe Navarro is a former FBI counter-intelligence officer. He has been credited with catching scores of criminals, including master spies, in his distinguished 25-year career. These days, Joe consults to the banking and insurance industries as well as to leading law firms in the United States and elsewhere.

In his book, What Every Body is Saying: An Ex FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed Reading, Joe emphasises that body language can be more truthful than verbal language. In one case involving the case of the rape of a young woman, the suspect’s story seemed plausible. He (the suspect) claimed that he had not seen the victim and that, while out in the field, he had turned left and walked straight home. Joe’s colleagues were busy writing down the details, so they missed an important detail concerning the suspect’s body language.

Joe kept his eyes on the suspect. He noticed that, as he told his story about turning home and going left, his hand

gestured to the right, which was the direction that led to the rape scene. When the FBI agent noticed the discrepancy, he figured out that the suspect was lying. He waited a while, confronted the suspect again, who then confessed to the crime. Powerful stuff!

Enjoy Greater Success by Reading People Effectively It has been well established by researchers that people who are able to effectively read and interpret nonverbal communication will enjoy greater success as individuals.

Conversely, not reading body language effectively can have negative consequences in one’s work life and personal life.

Joe refers to those people who always seem blindsided by life events. They say that they didn’t see something coming.

They think everything is hunky-dory when there is a need to be concerned. Being perceptive means having the ability to spot the contradiction between someone’s words and their body language.

It could save a personal relationship or business negotiations.

What an empowering thought: that we are given physical cues to guide our impression of someone in a particular context. It could impact our life in a powerful way, so let’s use them!

Sources: Bodylanguageexpert.co.uk; Businessinsider.com; The Definitive Book of Body Language; www.psychologytoday.com; What Every Body is Saying: An Ex FBI’s Agent’s Guide to Speed Reading

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Medical & Veterinary Africa’s growing economy has major implications for the growth of our population, our most valuable resource. Greater demands for quality health care need to be met for our citizenry to grow alongside our economies. The good health of our people and animals contributes to ongoing and sustainable growth of the continent.

From Uganda Lack of accessibility to health-care services is a major hindrance to attaining top-class health care.

Education in this sphere is an important factor in promoting sustainable health. The recent Ebola crisis in Africa is a clear example of the importance of educating the masses before an outbreak becomes critical. With so many lives lost, it is crucial to ask how we could do things differently. Although a difficult truth to face, the answers reveal that, by learning from our present circumstances, we can prevent rather than cure.

CEO Global praises the women in this sector who strive tirelessly to achieve accessible and sustainable health care for our citizens and animals. You play an integral role in our continuous development.

Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza

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ontrolling Ebola is among Dr. Monica Masanza’s responsibilities as Commissioner at the Ministry of Health in Uganda. She is a field epidemiologist, and specialises in fighting infectious disease outbreaks. “After trotting all over the continent, I retired in 2013. When the West Africa Ebola outbreak went on and on, I rejoined the frontline and spent 6 months fighting Ebola in Sierra Leone in 2014. I realised that the African context is unique, and understanding it is critical for effectively fighting epidemics.”

She rates as her professional achievements; ‘designing and implementing strategies that stopped several epidemics including plague in West Nile Region of Uganda, and Cholera in two slums of Kampala’. During the threat of pandemic Influenza, she developed a model for multi-disciplinary teams. President Museveni asked Dr Masanza to lead the outbreak response in Uganda, and develop a reserve antiepidemic force to fight epidemics in Africa. She was awarded the Uganda Golden Jubilee Medal for Exceptional Service to the nation. In her personal capacity she established a secondary school and two primary schools.

RegionalWinner

From South Africa Prof. Karen Sliwa

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rofessor Karen Sliwa is a world leader in the area of heart disease, focusing on conditions relevant to Africa. Her work is acknowledged in heart failure and cardiac arrest in pregnancy. Prof. Karen’s Heart of Soweto studies; of 8000 patients brought world-wide attention to the deteriorating cardiovascular health of Africans. She is an internist, a tropical medicine specialist and a cardiologist. Prof. Karen is director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa (HICRA) at the University of Cape Town. She is also co - chair of the Cardiovascular Research Group at the University of the Witwatersrand, a unit which she founded in 2006.

Prof. Karen has worked in Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto University of the Witwatersrand since 1992. She has designed innovative research programmes in nine Africa countries and has published over 200 publications, book chapters and policy reports. Prof. Karen has also designed several innovative research programs in nine African countries.

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Finalists From South Africa Dr. Augusta Dorning Running the most profitable and the largest private sector hospital in South Africa takes some doing. Dr. Augusta Dorning is general manager of Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital in KwaZuluNatal and manages 1200 people. “People are our past, our present and our future. It just takes one person to inspire many,” says Dr. Dorning. All staff are involved in 47 corporate social responsibility projects. Dr. Augusta was invited to represent South Africa and deliver a paper at the EDI Conference in France in 2012 on Inclusive Leadership in Healthcare.

From South Africa Caroline Mbi-Njifor It is an honour to meet a professional of Caroline Mbi-Njifor’s calibre: founder, shareholder and CEO of EndlessLife Group, operational across South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa. The group provides comprehensive health and social care services, with subsidiaries: EndlessLife Health and Social Care Services and EndlessLife Institute. Caroline’s expertise is sought within Africa by multi-national public health groups and bilateral donors like USAID to provide operational and strategic guidance in the start-up and management of massive regional maternal and child health/mortality initiatives. Caroline led the development of the first AIDS Online Portal for all nine South African cities for the workplace.

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s

Health Matter Global Outbreak Unused Vaccine

and

s

Sustainability

by Lydia Bundred

Vaccines bring invisible protection for individuals and society, and, in large part, their past success has made some people complacent concerning the risk of reoccurring diseases and their devastating effect on society. The antivaccination movement poses a threat to future generations and may open a door for preventable diseases to flourish in modern-day society.

Though not all abstinences from vaccines are wilful, in both cases the public is put at risk.

Diseases Making a Comeback Even though measles, mumps, polio, rubella and whooping cough can be prevented, between 2008 and 2015 the world has seen several new cases of each. Globally, these diseases number in the thousands: 1,330,978

Measles Mumps Polio Rubella Whooping Cough

29,296 2,820 83,654 119,627

This poses the question: if we have the vaccines, why are people still being infected?

Outbreaks: First World vs Third World Cases According to the Council on Foreign Relations, in Germany there have been 468 reported cases of measles, 68 in China, 93 in Sudan, 2 in Liberia and 8 in Kazakhstan as of 2015. On the continent of Africa, there have been 95 known measles cases compared with 252 in North America, a First World country, which is more than double the number in the Third World.

When comparing First World countries with Third World ones, there is a developing trend. In California, 13% of

young children aren’t vaccinated compared with Ghana, where 11% are exempted. These statistics differ mainly because one group consciously chooses to be ‘anti-vaxxers’ and the other doesn’t have the option. Either the latter are unaware of the need to vaccinate or they do not have access to the proper facilities.

In other, rare cases, people have been infected with measles because their original vaccination was ineffective. However, even in this instance, it is predicted that a country like America, where 95% of citizens are estimated to be vaccinated, it would take generations for measles to create an epidemic.

Trend or Taliban?

According to 2015 statistics, whooping cough has reemerged, with new cases having been reported in the USA and in Pakistan. In 2013, the Taliban in Pakistan prevented health-care workers from treating and vaccinating citizens, and, as a result, there were polio outbreaks among 101 citizens. The Taliban feared that the vaccines were a ploy to be used against them and attacked and killed any health workers trying to do their job. In 2015, the outbreak of measles was attributed to the vaccine not being effective and to a possible change in the strain.

In 2010, California saw an outbreak among 9 120 people and 10 infant deaths due to whooping cough. By 2012, there were 48 000 cases in America, with 20 deaths, the highest since 1955. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) attributed

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Sustainability

According to a poll taken by the physician social networking company, SERMO, nine out of ten doctors blame the recent measles outbreak on parents who had not vaccinated their children. Of those surveyed, 72% strongly believed that unvaccinated children should not be allowed in schools owing to the threat to society. this extreme outbreak to “a change in vaccines in 1990”.

The new vaccine was less effective than the original, which was still being used in poorer countries that had not experienced such a rampant return of whooping cough.

Several celebrities have also endorsed the anti-vaccination trend, celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy, who has been urging other parents to refrain from vaccinating by saying: “The reason why [parents] are not vaccinating is because the vaccines are not safe.” In her statement, she was referring to the link between vaccines and autism. In the USA, parents are opting not to vaccinate due to a report published by Dr Andrew Wakefield, which was the starting point for the vaccines-autism link. However, after several other scientists could not reproduce his findings, the study was retracted – but the damage had been done and many parents today are still fearful that vaccines may harm their children. In endeavouring to assure parents who fear for their child’s safety, Dorit Reiss Rubenstein, a UC-Hastings professor, offers these words: “Children are safer being vaccinated than driven in a car or being home.”

What the Experts Say According to a poll taken by the physician social networking company, SERMO, nine out of ten doctors blame the recent measles outbreak on parents who had not vaccinated their children. Of those surveyed, 72% strongly believed that unvaccinated children should not be allowed in schools owing to the threat to society. Measles has very real effects, as it can mean brain damage and death for some. It also has a rapid rate of spread, with one person easily infecting 12 to 18 others. In comparison, Ebola, another recent outbreak, infects at a much lower rate of 1 to 4.

If a child is too young or is undergoing treatment for an illness, they should not be vaccinated at that time for health reasons. However, a specialist should always be consulted in such cases. “Unless there is a health reason certified by a physician, all parents have a duty to prevent harm to their children and to others by vaccinating,” says Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at New York University and an expert on vaccine policy. He likens the collateral damage that an unvaccinated child might pose to others to that posed by a drunk driver. The consequences are very real and parents will have to account for any incidents just as a drunk driver would.

Zoonosis and the Spread Zoonosis is any infectious disease which can be transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans. Zoonosis infections

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include anthrax, cholera, Ebola and rabies. When humans come into contact with animals, the risk of zoonosis-related diseases is higher, especially with the growth of civilisation and the development of forests and natural wildlife areas.

According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, the measles virus is believed to have originated from the rinderpest virus which is found in cows. Close contact between cows and humans seems to have introduced the virus into the populace.

Several disease detectives from the CDC who traced the Ebola outbreak suspect that it occurred as a result of contact between a toddler in a Guinea village and a fruit bat – a classic case of zoonosis. Though a vaccine has not yet been developed, Dr Beth Bell, director of CDC’s National Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, says: “We must do more, and do it quickly, to strengthen global health security around the world, because we are all connected.”

She also warned that, if a solution isn’t found soon, we may be dealing with the aftermath for years to come. Even in the

“Unless there is a health reason certified by a physician, all parents have a duty to prevent harm to their children and to others by vaccinating,” says Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at New York University and an expert on vaccine policy. event of a vaccine, would it have a lasting impact on generations to come who have not seen the devastating effect of an unvaccinated disease?

What Now? According to research done by Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth University, “efforts to educate antivaccinating parents on the dangers of not vaccinating made them less likely to listen and change their views”. If members of the anti-vaccination movement are fearful of following the trend in favour of vaccination, experts will find it difficult to sway them using just science. However, those, especially in developing countries, are often not aware of the need to vaccinate and can be educated on the matter. With 10-million children under five years of age dying yearly from preventable diseases, the pharmaceutical industry is aware of its role in providing resources for developing countries and is making efforts in this

Sustainability

Would the next step be to turn to the law? Some experts have recommended that legislation be put in place to mandate vaccines. regard together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Children’s Vaccine Initiative. Science can only go so far in giving the facts regarding vaccines, which is why public figures and world leaders must aggressively endorse vaccination.

In America, President Obama has been endorsing vaccination, since it is seen as an issue of public safety: “I understand that there are families that, in some cases, are concerned about the effect of vaccinations,” but “the science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We’ve looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren’t reasons to not… you should get your kids vaccinated,” he says.

Would the next step be to turn to the law? Some experts have recommended that legislation be put in place to mandate vaccines. Whatever the solution, people must be aware of the dangers and benefits. With humans and animals living in such close proximity, it is of paramount importance to carefully weigh the consequences of vaccinating before taking a stance.

Prevention is always easier and safer than managing an outbreak, especially if we already have the means.

Source: http://www.cfr.org/interactives/GH_Vaccine_Map/ index.html#map

Australia Motivates for Vaccinations Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a country wide halt on welfare payments and child rebates for families whose children have not been vaccinated. This crack down on ‘antivaxxers’ is a result of climbing numbers in unvaccinated children in Australia and will take effect in early 2016. “The Government is extremely concerned at the risk this poses to other young children and the broader community,” says Abbott . There will only be a small number of religious and medical exceptions to the rule, which will require medical certificates says the Prime Minister.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Mining Africa is a continent known for being rich in mineral resources. Currently, sustainability of the mining sector is a major focus across the globe. Mining faces major strains globally. Owing to Africa’s mineral riches, the world looks to us to alleviate some of the burden.

From South Africa However, relieving the burden does come with a major responsibility. The women occupying this sector are faced with the responsibility of sustaining our mineral deposits while assisting in a global crisis. Despite these major challenges, women are succeeding in a difficult work environment. African mining is in a unique position to assist and, at the same time, control our mineral resources. It is no longer a rarity to find women occupying top positions in the mining sector. We look to these women to make ethical decisions as they face a challenging period.

Despite the challenges, women in mining make us extremely proud. CEO Global holds the following women in high regard for their achievements and ethical approach.

Ariella Kuper

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riella Kuper, the Managing Director and CoFounder of Clear Asset Management is the regional and country winner in the Mining sector.

She was an international steel trader for Macsteel for almost a decade including several years as a senior trader responsible for countries in South America including Colombia and Panama reporting to head office in the UK. Having entered the auction sector as a student at Wits University and working part time at art auction house Stephan Welz & Co, Ariella returned to the auction industry shortly after her return to South Africa in 2007.

A finalist in the CEO South Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business Government Award 2012, this time around she has triumphed over country and region.

Ariella has been the recipient of numerous awards such as The Graduate School of Business (UCT) MBA Director’s Award 2009 and the highly acclaimed Business Women’s Association (BWA) Western Cape Corporate Business Achiever Award 2010.

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Finalists From South Africa

Ntakadzeni Constance Netshifhefhe She is proficient in more than half of South Africa’s official languages and is currently perfecting her French. Ntakadzeni Constance Netshifhefhe, Regional Mine Planning Geologist at PPC Limited is a finalist in the Mining sector. She is a rising leader in motion as she already has several accolades under her belt. These include the PPC Women’s Forum Award for Emerging Young Talent in 2014 and the completion of an Executive Development Programme and the PPC Social Leadership Programme in conjunction with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).

From South Africa Dr. Elize Strydom Finalist in the Mining Sector Dr. Elize Strydom is Senior Executive: Employment Relations at the Chamber of Mines of South Africa. An admitted attorney of the South African High Court, Dr. Strydom has represented business at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) concerning the appointment of judges to the Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court. She has co-authored several publications and represented organised business at the Commission for Employment Equity. Among others, she has been included twice in the Guide to the 100 Most Influential People in Africa’s Mining Industry.

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Empowered Leadership

Producing

by Leigh Schaller

Your Cake

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Empowered Leadership

and

T Eating It

In strike-stricken South Africa, it often seems as if workers and shareholders are fated to be adversaries. But, if the country wishes to escape anaemic growth, it needs to forge a closer relationship between business and labour. Are employee ownerships a solution?

he problem with capitalism, according to Karl Marx, is that labour is alienated from the fruits of their work. While not everyone cares for Marx, in South Africa, where labour discontent is a downer on economic growth, most would agree that we need to improve labour relations. This motive lies behind the idea of employee ownership schemes (EOS).

EOS are varied, but the basic premise is that, if shareholders give employees part ownership in the company, and, by implication, dividends, employees will then begin to consider the same factors that trouble the minds of shareholders, thus causing understanding and relationships to improve.

Exactly how employee ownership takes place is where it gets intricate and varied.

EOS may take the form of a workers’ trust, where employees become trustees. Alternatively, individual workers may be issued with shares. Which employees qualify differs from scheme to scheme. Some schemes rely on qualifying factors, while others confer ownership more generically.

The share of ownership that’s given to employees also differs. It can be anywhere from a few per cent to rare cases where employees are the majority shareholder in an enterprise.

“The main advantages of EOS are loyalty, commitment and legitimacy. Employees feel highly respected, appreciated and recognised. Through EOS they are able to do more and be productive. They know that with their concerted efforts and high rate of productivity, the rewards won’t only go to management but to them as well. This creates a very positive environment for them to excel in their work,” explains Professor Reckson Thakhathi of the University of Fort Hare and an EOS advocate.

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is a supporter of EOS, as is the Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party in South Africa, with it vowing to offer tax incentives to support such schemes should it one day rule.

Anecdotal evidence abounds to support the idea that EOS are the answer. Chrisleo Botha of Blue Mountain Berries – a blueberry operation near George that began in 2006 after a partnership was struck up between workers, the IDC and Botha – states that its employee ownership component satisfied the IDC’s request for the operation to have a BEE (black economic empowerment) component.

“We had good relationships with our workers beforehand,” says Botha, who had been farming on the land for a number of years before getting involved with the blueberry business. “But I think the amount of trust and the amount of cooperation at this stage has reached different levels. We are partners.”

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Empowered Leadership Blue Mountain Berries awards ownership to employees According to him, unless workers own a significant who qualify by performing well in a list of criteria, includ- majority of the company, their primary source of income ing low absenteeism and performance appraisal. It seems that from work is still wages, whereas shareholders’ income much of the success or failure of EOS depends on how they comes from dividend pay-outs thanks to profits. For shareare set up to suit the intricacies of an individual business. holders, often the best way to increase profit is to cut costs, Botha believes that, if everyone who joins the company is including jobs. immediately given a share of the company, this could be chaTo use an analogy, let’s suppose a worker owns shares otic, as many farm workers decide after a short period of time in a company as part of a workers’ trust that owns 10% of that the business is the company. She not for them. receives a dividend How employee The main advantages of EOS are loyalty, commitment pay-out of around shares are funded and legitimacy. Employees feel highly respected, R5 000 a year and can be an inhibiting gets to participate in appreciated and recognised factor. In the case electing a representof Blue Mountain ative to the board.

Berries, funding was secured by the IDC at the beginning She also receives a monthly salary of R8 000. Times are of the operation to pay for the employees’ share, which tough and company sales are down due to the global climate. amounted to 33% of the company.

The majority of the board decides that the best way to ensure However, this is not always possible. Most existing profits is to reduce wages by retrenching employees. This businesses would find it difficult to give away 33% of means that worker interests are still not really aligned with their business to workers. This would mean diluting ex- those of shareholders. isting shareholders’ ownership percentages. Instead, they While Prof Thakhathi believes that “these schemes elimimay choose to give away smaller percentages of the busi- nate the ‘us’ and ‘them’ syndrome, as the agenda is the same ness. But smaller percentages limit the actual power that and it forces the employees and the employers to reason toemployees have in the company, as well as the incentives gether and to support each other,” it seems that this may still for them to think like owners. not be universally true.

Although giving away a big chunk of a company sounds This is not to say that Prof Thakhathi and Jerry radical, there is some evidence to suggest that it could bump Schuitema’s views are fundamentally opposed. Both want up the bottom line (even if original shareholders are getting to break down the adversarial mentality that underlies cura smaller share of that profit). A study of French companies, rent labour relations. published in the Journal of Corporate Finance, found that, Jerry Schuitema believes that, instead of focusing on givwhen employees own enough shares to elect a director to the ing employees access to asset ownership, employees should board, the effect that such director has is at “least value-neu- instead be made partners in how income generated is spread. tral, and perhaps value-enhancing”.

Besides covering other costs of production, income is usuIn an interview with Jerry Schuitema, veteran journalist ally split between three groups: shareholders (in the form of and retired management consultant, he explained that, while profit), government (in the form of taxes) and workers (in the he is not entirely against EOS, he is concerned that they are form of wages and salaries). seen as a ‘heal-all tonic’ to improve labour relations.

Jerry Schuitema argues that, if workers received a basic His primary objection is that, despite what supporters claim, minimum wage and a share of the value-add, this would diEOS do not always align employee and owner interests. rectly correlate employee interests with those of management without needing to set up administratively costly workers’ trusts and intricate accounting methods that govern EOS. Regardless of the exact method, we should be concerned with how wealth is distributed and how labour and capital can work towards the common goal of ensuring an increase in the quality of life.

Thomas Picketty’s bestselling book, Capital in the Twentyfirst Century, a 700-page toe squasher, essentially uses data to prove that the rich (read ‘owners of capital’) are getting richer at the expense of everyone else. As such a situation has dire longterm consequences, everyone needs to be investigating how to rebalance the applecart that is the world, and, while EOS may not be as messianic as they initially appear, the intent behind them could play a key role in this regard if they are implemented with due care.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

C winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Public Enterprises State-owned enterprises (SOEs) make up a sector that employs women at all levels. The occupants of this sector face daily challenges, as the public makes high demands. While finding a middle ground between these demands and maintaining governmental standards, the women in this sector encounter much scrutiny.

From South Africa These challenges may prove too much for some, but the strength of the public sector lies in ethical public servants. Public enterprises across the continent have invested many resources in the promotion of entrepreneurship and of the organic growth of our economy through African trade and the funding of local small businesses. The degree to which we depend on this sector is evident in how frequently we need to make use of these services in our day-to-day dealings, both personally and at organisational level.

CEO Global congratulates the women in public enterprises for their hard-earned standing as public servants. And we thank you for your ongoing contribution to the continuity of the public sector.

Puleng Kwele

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he two-category winner, for Country and Region, Puleng Kwele is the CEO of Broadband Infraco. The company is state owned and acts as a change agent in the market by ensuring that the telecommunications infrastructure in South Africa is competitive. Puleng manages 185 individuals and has been in the Public Enterprises sector for 17 years. Her resume includes a BSc. Honours degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the University of Witwatersrand.

She has been a presented her views at conferences held by CNBC, Govtech and Mybroadband, to name a few. The MTN Carrier Services unit was conceptualised and set-up by Puleng as well as the first inter-operator connectivity between MTN South Africa and Nigeria.

Within her near three years with the company she has exponentially increased the customer database, increased overall organisational performance and has coached and mentored young female professionals under her management.

Countrywinner From Swaziland Tebogo Fruwirth Tebogo Fruwirth is Chief Operating Officer for Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accidents Fund and in her personal capacity she’s involved in workshops advocating women’s and children’s rights.

Tebogo qualified with an LLB in 1984, a Certificate in Telecommunications Regulation from City University, London in 1996 and in 2006 graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a Masters in Law. She is Chairman of the Human Settlements Authority and also a member of the Board of Swaziland Airlink.

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Finalists From South Africa Felleng Magongoa Felleng Magongoa received her National Diploma in Public Administration in 1992 and her Diploma Business Management in 1997 from the Technikon of Northern Transvaal. In September of 2000 she joined the South African Revenue Services a Human Resources Consultant/Acting HR Manager.

Since then she has been a part of organisations such as the National Health Laboratory Services, SciBono Discovery Centre, Estee Lauder Companies and Cross Border Road Transport Agency. Today she is the Human Resources Manager for Rand Water.

From South Africa Lingiwe Nyamande Lingiwe Nyamande, the BCom Accounting Honours graduate, is a member of Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal, a Provincial Public Entity that aims to attract foreign and domestic investment into the KZN province. As the CFO her duties include managing finances, giving financial advice to the leadership team, managing and procuring goods and services as well as prioritising the achievement of the goals of the national and provincial government. She is also currently studying towards her Chartered Management Accountant qualification.

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Case in Point

Nothemba Gqiba, Head of Marketing & Communications

sefa | Small Enterprise Finance Agency

Seeking finance for a small-business proposal is enough to send the bravest soul into flights of self-doubt.

Even the most well-formulated business plan has holes in it. It is the job of the financier to ask the sort of questions that transform a wellformulated business plan into the lining of the budgie cage. “You need to do more market research,” the financier says, the steely rims of their accountant glasses glinting in reinforcement of their point.

Unlocking Small Business

Minds

by Samantha Barnes

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othemba Gqiba, Head of Marketing & Communications at Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), is about as far from foreboding as the sun offering welcome warmth after a cloudburst. She is the picture of elegance and professionalism in a royal-blue blouse and black trouser suit, but it is her energy that holds your attention. Nothemba vibrates positivity. “I have been very privileged from the beginning,” she says, when asked what she perceives as being her greatest contribution to sefa thus far. “I was the first person to set up the communications

Case in Point sefa | Small Enterprise Finance Agency

role. The universe puts you in places where you can use these roles. All I wanted to achieve, I have done; from branding to logo, to setting up formal systems – now I need to ensure that more South Africans know about the financial assistance that sefa offers.”

Make It Happen The one word that Nothemba uses repeatedly when addressing small enterprises is ‘opportunities’. “We talk about 20 years of democracy: South Africa and the continent

Nothemba ensures that any issues raised by entrepreneurs at these events are resolved.

“The outreach gives an opportunity to dissatisfied clients to speak directly to sefa and others to seek clarity so as to grasp the sefa model better. Some might have had missed opportunities due to delays from sefa or may not be satisfied with the service they received. I need to investigate and gather as much information as possible. I make sure that they have some level of satisfaction and comfort in coming all the way to see me. We try to resolve all issues immediately,

“There is so much assistance available for entrepreneurs through government agencies, banks and the private sector. The question is how do I use this information to my advantage?” are full of possibilities. There are definitely opportunities for entrepreneurs to explore,” says Nothemba. “There is so much assistance available for entrepreneurs through government agencies, banks and the private sector. The question is how do I use this information to my advantage?

“The entrepreneur must know what they want through the worst times and believe in their vision. Focus, focus, focus!

The assistance is there.”

Letting Them down Gently In the words of Martin Luther King, ‘I have a dream’.

In a similar fashion, an entrepreneur’s entire future may hinge on that one idea. Or at least they think so. Nothemba understands this when she is communicating with a smallbusiness person about their business proposal. Ultimately, she is dealing with their vision. “I realise the emotions that they go through. The first purpose of social entrepreneurs is economic gain,” says Nothemba.

Conscious of the need to tread carefully and to respect each case, sefa is a funder with a soul hence that has to come out when interacting with clients. “We need to be very professional,” says Nothemba. “We give constructive criticism based on the reasons for declining them and state what they can improve on. Many people give us feedback afterwards on how this has helped them.

“We are often a lender of last resort. It is very important to remember that they have been disappointed, so we need to give them hope.”

When the Heat Is On Sensibly, sefa recruits an audience through the auspices of business chambers and local economic structures when doing monthly outreaches to entrepreneurs across the country.

however, were it is not possible a detailed explanations and way forward is given to the client. ” Communicating Authentically “I don’t manage like a man. I am my own person. I have to find me in order to manage people,” says Nothemba. She follows a formula to ensure that staff have the best interests of clients at heart while having due controls in place. “It is almost a creative space: being able to apply their mind,” says Nothemba.

Daily Inspiration “I love the entrepreneur’s quest for success. Sometimes they have new and exciting ideas and then there are others that take existing ideas to other markets,” says Nothemba. “I love their zest for life and creating something out of nothing: saying I can attitude! Many of them know they have to start somewhere and grow. They take risks, some calculated and others not so well calculated. But what is important; they took the first step. They must not see obstacles: they must see beyond that. Possibility is their sport.”

Each Person Has a Purpose in Life “I want people who are passionate, who can constantly learn,” says Nothemba of her staff. She applies this principle as much to herself as to others. “I am full of energy,” agrees Nothemba. “Be dedicated in what you do and it will love you back. Being yourself is most important. Treat people with dignity. People should be treated equally as each person has a purpose in life.”

Nothemba walks me to the security turnstile, her actions reinforcing her words. Her dedication to what she does is inspiration in itself.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

SME Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in eradicating poverty through the generation of jobs and satisfying niche needs within our communities.

Entrepreneurship is not gender-bound. Moreover, Africans are taking full advantage of our diverse heritage to identify unique business opportunities that prove profitable.

From Ghana SMEs face certain challenges, as starting a business is not without risk. Owing to the immeasurable benefits that SMEs provide for our economies, the public sector supports small businesses by way of capital investments and more lenient legislation.

Although this does assist and entrepreneurs reap the rewards of such investment, staying afloat is still no easy task. Education on the running of businesses would go a long way to preparing entrepreneurs for the challenges and triumphs that they can expect.

As an SME, CEO Global understands and applauds the risks taken by the following women.

Congratulations on grasping opportunities with both hands – your success is indeed your community’s success.

Rosemond Appiah

“A

s a passionate activist in the development of individuals and groups, especially women and girls, training is offered in the areas of beading, bead accessories, flower craft, bead wall hangings among other developing concepts,” says Rosemond Appiah.

She is the successful owner and creator of RoseGlitz and the founder of the ASTA Foundation. Rosemond’s business specialises in designing exclusive handcrafted bead embroidered clothing using a technique she calls ‘tradaeb’. Her products are wildly popular and are being sold across Africa, Europe and the Americas. Rosemond is the Country and Regional winner in the SME sector for 2015. Her past employers included Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Air Traffic Control Unit and the Standard Chartered Bank. The entrepreneur has a B.A in Geography and Resource Development as well as several certificates in leadership training and HR. “People need to discover themselves and their capabilities,” she says, and it is her goal to aid individuals to do this.

RegionalWinner

From Kenya

From South Africa

Kate Kibarah

Nombuso Ndumo

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ate Kibarah is the CEO of Kate’s Organics Limited, the MD of Rejuvenate Your Health and the Founder of My Healthy Living Club. Her companies aim to promote and raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices through offering organic produce, training, courses and colonic hydrotherapy services. She is also the Country winner in the SME sector. Kate has a Diploma in Institute Of Management Of Information Systems, in Diet and Nutrition and a degree in Clinical Nutrition.

The health consultant of 10 years is the author of four health books, she has been recognised as an Organic Brand ambassador in East Africa and she is a member of Kenya Organic Agriculture Network. Boards that she is a member of include: Africa Agribusiness Academy, Assistant Chair-International Year Family Farming, FK Youth Mentorship, and the Cancer Awareness Support Centre. Kate is currently expanding her skills by pursuing Naturopathy and Alternative Medicine.

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ombuso Ndumo completed her B.Com with majors in Economics, Financial Management and Industrial Relations in 1993 from the University South Africa. She has since become the owner of two successful companies, namely, Busani Business Services Centre and Khukhula Contract Cleaners. The first is accredited by Business Skills for SA Foundation and affiliated to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Busani Business Services has successfully trained over 500 successful businesses since July 1997. Nombuso began Khukhula Contract Cleaners with four employees in 1997 and has grown her company to include over 500 employees to date. She believes in constantly training and empowering the nation and has a passion for Africa. Since 2009 she has been a trustee for the Sibusisiwe Education Centre where she ensures that the Youth of Clermont Township receives education in computer literacy and advanced courses to prepare them for job opportunities. She is also a Country winner in her category.

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RegionalWinnerC

From Madagascar Bako Rambelo

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he Country and Regional winner in the SME sector is Bako Rambelo the Associate Manager for ABAC’ART in Madagascar. ABAC’ART produces and markets high quality hand-made silk products.

Bako was responsible for a hardware sales company for eight years, a project manager of a telecommunications infrastructure company for over five years and a business coaching consultant for six years. In the five years that she has been in the sector she has accumulated a wide array of skills and abilities including; commercial and entrepreneurial management, how to launch a startup business, networking, telecommunications and information technology. In her career she has successfully run a one month sales exhibition, collaborated with a renowned painter, organised various private sales in Madagascar and France, as well as organising decor for a large wedding in April 2015. She believes that the development of individuals is beneficial to not only one business but society as a whole.

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Countrywinners From Namibia Regina Shikongo Ambambi Clocknet Technology Centre was founded in January 2006 by Regina Shikongo Ambambi, its current CEO. CTC offers short courses in computer hardware and software sales, computer accessories and computer maintenance. Regina has a Diploma in PC Engineering from the Institute of Information Technology and is currently working towards her MBA at the Polytechnic of Namibia. She is a representative of the Child Development fund and has also been working closely on the San people development project in Namibia.

From South Africa Shameen Kumandan Washtub Industrial Laundry Service, established in 1995, is Western Cape’s largest and most technologically advanced, Level 1 BBBEE, privately owned facility. Shameen Kumandan is the Managing Director of this entity which is the first laundry service in Africa to have its carbon footprint measured. Shameen has a diploma in fashion design as well as certificates from textile and chemistry courses, good laundry practice courses and business design models. She has been in the industry for 20 years and manages 75 staff members in her capacity.

From South Africa Martina Laurie An entrepreneur since she was 27, Martina Laurie is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Auditor who completed her articles with Ernest & Young. After 17 successful years of operating her own taxation and auditing practice she decided to pursue her passion for bettering the lives of women and she launched Hands on Treatment (Pty) Ltd. The company specialises in mobile messaging and was established in 2002 with Martina at the helm as CEO. She has been a member of the Businesswomen’s Association since 2000.

From Lesotho Mamatala Leah Maranyane Since 2003 Mamatala Leah Maranyane has been the Director and Co-owner of Topito Steel and Engineering Metal Works, a company engaged in plant maintenance, engineering consultancy and customised production and the supply of steel products. She began her career in 1980 with Lerotholi Polytechnic as the Chief Trade Instructor after receiving her Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Regional Centre for Technology in Germany in 2001. Her resume includes a Certificate in Fitting and Machining and a BEng Mechanical Engineering degree.

CountrywinnersC From South Africa Sanet M. Mey Sanet M. Mey is an advocate for health and wellbeing, both physically and spiritually. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Miracle Comfrey, a company that manufactures a wide range of comfrey products to treat various skin ailments. Ten percent of her company’s income is used to fund different Christian projects and ministries, paying special attention to underprivileged children. The Higher Education Diploma holder won the Business Leader of the Year award and the Business Women’s Association of South Africa, Regional Achiever Award.

From Lesotho Ska Mirriam Moteane Ska Mirriam Moteane began her career in 2001 with the completion of an Introduction to Kitchen Skills Certificate, which she followed up with a City and Guilds Diploma in Culinary Arts. Ska is the author of Cuisine of the Mountain Kingdom – Cooking in Lesotho which won the 2012 Gourmand Award for the Best African Cookbook in the World. She is the CEO and owner of Ska’s Kitchen Consultancy, which offers training, recipe, menu and new food product development services to the food, hospitality and retail industries.

From Swaziland Sylvia Mthethwa From a young age Sylvia Mthethwa has had an entrepreneurial spirit and in 1999 she was awarded the Young Entrepreneur Award by the 7th World Summit of Young Entrepreneurs in New York.

She founded, and is currently, the Managing Director of Progress Group (Pty) Ltd, a position she has held for 22 years. Sylvia is the Regional Administrator for the Lubombo Region in Swaziland in Public Office. She has a Certificate in finance, a Diploma in Business Management and a Post Graduate Certificate in Business studies.

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sCountrywinners From Kenya Christine Khasinah-Odero As the Founder and CEO of Supamamas Christine Khasinah-Odero is tasked with managing and creating content to inspire, connect and inform women, with special focus on mothers, in their personal and professional lives. She has an MBA Degree in Marketing from Liverpool University and in 2015 she was a Finalist in the Rising Star Awards presented by Stanbic Bank.

In 2013 and 2014 she was a finalist in the SME Sector and in 2015 she has won the Country Award in the sector.

From South Africa Mimi Rupp Mimi Rupp is a member of SmartStone, a cement based cast stone manufacturer, and the owner of Stone etc., a company that supplies hand-sourced minerals and crystals as well as garden and landscaping products. Mimi is a qualified Beauty Therapist, Masseuse and Make-up artist with various business courses under her belt. She has been a finalist in the Businesswomen’s Association Regional Business Achievers Awards, in the 2012 South African Most Influential in Business Awards and the 2013 Africa Most Influential Women in Business Awards.

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FinalistsF From South Africa Annie Coetzee The SME sector finalist, Annie Coetzee is the Owner of Creative Brain Management and Master Trainer of human empowerment courses and power hour presentations. She is an award-winning public speaker, internationally recognised corporate trainer and author on the subject of human empowerment and creativity. Annie has a Teachers Diploma and a BA Degree in Psychology, Education and Communication. It is her passion to “uplift, inspire and help people discover their un-ending potential and find greatness.” She coaches performance groups on a weekly basis and conducts personal life-coaching sessions.

From Lesotho Tsoakae Nelly Foso Tsoakae Nelly Foso is a 2015 finalist in the SME sector and the Managing Director of Foso Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd, a consultancy agency that operates in the agriculture, education, energy, environment, gender, health, project management and private sector, to name a few. Tsoakae has a Diploma in Secondary Education and is working towards completing her Degree in Education.

While teaching in 2014 she had a 100% pass rate which attracted new students and positively influenced her school.

From South Africa Sharon Isaacs Sharon Isaacs completed an Eskom Contractor Development Program through the University of Limpopo and has since gone on to become the Managing Director of Ambamba Fencing. In 2002 Sharon was the winner in both the Construction Category of Technology for Women in Business and Department of Transport & Public works in 2007. In 2011 she was the runner-up for the Women in Construction Excellence Awards and won the South Africa’s Most influential Women in Business Award – SMME Category.

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sFinalists From Lesotho

Ma-Lord Thotoane Mefane Ma-Lord Thotoane Mefane is the Managing Director of Mankabelane Communications Consultancy, which uses social media to develop small businesses. In her capacity she generates and manages up to 80% of the content that is used and she ensures that the company stays within budget and meets financial targets. The SME 2015 Finalist has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Information Technology. Ma-Lord is also involved with the Flava of Africa, an organisation that seeks to create awareness and advocate for the growth of the local agriculture sector.

From South Africa Dorothy Botsi-Thulare Dorothy Botsi-Thulare established Botho Ubuntu Cleaning in 2004 and in 2013, with the vision of going green, it became Botho Ubuntu Group. As the CEO of the group Dorothy’s vision was to focus on Ecological cleaning. The Botho Ubuntu Group is comprised of 889 permanent and 130 casual staff members, of which 98% are women – as Dorothy’s passion is to empower, educate and develop women to be leaders of tomorrow. She has 15 years’ experience in law and is a partner in the Sim & Botsi Attorneys firm.

From South Africa Lesley Waterkeyn Colourworks (Pty) Ltd is a firm specialising in events and marketing for the corporate sector and was founded in 1998 by Lesley Ann Waterkeyn, CEO. During her partnership with Hewlett Packard from 2008 – 2010 she was consistently named best performer for their Print Station initiative. In 2010 she became a member of EO – a global Entrepreneurs Organisation and has been on the Cape Town board for the past 5 years. She believes her team is her biggest asset and continues to look for ways to invest in them.

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from the

Paddock to the Boardroom

by Lydia Bundred

Yolanda Sing is an equine leadership coach who has created a unique programme to cater for the leadership and development needs of organisations worldwide. Her company, Chloe Consultants, offers an experiential-learning course that uses interaction between horses and people to create awareness and provide a platform for positive feedback right from ‘the horse’s mouth’. This one-of-a kind learning programme has shown tremendous results in the business world, with her clients returning year after year.

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olanda Sing is a seasoned senior human resources executive who has operated in 15 different countries worldwide. Her international views and global experience bring a well-rounded understanding to her role as a development coach. She holds degrees in people development, business administration, leadership development and psychology, and she has travelled to Spain, the United States of America (USA) and Europe to qualify as an equine-assisted learning facilitator.

She has returned to South Africa “with a dream and a passion to uplift our country,” says the leadership coach.

Her goal is to make organisations healthier and more authentic through the use of equine leadership coaching. “Humanity today is searching for a purpose-driven life and we want our corporate lives to mirror that”, she says. “We have a need to make a significant contribution,” and, often, our career can be that means.

Her company, Chloe Consultants, offers a two-day programme where individuals interact with horses on ground level, but with no horse-riding required. In their interaction,

Yolanda Sing, Equine facilitator, coach and writer, Chloe Consultants

Empowered Leadership

Empowered Leadership

The award-winning programme is offered in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. The course is for businesses that want their employees “to get more out of work than an income”. Her goal with the programme is to “help people to see their greatness”. There are no PowerPoints, no motivational speakers and no conference rooms. The uniqueness of the programme is equally matched by the setting: members are seated on bales of hay and interact with horses in the paddock. The experience is very hands-on and provides participants with a different perspective on their roles and current positioning in the organisation, both as a leader and an individual.

The course is for businesses that want their employees “to get more out of work than an income”. she addresses leadership skills, selfawareness, problem solving and conflict resolution on an individual and organisational level. She links what you learn in the paddock to how you can apply it in the office.

The focus is on emotional intelligence, values and sustainability for a long-lasting impact.

Horses are intuitive animals that are highly attuned to the signals that humans send, unconsciously and consciously. This attribute makes them excellent partners in assessing human behaviour and ‘herd’ dynamics. Horses often mirror the feelings of their human counterparts and provide honest and personal feedback with no judgement. “Magic happens when people experience unconditional acceptance, and that’s what happens in the paddock,” says the equine coach.

Her programme has catered for some of South Africa’s business giants. Members of organisations such as the McCarthy group, Virgin Active and FNB have participated in the horse-to-human coaching.

Outside South Africa, she has done sessions with the Dubai government.

The divisional manager of McCarthy testifies to the success they have seen in their team after attending the equine programme with Yolanda, saying that he “saw the change from within their team and how it affected every individual”. After completing the programme, Virgin Active commented: “Our managers learn so much about themselves in such a unique and memorable way that it has become the highlight of our Management Development Programme.” The equine expert and her ‘herd’ received the United Kingdom Human Resources Award for Best in Learning and Development in 2011.

“Humanity today is searching for a purpose-driven life and we want our corporate lives to mirror that”, she says. “We have a need to make a significant contribution,” and, often, our career can be that means.

While Yolanda was living in Singapore, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour which made her evaluate her professional happiness. During her ordeal, she found solace and healing in the presence of her horse, Erika, which dramatically redirected her life. The two walked a path towards rebuilding Yolanda into the person she is today.

Horses touched and changed her life and she knows they can do the same for others.

She went on to write her first book, Power in the Paddock, in which she shares her battle and the steps she took towards victory. Her immense strength and passion can be seen on every page, because hers is a story of hope and “the healing power of horses”.

She challenges her readers and programme participants “to live a life of passion” just as she does. In her next book, she will be focusing on the successes within her programme and the dynamics of a functioning ‘herd’ and its application to the individual.

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winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Sport Sport is becoming increasingly competitive as developing technologies and techniques place all participants on an equal footing. African sport stars and athletes have made a major impact globally, often being part of well-known international sports teams.

Although sportsmen continue to predominate across the globe, women have made major strides in competitive sport and are increasingly being acknowledged for their accomplishments.

Despite the competitive nature of sport, those in this sector value the maintenance of its continuity. For this reason, they take time out of tight schedules to invest their efforts in promoting their sports areas and to train the younger generation in the techniques required to participate competitively. There has been a major rise in the promotion of sporting events and activities in order to ensure that Africa remains an active continent in the sports arena and can continue to boast about its international sporting greats.

Women in this sector give us so much to be proud of CEO Global not only appreciates your dedication to your field, but also encourages you to continue taking sport to the heights you have and beyond.

From South Africa Nokuzola Patience Thamae

“I

I see my work as my hobby, that became my work,” says Nokuzola Patience Thamae, president of the Free State Cricket Union. Nokuzola was the first woman of colour in Africa to be nominated to head up a cricket union in a male dominated industry.

She counts as a career highlight being acknowledged by the Minister of Sports and Recreation: Sports Awards as the Sports Administrator of the Year 2014. Nokuzola was the first woman to serve on the Cricket South Africa (then the United Cricket Board) general council.

She managed the Women’s Protea Cricket side from 2004 until 2009. A qualified teacher, her qualifications include an Extracurricular Advanced Diploma in Sports Management and training in Strategic and Annual Performance Planning in the Public Service. Nokuzola ensures that good governance procedures are followed.

She prides herself on her team, The Knights, qualifying for a Champions League to be held in India in September and October 2015.

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Finalists From South Africa Elana Meyer “It is how sports men and women handle different situations that make them good role models,” says Elana Meyer, CEO of Endurocad SA Endurance Academy. Elana is focused on developing world class South African athletes, most of whom will be black as defined in the B-BBEE codes and on developing athletes into entrepreneurs. Elana has competed in three Olympic Games, won World Champion Half Marathon and 10 000m in 1994, broken six world records, and won a silver Medal at Olympic Games 1992 for 10 000m.

From South Africa Ashleigh Moolman Pasio It is not every day that one meets a qualified chemical engineer pursuing a career as a professional cyclist. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio spends her days competing on the international stage of women’s cycling. She has been a full time professional in Europe since 2010 and is a passionate promoter of women’s cycling in a testosterone driven sport. She is proudly South African and committed to facilitating the growth of South African and African women’s cycling through her empowerment initiative; Going for Gold.

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Life Empowered Leadership

by Samantha Barnes

Changer

Not a single day goes by in South Africa without crimes being reported. South Africans are almost blasé in their acceptance of this being part and parcel of South African life. The question is: Can we create a better future? Realists may say that the odds are stacked against us. Admittedly, statistics paint a grim picture of staff shortages within the criminal justice system, of prisons bursting at the seams, and of a rehabilitation rate that is so low as to be almost negligible.

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hortages of professional staff in the Department of Correctional Services are cause for concern.

In 2010/2011, there was a 51% occupancy rate for psychologists. Moreover, social workers are overburdened with caseloads of up to 3 000 per social worker. Overcrowding of prisons is the norm. At larger correctional centres, such as the Johannesburg Correctional Management Area, the occupancy rate is in excess of 235%.

Many of us are familiar with the story of hundreds of starfish washed up on the shore. A person throws the starfish back into the sea one at a time. A passer-by asks: “What is the point when there are so many starfish to save?” The caring person replies: “It made a difference to that one starfish, didn’t it?” It is this desire to make a positive impact on an offender’s life that drives many people working for nongovernmental organisations connected to rehabilitation programmes.

Empathy is a given, but support is not a one-way street.

Offenders must take responsibility for their previous actions and for future decisions if there is to be a meaningful change in their choices. This is the story of a young woman’s road to hell and back. She is taking steps, by living one day at a time, to provide a better life for herself and her son.

Teenage Runaway Laina van Wyk wears a trendy red sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers. She looks more like a carefree student than a former drug dealer, hooker and drug user. At 19 years of age, she has many regrets. Laina has made bad choices, including several incidents of violence in the course of which she stabbed people, but was never caught. Two years ago, while under the influence of drugs, she stabbed a woman while being told that she needed to change her ways and lead a better life.

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Her voice is steady and unemotional as she recalls that fateful day. “I didn’t care that I had stabbed her. I was under the influence of muti and just wanted to get out and go to a nightclub. I was filled with anger.” Laina was arrested and kept in a police cell for seven days. Good fortune favoured the pregnant teenager. Laina’s victim took pity on her and dropped the charges. Laina is close to tears when speaking of her drug-dealing days. She dealt in cocaine, lolly (tik) and njpa (a crushed drug used in cannabis).

Asked what advice she would give to young people about drug dealing, Laina answers without hesitation: “How many lives are you going to destroy? What is it going to cost? It is not only your future, but also your life. You could die from taking drugs.”

Her three years working as a drug dealer and a prostitute in Hillbrow are a life she chooses never to return to. Laina explains: “That is not a good life. It destroys at the end of the day. You get sick. You lose your dignity. You lose your life. It is a life with no benefits. You feel there is hell there. There is no love, no going forward.”

In October 2012, she gave birth to her son Xolani – a good reason to live a honourable life and to make wise choices. She is involved with an apostolic church that has helped her face her demons. She attends meetings there several times a week.

Making Peace with Your Past In 1997, Lesleyann van Selm started Khulisa Social Solutions, a national nonprofit company that inspires, empowers and enables vulnerable children, youths and communities to unlock their potential and to develop skills towards a positive future. Its work is based on knowing that one’s past and one’s circumstances do not determine one’s

Empowered Leadership

LEFT: Laina van Wyk. RIGHT: Lesleyann Van Selm, founder of Khulisa Social Solutions, and Martin Mahlamvu, co-founder.

future and potential. ‘Reinventing lives’ is the motto of the 380 staff working in 38 offices across South Africa.

When the Student is Ready, the Master Will Appear In 2013, Laina met Martin Mahlamvu. He started Khulisa with Lesleyann van Selm 18 years ago and works at a Kliptown-based organisation, the Taursrac Foundation, which falls under Khulisa’s wing. Martin has been instrumental in opening Laina’s eyes to a better way of life.

Laina was living with a woman who offered her a temporary home, as she was concerned about Xolani’s welfare.

The woman’s daughter was a volunteer at the Taursrac Foundation, so Laina accompanied her and was introduced to its programme. “It could be something nice to motivate you,” Martin told her.

Laina worked alongside volunteers, cleaning dumping sites, turning them into vegetable gardens, and cleaning streams at a squatter camp. She didn’t, however, experience a spiritual awakening.

“I didn’t find it interesting,” Laina reflects, with the righteous indignation of a teenager. But she was getting the motivation that she needed from being around young people who were living positive lives.

Laina realised that she needed to make her own way in the world. After about three months, the women she was boarding with had “had enough of me”, Laina says.

Martin stepped in and got Laina accepted as a volunteer to be eligible for a stipend from the National Youth Development Agency.

A Place to Call Her Own It was a question that Martin asked which sparked a desire in Laina to turn her life around. “Do you like the life that you are leading? Not having a home of your own.

Going from house to house?” he asked.

Laina speaks with pride at having reached a stage where she has her own shack in Kliptown, and pays rent and day care. A shadow crosses her face. Her stipend came to an end recently and she must now find employment. As Martin says, unemployment is something that many people face regardless of their circumstances, so Laina must summon the motivation to become employed.

Taking Steps in the Right Direction Laina has recently completed a home economics course at Spiro College in Sophiatown, sponsored by the Kliptown Youth Programme. On the course, she learnt life skills, including baking, making soup and opening a business. She is now attending a three-month ceramics course through Bokomo Art Centre in Kliptown.

Martin is convinced that Laina will not return to her old ways. “I have seen the courage she now possesses,” he says.

Laina has been attending life skills programmes and Martin is seeing a change in her behaviour. “She is a quick and good learner. We taught her about the importance of patience though visual and performing arts. Every time there is a different Liana, and this really inspires me personally.”

An ex-offender himself, Martin says that being stigmatised is the biggest challenge that the survivor experiences all the time. “When people try to change their behaviour, stigmatisation can break that person’s morale and determination to change,” he says. Changing people’s lives is his passion.

Lesleyann gives Laina encouragement. “You need to realise that you have value to add. You are valuable. You don’t need to surrender to another person.” Laina’s eyes are brimming with tears. Lesleyann has touched a vulnerable spot in Laina’s psyche that needs healing. “We need to take you to apologise to some of those people you have sold drugs to. It will be healing. That is restorative justice,” Lesleyann advises. Laina’s healing continues.

What is Restorative Justice?

Mike Batley is a consultant at the Restorative Justice Centre in Johannesburg. Mike cites a simple definition that is used internationally: ‘Restorative justice emphasises repairing the harm caused by crime. When victims, offenders and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results can be transformational.’ Restorative justice has been explicitly endorsed in South Africa and in a number of High Court and Constitutional Court judgments.

Restorative justice is of value both to the offender and the victim. As Mike explains, restorative justice ‘confronts offenders with the reality of their behaviour’ and helps them take responsibility for their actions. It provides an opportunity to apologise and generates alternatives for a sentence.

In turn, restorative justice empowers victims, giving them a voice to the extent that they can provide input regarding a sentence. “It provides the possibility of restitution,” Mike says. He confirms that international research has concluded that restorative justice may reduce a crime victim’s post-traumatic stress symptoms. Importantly, it reduces repeat offending among some offenders, but not all. Atoning for past behaviour, being accountable for past actions and changing to an honourable way of life is what we would all wish to see offenders doing, but this is sadly not always the reality.

Sources: SA Crime Quarterly, September 2012

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Skills Transfer

Cash to Finance the African Renaissance

by Leigh Schaller

For Africa to rise, she needs access to funding, but 380-million Africans don’t have access to a bank. However, don’t expect that to stop her growth story!

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ith Africa set to experience economic growth above the world average for the foreseeable future, it’s something of an enigma that a full one-third of its population does not have access to financial institutions. What’s more, many entrepreneurs who have access to banks find that the banks are of little help.

“In Nigeria, interest rates can go up to 27% for SMEs [small to mediumsized enterprises]. As a start-up, there is absolutely no way you can take out a loan at that rate,” says Yasim Belo-Osagie, cofounder of She Leads Africa, an organisation based in Nigeria that empowers women entrepreneurs by giving them access to training and connecting them with potential funders.

Yasim explains that banks are reluctant to lend to start-ups unless these businesses have collateral, something that many young entrepreneurs do not possess.

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Skills Transfer

“We are not used to start-up culture. We are not used to this idea that I can give someone who is twenty five USD200 000 and they are going to return something amazing to me,” explains Yasim.

Instead, the traditional model of obtaining finance is based, not on how promising your business model is, but rather on who you know. “I cashed in my retirement account and my husband and I took out loans from our parents in order to get the business off the ground,” explains Taffi Ayodele, CEO of Thando’s Shoes, a new business that sells portable shoes in Africa. “For new entrepreneurs, raising funds from personal savings, friends and family is very important, because banks will not lend to you if you have no collateral,” says Taffi.

This method not only restricts brilliant entrepreneurs from poorer families who do not know any wealthy funders, but it also makes it particularly difficult for women.

“Oftentimes the problem with this patronage is that it secludes women, because, usually, these sorts of networks are dominated by men who are going to give their funding to young guys. A lot of the time, women are completely shut out of the conversation,” says Yasim.

The nature of how the conversations take place also makes it difficult for women.

“A lot of the networking is very casual and informal [in Nigeria]. Instead of saying, ‘Come and have a meeting in my office’, investors will say, ‘Come to my house and have dinner’. It’s very casual, and, if you are a young woman, often it can be very uncomfortable because of the society that we live in, which is very conservative; it can be seen as a little bit inappropriate if, at 10 o’ clock at night you, as a 25-year-old woman, are going to a 53-year-old guy’s house to ask him for funding,” explains Yasim.

She Leads Africa aims to break down the necessity of using this traditional patronage-like manner of accessing finance in Nigeria and broader Africa. It believes it can be successful by using a two-pronged approach: firstly, by establishing good relationships with so-called angel investors, something it has already done with the Africa Angels Network, an investment group that focuses on the information and communications (ICT) sector in Africa and on investors in the United States of America; and, secondly, by gaining the trust of women entrepreneurs and helping them with training where possible.

It uses various means to connect entrepreneurs and investors, such as hosting pitch competitions and hosting meetings between investors and entrepreneurs. She Leads Africa is currently working with an established bank in Nigeria to create a programme that identifies promising entrepreneurs, providing them with training that essentially de-risks them for the bank, thereby allowing the bank to offer finance at lower interest rates.

Nor is She Leads Africa alone in its attempt to bust through the traditional barriers that control access to finance and which limit growth.

MYC4 is a crowdfunding organisation that links people with money – mostly from the West – with people in Africa who need funding. It is located in Ghana, Tanzania and Senegal. The entrepreneurs for whom they obtain funding often have relatively small financial needs, such as a farmer needing to install better irrigation in his or her fields.

After finding the entrepreneurs, a partner of MYC4 then evaluates the business to “make sure that it provides healthy economic prospects for growth and can repay the loan and its costs,” according to the group’s website.

An auction is then held on the MYC4 website where potential funders are able to offer finance at a specific interest rate, with the lowest interest rate winning the auction and then lending the money.

We are not used to start-up culture. We are not used to this idea that I can give someone who is twenty five USD200 000 and they are going to return something amazing to me.

The initiative has not been without serious challenges. For instance, one of MYC4’s partners in Kenya is believed to be involved in defrauding investors, including some from MYC4, to the tune of 112-million Kenyan shillings (USD1.2 million), causing MYC4 to close its operations in Kenya.

According to the group’s communications office, one of the group’s core values is transparency. Accordingly, MYC4 posts its rate of repayments and possible problems on the group’s website.

Despite challenges, MYC4’s portfolio indicates that it has loaned out 430 000 euros (USD 454 000), with 84.6% of repayments being on track.

Jump Start Africa, a similar crowdfunding initiative that focuses on creative projects, including films, games, music, fashion and design, is also set to launch soon.

Although She Leads Africa and MYC4 may be a drop in the funding ocean in comparison with the vast amounts that traditional avenues of funding are able to dish out, their impact is no less significant.

“The funds we received for placing third in the She Leads Africa pitch competition went towards purchasing an inverter for our office. The intermittent supply of power in Lagos made it very difficult for us to work out of our office during the day uninterrupted. With our cash prize we purchased an inverter as our backup power supply during the hours that our generator is off.

This has increased our productivity tremendously,” says Taffi.

The old saying that ‘it takes money to make money’ holds true in Africa. What is not true, however, is that the old way of funding necessarily needs to reign supreme when it comes to funding Africa’s future growth.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

.co.za

Tourism & Leisure Africa has come to depend to a large extent on the tourism and leisure industry for economic growth through job creation. Our diverse cultures as well as our arts and crafts sector lend much to an industry that is currently in great demand across the globe. Numerous countries in Africa are becoming international tourist destinations of choice!

From South Africa Women play a pivotal role in this sector. As they are naturally more nurturing, many foreigners warm to them more easily. Despite this, tourism and leisure is a more gender-equal industry than ever, with both men and women operating at all levels. The sector relies heavily on the education of locals to be more accepting of foreigners and to make them aware of the potential investment opportunities that visitors bring. Moreover, our natural heritage and cultures are not only an obvious drawcard for outsiders, but also remind us of the value of our traditions and inheritance.

VisaRequest thanks the women in this sector for their hard work in ensuring that Africa remains a popular destination for all tastes. We applaud your consistency and contributions to the continuity and development of this sector.

Cordelia Masher

“M

y passion for White Pearl Resorts, Ponta Mamoli has been the growth and strength of the business through each year of maturity. It has not been an easy journey but the lessons learnt coupled with perseverance and passion from the team to overcome many challenges represents a positive microcosm for business in Africa,” says Cordelia Masher, Managing Director of White Pearl Resorts, Ponta Mamoli, the regional and country winner in the Tourism and Leisure sector. Cordelia’s curriculum vitae packs a punch, having worked for three of South Africa’s big five banks prior to joining White Pearl Resorts in 2012.

Her qualifications cabinet is filled with a vast plethora of certificates, diplomas and degrees in anything from Business Law to Chartered Management Accountancy.

She indicates that she is a hands on leader who understands and engages staff on their aspirations and couple that with how they behave for their actions speak volumes more than what is said.

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Finalists From Ghana

Dr. Regina Mansa Degadjor Dr Regina Mansa Degadjor is the CEO of Akazuba Tours and this year’s finalist in the Tourism and Leisure sector. Akazuba Tours’ services range from various types of tours, cars rentals to interpretation and event organising. Regina is the Chairperson of GROOTS International Ghana and she holds a Doctorate Degree in Humanities from Dayspring Christian University, USA. She develops staff through encouragement and continuous training and in her personal capacity she supports the My Dream School Project which helps underprivileged children.

From Namibia Constance Lyners Although she is yet to celebrate a year in her current position, Constance Lyners, General Manager at Hotel Europa Hof in Namibia, has 15 years’ experience in the Tourism and Leisure sector where she is a finalist. She says she is a new broom at Hotel Europa Hof as she is currently hard at work developing standard operating procedures for all departments at the hotel. Constance is a member of the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry which seeks to qualify Namibian enterprises into the global market.

From South Africa Valerie Pillay Being responsible for maintaining the Five Star status of international tourism and leisure brand is no easy task. Yet, says Valerie Pillay, Conference Centre Manager at Tsogo Sun- Suncoast Conference Centre this is an exciting challenge that she has taken in her stride. The finalist in the Tourism and Leisure Sector says she is a social responsibility champion whose goal is to see Africa’s children getting educated, cared for and loved in an HIV/AIDS free generation with no child headed households.

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Ready for

Lift-off

by Samantha Barnes

People being people, are not always patient when faced with a situation where they need their travel documents in a hurry. On the other hand, the customer is always right… Well, most of the time. Established in South Africa in 2007, VisaRequest has assisted more than 12 000 travellers in acquiring over 30 000 visas over the past seven years. The visa-acquisition company serves travel agents and private individuals.

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taff go the extra mile when required, but there are times when they need to set boundaries, for instance when someone is being, how should we put it, a tad bit unreasonable. The VisaRequest website bears a humorous tag, ‘Thou shalt respect processing days advised’, which implies that travellers need to respect the fact that the process of applying for a visa does not happen with the click of one’s fingers.

Cool and Composed in the Face of Traffic Aamena Joosub has a job title with a mythical ring to it. As ‘overseer’ of all traffic in and out of VisaRequest, one expects her to be sporting a cloak out of Lord of the Rings. She cracks the whip around the office, is no-nonsense and always has a smile. She is composed, a character trait befitting her task of ensuring that travellers are provided with fast, hassle-free visas. “I bring joy and convenience to people across South Africa through efficiency and dedication to service quality,” says Aamena.

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Toon Bellefroid is a visa consultant and, besides an unusual name, his claim to fame is specialising in Schengen states and other African countries. A Belgian national, he is another precise character, with a wealth of European travel, who is always seeking adventure. Madelein de Jager, also a visa consultant, specialises in the UK, Asia and Africa. She is blessed with a gentle, soft-spoken personality, and is eager to please and to deliver.

Edward Mampiye is best described as ‘the go-to guy’.

He handles logistics and ensures that all applications are submitted and collected on time – by all means necessary – which is reassuring. He is a man of few words, but great action. The world could do with more such types!

If you need a problem solved, Vincent Mutezo in marketing is your man. He is known in the office as the problem solver – if there is a situation that has people running around like headless chickens, he calms the situation down.

At the helm is Jaco Badenhorst, managing director of VisaRequest. Jaco is respected as a great thinker, with a gift

Case in Point VisaRequest

for getting things done. Els Badenhorst is finance manager and is attentive to details that count (literally). This means that costs are always under control, as she does not let a rand go unaccounted for.

Plan Ahead and Honour the Process Preferably, apply for a visa two months ahead of departure.

This provides enough time to allow for possible uncertainties and keeps visa costs down, as everything can be processed normally. Always have copies of previous visas to a destination, for this helps decision making by embassies. A good travel history helps. Bank statements are usually required, especially for tourist visas. This shows that you have enough funds for the stay in the destination country and that you have an interest in returning home.

Clients are provided with timelines for visa applications.

Important to remember is that, from the time an application leaves the VisaRequest offices for submission to embassies, VisaRequest has limited control over what happens to the application. Once the embassy has made its decision, VisaRequest collects and returns the visa to the client in the shortest possible time. Depending on the embassy, visas can take between 5 to 25 days to be processed. The cost of a visa varies between R1 000 and R3 000. Most embassies charge extra to expedite visas, and this may be double or triple the normal fees.

Going the extra mile is a daily exercise at VisaRequest.

Problems are solved on a daily basis – like sorting out emergency business visas for a boss whose assistant forgot to send through the documents on time, or having to do airport deliveries for clients at night or on weekends.

If, for some reason, you need to extend your stay, make sure that your passport is valid six months after the date of extension.

Travel Safely Visa Requests encourages travellers to always have travel insurance. Threats that used to be isolated to Europe or Asia are now global. VisaRequest issues updates according to prevailing situations. Travellers to Greece need to ensure that they have a healthy amount of cash as a measure to avoid the inconvenience of not being able to access their plastic money due to the economic crisis there.

Happy Families When travelling in another country, the sights and sounds can be distracting. A friend of mine left a travel voucher hooked on the bathroom door, and consequently left the building and his passport behind. It happens!

To be on the safe side, make sure you have unabridged birth certificates of minors, take along copies of all travel documents, and have digital copies of all important docu-

Preferably, apply for a visa two months ahead of departure. This provides enough time to allow for possible uncertainties and keeps visa costs down, as everything can be processed normally.

Making Your Life Simpler VisaRequest offers the lowest processing fee in the industry, with R250 charged to a frequent corporate, R300 to once-off corporate clients or individuals, and R600 in the event of an emergency application. VisaRequest API offers a product that clients can put on their own websites. This enables them to have drop-downs, giving them easy access to visa information without leaving their own websites – just something else to ensure safe and happy travels!

No Tantrums Please In extraordinary circumstances, VisaRequest may request that an embassy expedite a visa by releasing it a day early.

Embassies have their own processing guidelines and policies that may not be compromised.

ments so that you can easily access them from anywhere if you lose them (passport information and visa pages, flight and accommodation confirmations, and so on). Prescribed medication should be taken for all travellers. Keep each other’s contact numbers written down. Most importantly, take lots of pictures together, and have fun!

Travelling in Africa The main countries in Africa that VisaRequest sees travel to are the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria. This is mainly business travel, with consultants and engineers being the top travellers. For nonbusiness purposes, VisaRequest is seeing an increase in travel related to religion. Whatever your reasons for travel, have a good trip!

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Out of Office

Take a Walk on the

Wild Side

by Samantha Barnes

There is much more to Uganda than gorillas in the mist. The breathtaking beauty of the landscape and the exotic nature of the fauna and flora could be likened to planet Earth before civilisation. Travellers can experience the heady joys of ‘real’ Africa by taking a much deserved break to Rwenzori Mountains National Park in western Uganda, located along the Uganda–Congo border. Another ‘cool’ reason to visit the Rwenzori Mountains National Park is that it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1994 and as a Ramsar Site in 2008.

Out of Office

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thletic types have the option of climbing four of Africa’s seven highest peaks. The highest among them is named after a cocktail, which could appeal to the adrenalin junkies among us. At 5 109 metres above sea level, Margherita is a peak to be reckoned with and conquered.

for the Rwenzori turaco amongst the diversity of birdlife in the different eco-zones.

According to Wikipedia, the turacos make up the bird family Musophagidae (literally ‘banana-eaters’), which includes plantain-eaters and go-away birds. In Southern Africa, both turacos and go-away birds are commonly known as louries. They are semi-zygodactylous – the fourth (outer) toe can be switched back and forth. Pretty nifty! More importantly, if you want to take a great photo, turacos are noted for peculiar and unique pigments, giving them their bright green and red feathers.

For those who prefer something less strenuous than the 3 000-metre regions, neighbouring Bakonzo villages offer nature walks, homestead visits, cultural performances and accommodation, including home-cooked local cuisine.

How Fit Do You Need to Be? This is, admittedly, a loaded question. Fitness requirements when climbing mountains depend on the distance and terrain to be covered each day, as well as on the altitude.

Prospective adventurers would do well to heed the advice provided by Jenny Farmer, president of the Mountain Club of Uganda: “Obviously when embarking on any mountain adventure you should be relatively fit, mobile and energetic.

The distance covered each day on the Rwenzoris as part of Less Snow on the Mountains the standard treks is not enormous, a few kilometres a day, Three peaks in the Rwenzori Mountains have permanent but often over tricky terrain and at altitude.” snow. There has been a reduction in the glacial coverage on the Jenny cautions that altitude can affect anyone, regard- mountains, most likely due to human-induced climate change. less of their fitness. She emphasises the importance of Scientists measure this kind of change over many decades. So identifying signs of altitude sickness and getting to lower it stands to reason that less snow coverage has been a long time altitude as quickly as possible. “A good way to prepare coming. A farmer confirmed that, since 1906, there has been sigfor an attempt on the peaks is to climb some of the other nificant shrinking in the size of the Elena Glacier, as a result of mountains in Uganda: the Virungas in Mgahinga National which it is approximately less than a fifth of what it was in 2006.

Park in southwest Uganda or Mount Elgon in the east,” Jenny suggests.

Tourist arrivals in Uganda shot up from 600 000 in 2006 to 1.4 million Incredibly, 78-year-old in 2014, according to figures revealed by a top official of the Uganda Beryl Parks successfully summited Margherita Peak Tourism Board. on 13 November 2010, making the Canadian the first advanced-age female climber to achieve this feat and be Other peaks have lost their snow coverage completely, recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. “She was such as Mount Luigi di Savoia. Of six peaks that were perobviously a very determined lady!”, Jenny says of Beryl’s manently covered with snow, only three now remain with accomplishment. Typically, its takes a 9- to 12-day trek to glaciers. In 1958, the Mountain Club of Uganda held the get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita. However, first skiing championships of the Ski Club of Uganda on the shorter, nontechnical treks are possible in order to scale the Stanley Plateau over a course of 200 metres. However, due to surrounding peaks. the loss in size of the glacier, there has been no recent skiing on the glacier, although there was a snowboarding attempt by Do It for the Thrill the late Hendri Coetzee in the 2000s.

“The peaks each offer a different experience for the climber, so there is always something different to explore. More Tourists for Uganda The weather is always different as well – rain, sunshine, Tourist arrivals in Uganda shot up from 600 000 in snowstorms – so that also adds variety!”, Jenny says.

2006 to 1.4-million in 2014, according to figures revealed by a top official of the Uganda Tourism Board. Steven What Can Travellers Expect to See? Asiimwe, executive director of the Uganda Tourism Board Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the high- attributes the boost in tourist arrivals to political stability est parts of the 120-km-long and 65-km-wide Rwenzori and improved infrastructure with regard to road and air mountain range. Within the ambit of its reaches, the national transport. He confirms that the number of people visiting park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species, including 19 Uganda has doubled, from 600 000 in 2006 to 1.3-million Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest arrivals in the last financial year, with the current target set vegetation. There are about five main vegetation zones on the at 1.5-million arrivals. mountains, and, from about 3 000 metres, the giant lobelias can be found. Some reach up to 8 metres in height, with their Sources: Mountain Club of Uganda, Uganda Tourism Board, decades-old rosettes towering above hikers. Keep an eye out Ugandan Wildlife Authority

ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

winner

GLOBAL Expand your business Horizon

Welfare & Civil Society Organisations Welfare and civil society organisations (CSOs) see to a range of needs in our communities. Although we as Africans are well known for our resilience, there are a number of social and environmental factors that can be debilitating and prevent the development of many people. Women make up a major portion of this sector’s workforce.

These women endure many challenges. One of the major challenges in this sector is the accessibility of resources for all. In addition, food security, poverty, HIV/Aids and the Ebola outbreak have contributed to the increasing demands made on these organisations and on the relief that they provide. These are all issues that have been under the microscope worldwide.

African civil society workers have as one of their immediate goals the education of our communities regarding prevention, sustainability and self-help.

Although the environment is a challenging one and women in CSOs endure much, their reward is the development of the communities themselves.

CEO Global

praises these women for committing themselves to persisting social issues for the good of our communities. Your work is integral to the lives of so many Africans, for, without you, we would face major crises. We applaud you for your efforts.

From South Africa Elize Joubert

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n 1984 Elize Joubert graduated cum laude from the University of Pretoria with her BA in Social Work. She began her career as the Provincial Head Patient Service with the Cancer Association of Free State and Northern Cape in March of 1990, where she quickly climbed through the ranks. In 1991 she became the Provincial Director of Cansa, then the Chief Operations Officer in 2007 and today she is the Acting CEO and COO. In her career with CANSA she has represented them at the first, second, fourth and seventh International Conferences for Cancer Organisations held around the globe. She hosted the first International Union against Cancer Conference in 1999 which drew attendants from 13 countries. As an Exco Member in the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance for SA she has influence over both the national and international cancer and non-communicable disease agenda setting. Elize is also a Country Winner in her sector.

RegionalWinner

From Uganda

From Ethiopia

Vivian Kityo

Yetneberesh Molla

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ivian Kityou could be described as a woman who is inspired to turn a challenging situation into a story with a happy outcome. Vivian is director of Wakisa Ministries. She founded the first Crisis Pregnancy Centre in Uganda under the auspices of Youth for Christ.

The centre has sheltered and assisted over 800 young pregnant girls who had been rejected by their families.

“They received free ongoing counselling and this has helped them to heal of their trauma and they have been taken for antenatal visits which they would have not received if they were at home,” says Vivian. “This includes ultra sound scanning and receiving of the delivery kits when taken to the labour ward. I have never lost any girl in delivery although Uganda has a high maternal mortality rate of teenage girls.” She trained In Women Leadership Studies and Counselling in the UK, Zambia and Uganda and is pursuing a Masters in degree in Counselling and Psychology at Ndejje University. Vivian has received a Women Achiever award and Rotary Club Award.

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he human rights promoter, Yetneberesh Molla, believes that “human beings are different, but equal.” Her many accomplishments have deservingly made her the winner of the Country and Regional awards in the Welfare and Society Organisations sector for 2015. Yetneberesh is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Ethiopian Centre for Disability and Development, a company which she has passionately driven since 2005. She has a degree in Law and a Masters in Social Work which she has used to aid her in influencing the government to pass laws and regulations that cater to the needs of differently abled persons. She also launched the first private school in Kenya that admits both students with and without disabilities. She is a CoChair for the Ethiopian Federal Charities and Societies Forum and she is a Chair for the board of the Ethiopian National Disability Action network, the largest network of disability organisations in Ethiopia since 2012.

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RegionalWinner

From Cameroon

From Zambia

Maximilienne Ngo Mbe

Lilian Saka

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aximilienne Ngo Mbe has worked within welfare for over 20 years, so the call to defend human rights is strong. As executive director, Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC), Maximilienne’s expertise is sought throughout Africa. She is an expert consultant to the African Union. She takes her work seriously; it is as much part of her as breathing. “I am very active and that almost cost me my life. As part of my very complex work I face threats from anonymous calls, intimidation, media lynching and attempted murder,” she explains. She promotes rights awareness. Maximilienne facilitates logistical and technical support for member associations and communities with respect to civil and political rights, social rights, cultural rights and others.

Maximilenne makes urgent calls, issues press releases, arranges relocation or reintegration, seeks legal and judicial assistance and arranges medical and psychological assistance. Defending human rights is not for the faint hearted and Maximilienne is making a difference.

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“C

reating life-changing impact on the lives of the poor and marginalised people,” is a goal that Lilian Saka strives towards. As executive director of the Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAF), the organisation works to ensure that poor and marginalised populations such as rural women, girls, people with disabilities, and people living with HIV, have platforms where they can interface with policy makers and duty-bearers to influence decisions and to demand accountability. Working across 10 countries in Southern Africa, PSAF targets poor communities ensuring that their voices and concerns are heard and considered in the development of policies and programmes for their countries. Lilian led a ‘ending child marriage’ campaign: mobilising journalists from Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to report on the campaign. Lilian also mobilised various groupings including the labour movement to jointly advocate for the finalisation of the constitution reform process in Zambia. Lilian does capacity building for other organisations, is a public speaker and is sought after for her opinion on current affairs.

RegionalWinner

From Benin Blandine Anique Aimee Wadochedohoun

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he Country and Regional winner in the Welfare and Civil Society Organisations sector, Blandine Anique Aimee Wadochedohoun is the President and CEO of NGO Support and Education African Women.

A non-profit organisation that helps local women package, promote and break into the market with their products. She is also a freelance consultant and personal development coach who facilitates workshops that focus on skill development. In 1992, Blandine completed her BSc and in 2001 she received her Masters Degree in Legal Sciences, specialising in general administration.

In 2013 she launched the International Conference of Autonomous Women (CIFAC) with the objectives to contribute to the socio-economic development of women and “It’s something I’m really proud because all participants have flourished,” she says. As someone who is active in her country’s development and the upliftment of its women, she offers certificates and recognises companies that value and nurture women.

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CountrywinnersC From Swaziland Siphiwe Florence Hlophe Siphiwe Florence Hlophe is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Swaziland Positive Living, an NGO that focuses on improving the quality of life of those infected with HIV/Aids.

She is a member of the High Level Task-force for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV for Eastern and Southern Africa. Siphiwe has an MD in Agriculture and Public Administration, Post Graduate Degree in Management, Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management in Communities and a Certificate in Counselling. She is also Chairperson of the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS.

From Lesotho Malerotholi Cynthia Khoabane Malerotholi Cynthia Khoabane is the Finance and Office Manager for Lesotho Boston Health Alliance, whose aim it is to strengthen management, policy, planning, and clinical capacity in the health sector of Lesotho. She qualified as an Accounting Technician in 2002, received her Diploma in Business Studies in 1999 and is currently pursuing her MBA through MANCOSA. Since joining the organisation in 2011 she has hugely contributed to streamlining operations and financial success by effectively managing and procuring projects.

From Togo Epiphanie Eklu-Koevanu Epiphanie Eklu-Koevanu is the co-ordinator of CRIFF, an NGO that trains and educates women in Togo. In her capacity she manages legal services, civic education, empowerment programmes and the young girls programme. She oversees eleven employees and around 500 volunteers.

Epiphanie began her career by teaching law in colleges and universities and her dream is to “strengthen the leadership and participation of women in all sectors.” The Welfare and Civil Societies Organisations Country winner is also a gender and human rights education specialist.

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sCountrywinners From Kenya Angela Ndambuki The composer, author, producer and performer Angela Ndambuki is also the CEO of Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK). She manages upwards of 60 staff members and has a Post Graduate Diploma and Bachelor of Law Degree. She is part of an all-girl group called Tattuu and has been involved in various productions such as Makutano Junction, Loved and Alive.

Angela has been appointed as a board member of the Machakos County Entertainment Centre for Film, Media, Music and the Arts.

From Namibia Dr. Mary Seely With 45 years’ experience within her sector Dr Mary Seely has accomplished a great deal. She has published over 160 papers, organised, authored and/or contributed to over 20 books and supervised over 50 MSc and PhD degrees. The gold medal winner from the Zoological Society of Southern Africa received a DSc honoris causa in 1994, 2004 and 2015 from the University of Natal, Free State and Grinnell College, USA, respectively. In 2008 she was named the Conservationist of the decade by Namibia Nature Foundation.

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FinalistsF From Ethiopia Yemeserach Belayneh A finalist in the Welfare and Civil Society Organisations sector, Yemeserach Belayneh is the Country Advisor for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation Population and Reproductive Health Program in Ethiopia. The mother of two believes that “poverty can be eradicated when we invest in human capital. Change is possible by changing the thinking and practice of people” Yemeserach holds a B.A in International Relations and Political Science from Addis Ababa University and a Masters Degree in Organisational Leadership and Management from Azusa-Pacific University, U.S.A.

From South Africa Cathy Jane Donaldson Assisting blind and partially sighted people is all in a day’s work for Cathy Donaldson. She has been President of Blind SA for over 10 years and serves on many boards, committees and represents sport on behalf of the blind and partially impaired. Important responsibilities include arranging braille documents, braille training, study bursaries, and finding suitable employment for those she serves.

Cathy fights for the rights of blind and partially sighted people, is a member of the Braille World Council and is President of the South African National Association of Blind Bowlers.

From Namibia Anne Thandeka Gebhardt Anne Thandeka Gebhardt is a member of the President Economic Advisory Council to the President of the Republic of Namibia and is a member of the National Planning Commission. She is also the Executive Director for the House of Women, an organisation that focuses on the empowerment of women in business. Her resume includes a Bachelor of Science Degree, Bachelor of Education degree, Secondary Teachers Diploma and a Diploma in Advanced Property Practice. Anne was also awarded the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Award of Dedication.

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sFinalists From Cameroon Gambo Lantana

Protecting the rights of women and children requires determination and energy. Gambo Lantana, chief executive officer of Cameroon Muslim Women Association Bamenda sees women and children in various settings. These include health, education, justice and prison, girls in Muslim communities who hardly go to school and street children who are reinstated with their families. She defends women widows, and works with national human rights. Her work has been recognised by the Governor of the North West Region, as Muslim and non-Muslim women interact, Muslim girls attend school and healthcare is provided to prisoners. We applaud your contribution.

From South Africa Madelein Mkunu “If we want to change Africa, we need a new people, if we want new people, we need a new mind, if we want a new mind, we need to empower people,” says Madelein Mkunu. In 2008, Madelein quit her job as an accountant to establish Leading Women of Africa, a Pan-African Women organization that has become a symbol of hope. Her innovative approach towards women and business development in Africa is highly regarded. Madelein established Women in Infrastucture Development Programme, Women Investors Programme, and Influential Leadership Programme and she leads women only trade missions.

From South Africa Khanyisile Maria Motsa Khanyisile Maria Motsa is the Managing Director of Berea-Hillbrow Home of Hope, an organisation that identifies and rescues orphaned, exploited and vulnerable children. She has received certificates in Medical and Psychosocial in Especially Difficult Circumstances (CEDC) from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency training programme, Human Resources Management, Office Administration, Project Management and Corporate Governance, to name a few. Khanyisile was named Overall Fabulous Woman by Fabulous Women Magazine in 2014 and she received a Goodwill Ambassador Certificate from L. Ron Hubbard House.

From Uganda Margaret Sekaggya Margaret Sekaggya is executive director and founder of the Human Rights Centre Uganda (HRCU). It was established to protect and promote the rights of human rights defenders (HRDs) in Uganda. The HRCU is establishing a radio station to broadcast on human rights, educational and developmental issues. The Uganda Human Rights Commission is rated by the African Commission as among the best in Africa. As UN Special rapporteur she made the issue of human rights defenders visible at the UN Human Rights Council, the General Assembly in New York and worldwide.

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Skills Transfer

And We Are

Homeless,

Homeless … I

by Samantha Barnes

Somebody Cry

Why, Why, Why?

Millions of birds migrate every year. They leave before the European winter sets in and flock towards the sunnier, temperate ecosystems of Africa. They arrive in migratory swarms, testament to the instinctive, genetically encoded need to perpetuate their species.

n contrast, governments and, by implication, people do not feel compelled to support refugees.

Uprooted from their homes and country due to instability, violence and economic uncertainty, migrants represent a headache to governments everywhere. This is not an African pandemic. Migrants are a global phenomenon.

Migrants represent a perplexing problem on many levels worldwide. “[Owing to] the stress that refugees put on the infrastructure, on schools, on the state, and on the rule of government, rule makers spend 24 hours a day trying to keep the state together,” says Paul Hughes, senior advisor, International Security and Peacebuilding, United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

Governments do not always respond quickly to a human catastrophe. The Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute notes that the Jordanian government didn’t officially recognise the growing refugee crisis until 2012 (a year after the civil war started), when increased fighting saw an average of 1 000 people a day crossing the border. “Jordan does not intend to assimilate the Syrian refugees. The only way I see it working is if the US steps in,” says Paul.

Similarly, South Africa has been at the centre of world attention due to the violent nature of xenophobic attacks occurring in Durban and Johannesburg. Many South Africans and the government have expressed their indignation at the attacks on fellow Africans. The reality on the ground tells a story of migrants running scared, fearing for their lives.

A Family on the Run “We are lucky they didn’t burn us. We hid in a room upstairs. A group of people opened the door downstairs in the salon. There was nowhere for us to go and only one entrance. They started taking our stuff out,” says Mulilikwa Bombwe, a Congolese refugee, describing the attack on his family in Durban, South Africa.

“One of them said, ‘Now we have to burn the people’. They argued among themselves about whether to burn us or not. They took everything away.” A child’s hands were burnt by acid after picking up a bottle that had been left inside the salon. The family sought refuge inside the house for two weeks, too scared to emerge.

Mulilikwa recalls the events surrounding the attack. He appears traumatised by the ordeal.

Skills Transfer

His sister Riziki Bowazi looks on quietly. Their brother Balebanga is a qualified electrician . His refugee status weakens his employment prospects.

Whose Problem?

A kindly neighbour paid for the family’s bus tickets to Pretoria to escape further attacks. “When we arrived in April this year we didn’t know where to go. We arrived at the German Embassy in the early hours of the morning and waited for the offices to open. They assumed that we were Zimbabweans and bought us blankets, fruit and water,” says Mulilikwa.

The family spent four days sleeping outside. Eventually, a representative said that a place had been found “We didn’t know where we were going. We were met by a lady who told us, ‘We cannot take these people here’. They were dealing with street kids. After heated negotiations, the family was returned to the German Embassy and to another night sleeping outdoors. An official shouted at them, berating their return. Mulilikwa retorted: “You refused us from the beginning. We are under the tree.”

Mulilikwa is visibly upset recalling the volatile situation.

Bureaucracy reached ridiculous proportions when the family was redeposited at the shelter for street children. An official from the Department of Social Development threatened that the children would be taken by force if the family did not comply. “We ran away from war and from xenophobia. We are not tired of these children!” Mulilikwa pleaded.

“The police arrived and said, ‘You cannot take these people anywhere. This is xenophobia’. They brought us to the church. Mulilikwa, his brother and sister represent one family of siblings, their partners and children. All 13 of them have spent three weeks at the Anglican Christ Church in downtown Johannesburg.

A Fresh Start They are leaving soon. A temporary house has been provided courtesy of Gift of the Givers Foundation. The organisation will provide for their food and hygiene needs for the remainder of the year. Living with a semblance of normality will hopefully give them the impetus to rebuild their lives.

Their children are neatly dressed. A toddler is dressed in the universally adored outfit of little girls everywhere of candy-pink jacket and gumboots. She and her brother giggle not realising the seriousness of the situation.

Several tents are scattered across the church garden, accommodating the family. A few trees cast a softer ambience on the scene. A cook in a nearby kitchen is making lunch.

“Poverty is a dreadful thing,” says Eve Abrahams, minister

of the Anglican Christ Church. We spare her questions. She has enough on her shoulders.

Gift of the Givers Foundation Emily Thomas is project manager for the Gift of the Givers Foundation in Johannesburg. Energetic and helpful, she takes a break from her schedule. “Gift of the Givers provides search and rescue, medical and other support.

Everything for every emergency whether it is floods or earthquakes. We learn from every situation and only visit neighbouring countries.

Emily’s position seems preordained. Eight years ago she stood distraught outside her Cape Town office, absorbing the news of her retrenchment Two passers-by prayed for her employment While doing community work in Johannesburg, Emily was approached by Gift of the Givers to help, and after her efforts was offered a job on the spot.

Gift of the Givers does not work with any specific religious denomination. “We are transparent in what we do, welcome donors and go wherever there is a need,” says Emily. “The upside of this work is giving that little bit of hope.”

In Johannesburg, their work includes providing feeding schemes at universities and assisting early-childhood development centres. “We have made a difference to 70 families who were living on the Jukskei River. They have been provided with insulated houses that don’t burn easily and a proper paved road. We have given people dignity.

As the largest disaster-relief organisation of African origin on the African continent, Gift of the Givers Foundation has delivered over R1.2 billion worldwide, including South Africa. Projects include health, education, agricultural sustainability, life skills, job creation and entrepreneurship, feeding schemes, sport and culture, and winter warmth. The hope that they have given to refugees is immeasurable.

Sources: www. giftofthegivers.org.za; www.syrian refuggees.eu

These three Congolose families escaped a xenophobic attack in Durban earlier this year and relocated to Johannesburg.

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ECTOR R egional ECTOR ECTOR Foreword

C winner

Wholesale & Retail Logistics costs due to a lack of infrastructure in Africa are a major hindrance to the organic growth of the wholesale and retail sector. There are vast differences in demand across the continent, making the growth and success of this sector inconsistent overall.

Despite these differences in demand, the sector is doing relatively well. International imports and exports are making this sector the success that it is. This, however, is a blow for Africans, as produce and commodities are often imported from other continents because of the high cost involved in local transportation. The strong relationship between the logistics sector and wholesale and retail means that both sectors are prioritising infrastructure development as both seek to reap the rewards thereof.

Women are becoming increasingly prominent in this economic sector. Kenya Airways congratulates you for your hard work and dedication in the midst of a challenging sector. We look forward to its ongoing development through your contributions.

From South Africa Margaret Hirsch

M

argaret Hirsch is chief operating officer of Hirsch’s, the biggest independently owned home appliances and electronic goods retail chain in Southern Africa. “We started as a mom and pop business, but soon realised that we could not do everything ourselves. In 1994 we took another step where we empowered our staff by starting many in their own businesses - we sold our trucks to our drivers at a low price and allowed extended terms of payment,” says Margaret. Margaret is at work early and never leaves before 6pm. She is in all her stores at least once a week. Margaret started the Margaret Hirsch Women in Business Achiever Award, mostly targeting entrepreneurs.

Margaret has won many awards including the Sanlam 2013 Life Time Achievement Award in Entrepreneurship. In 2014, Margaret was honoured with being inducted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame (2014) for countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Giving back to the community is part of Hirsch’s philosophy.

Countrywinner From Swaziland Michelle Desiree Lloyd As branch manager of Distell Swaziland Ltd, Michelle Lloyd heads up one on the best performing branches in the country, as well as the best performing branch in the coastal region. Distell Swaziland is among the largest tax payer units, contributing significant revenue to the country. “Penetrating and working in a top position as a female in a male dominated country,” is a personal achievement that Michelle is conscious of.

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Finalists From South Africa Zyda Rylands Accolades attributable to Zyda Rylands are, managing director, Woolworths: Foods business and board member of Woolworths Holdings and Country Road. Under her leadership, the foods business has doubled in revenue in the past five years. For the 26 weeks till end of December 2014, Woolworths Foods grew ahead of the market at 14.1%. Zyda is passionate about developing businesswomen. Among notable awards that Zyda has won is the Impumelelo/BMF Top 10 Business Personalities of the Year Award, as well as BMF’s Manager of the Year. In 2012 Zyda received South Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Award in the Consumer Business, Wholesale and Retail category.

From South Africa Sandra Thomas CEO of Satin Candy, Sandra Thomas started her business from the boot of her car. In five years she had achieved an annual turnover of R4-million. Satin Candy is the only independent lingerie retailer in KwaZulu-Natal with two stores; in Kloof and in Durban North. Satin Candy is looking at locations in Johannesburg. A lifelong entrepreneur, Sandra believes in passing on her skills. Satin Candy is the only brand that provides bras to size N. The company also runs community outreach projects.

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s

The Safety

(or ‘Unsafety’)

by Andrew Ngozo

of Online Businesses

The Internet may be fertile ground for some innovative new start-up companies, but it is also a breeding place for deceptive businesses. Recently, users have fallen victim to many sites that promise to auction or sell your goods, only to fail to deliver once you’ve handed over the money. Other sites are particularly devious and will actually imitate reputable organisations. Then there is the online business that promises to give you a loan regardless of your credit history. Fortunately, there are several telltale signs for deciphering whether an online business is trustworthy. While acknowledging that we live in very difficult economic times, always remember that, if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Corporate Governance

W

ith information abounding, how then does one ensure that one is not taken for a ride by someone trying to make easy money? Well, read on as we try to share information on how to determine which is a safe, and therefore genuine, online business and which is not.

Look for the Site’s Offline Address One excellent way to determine whether a business is reputable online is to figure out whether it provides an accurate offline address. Before you sign up for anything with this online business, spend a few minutes hunting around on its site for a physical address. If you can’t find one, that may already be a bad sign. Once you have this address, SiteJabber, a consumer protection service that allows Internet users to rate and avoid deceptive websites, recommends that you use Google Streetview to get a closer look at the business’s storefront. “If a discount online electronics retailer claims to be located at an address that is actually a fast food store, beware!” says Jeremy Gin, the chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of SiteJabber.

Grammar Police As a general rule, there is a direct relationship between how reputable a site is and how many grammar mistakes there are on a page. Obviously, no site is perfect (I have made my fair share in my career), but if you notice that a site misspells its own product descriptions or is loaded with grammatical errors, then it might be best to take your business elsewhere.

As Jeremy notes: “If you’re looking at buying a USD50 Gucci bag on a website that lists it as a ‘Gucci handbag Xtra cheeap’ it’s likely this is a counterfeit product.” Similarly, the Better Business Bureau cautions users to beware of sites that are full of capital letters, exclamation points and dollar signs.

It’s a bad sign when an online business starts to look more like a blog run by a 12-year-old.

Beware of the Badge Many fraudulent businesses are aware that you may be looking for signs to determine whether they are trustworthy.

That’s why some sites will include a fake badge or certificate attesting to their legitimacy. So, according to Jeremy, if you do see a badge on the site, make sure that it includes a link to a legitimate ratings association like VeriSign or the Better Business Bureau. The latter has already accredited more than 60 000 sites and provides additional information about them for consumers.

Check for the ‘S’ Before you agree to offer up any of your personal information, you should take a moment to see if the web page itself is secure. To do this, all you need to do is look at the front of the web address toolbar for the ‘https’. All domain names start with ‘http’, but when the ‘s’ is added on, it indicates that the page is secure and that any information you enter on the site is encrypted, meaning it is protected.

Unfortunately, this alone does not mean that the online

Corporate Governance

business itself is trustworthy, just that you don’t have to worry about potential hackers discovering your personal information elsewhere on the Internet.

Research the Site SiteJabber is one of several online tools you can use to verify the authenticity of a given site. Users on SiteJabber write reviews of the good and bad sites they’ve come across, so you have a great resource to find out if there are serious complaints about a particular online business. Another great tool is SiteAdvisor.com, which examines thousands of sites for spyware, spam and scams. And, as mentioned before, you should check out the Better Business Bureau, which provides contact and accreditation information for online businesses, as well as indicates any consumer complaints that have been registered against the site and government actions that have been taken in response.

Protect Your Purchase Similarly, if you are concerned about giving your credit card information to any online business, you should take advantage of sites like ShopShield and BillMeLater, two sites that allow users to purchase stuff on shopping sites across the web without having to give out your credit card information.

Trust Your Gut Feel Ultimately, if all of this leaves you feeling unsure, Jeremy from SiteJabber recommends that you ask yourself to

honestly evaluate the online business. “Ask yourself, ‘Does this deal seem too good to be true?’ If the answer is yes, then it’s probably best to walk away.”

To conclude, closely linked with the safety of online businesses is the growing crime of identity theft. Here is what you can do in cases of identity theft.  Make sure you change your passwords for all online accounts. When changing your password, make it long, strong and unique, with a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols.  Close any unauthorised or compromised credit or charge accounts. Cancel each credit and charge card and get new cards with new account numbers.  Think about what other personal information may be at risk. You may need to contact other agencies, depending on the type of theft.  File a report with your local law enforcement agency, because you will need to provide a copy of the law enforcement report for your banks, creditors, other businesses, credit bureaus, and debt collectors.  If your personal information has been stolen through a corporate data breach, you will likely be contacted with additional instructions, as appropriate, by the business or agency whose data was compromised. You may also contact the organisation’s information technology (IT) security officer for more information.

For more information, visit the Identity Theft Resource Centre at www.idtheftcenter.org.

As a general rule, there is a direct relationship between how reputable a site is and how many grammar mistakes there are on a page.

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omen of

CEO Global

Annelize Wepener Chief Executive Several years ago, while waiting in transit at an Italian airport, I was sitting on a bench with my husband waiting for the time to pass, before catching our connecting flight. At some point I noticed a figure shuffling towards us. It turned out to be a nun, who asked if she could share the bench with us.

We agreed and once she was seated I realised this woman was in fact Mother Teresa.

She enquired after our well-being and made some small talk regarding our travels. She then asked me if I would keep an eye on her belongings while she attended to some matters.

I was so surprised that a person of such stature was sitting next to me that I did not really know what to say or how to take the opportunity to ask her things I would of liked to know. After a short period she returned to gather her belongings and join the group she was going to travel with and took her leave.

What did I learn? Be ready to ask and learn – any encounter you may have with a person you respect may only be fleeting. What would I have liked to ask her? How a woman who had achieved so much, could be so unassuming and humble.

Bonita Brown Continental Manager: Client Services Identifying one heroine is not easy as the remarkable men and women that I get to work with each year all deserve the title ‘hero’. I would ask my heroes three simple questions: what is your key to balance in your life? As a young professional it does become a challenge in order to balance the work, study, social aspect of life, it would be an honour to learn the secrets from them. Next is: what has been the favourite time in your life? This will be different for all people and hearing these moments from the people I look up to really inspires me. Lastly; what has been the one thing that happened in your life that you did not think you would get through and what drove you to push through? ‘I give up’ moments happen to so many people but pushing through that is what makes you rise above.

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The women of CEO Communications were asked, “If you could spend two minutes with your heroine alive or dead, what would you ask them?” We received a mixed bag of answers. We trust that you enjoy their insights.

Channette Raath General Manager: Global Media Services Beneath the dark cloud cast by evil during world war two, acts of goodness and hope shone through as Irena Sendler. Irena managed to rescue 2500 Jewish babies and children from the grasp of evil. Eventually she was caught and tortured. Irena survived the ordeal, and managed to reunite some of the parents and children. She reminds us that evil can be overcome by acts of kindness and compassion. My question to her would be: “Did humanity change in any way, or are we still doing the same inhumane things in different ways?

And secondly, if you could change one single thing in the world what would it be? “I was brought up to believe that a person must be rescued when drowning, regardless of religion and nationality.” ― Irena Sendler

Demi Kurten DTP Operator/ Designer I would choose to spend two minutes with Marie Curie who was a physicist and chemist and also a pioneer in the study of radiation. She was the first women to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903, not only the first women to win it, but the only woman to win it twice, when she received another one, for Chemistry, in 1911. I would ask her what it was like being a woman in her generation; achieving more than most men in her time and especially since women were treated as inferior to men. She was a very inspiring woman of her time. One of her quotes that stood out for me would have to be this; “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less.”

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Linda Graae Manager: Production “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt with the heart.” Hellen Keller, left deaf and blind at 19 months, being extremely intelligent, tried to understand her surroundings through touch, smell and taste. At 6 years, Anne Sullivan, her teacher, managed to open a channel for communication though signing. Out of fascination for an amazing person’s journey from frustration, silence, darkness and a state of almost feral wildness to a full life of education, activism and intellectual celebrity, I would love to speak to Hellen Keller. Who better to ask about the way in which we communicate as human beings and our shortcomings when we cut out our natural intuition and instinct? I would love to ask her about spirituality as she called the day when her teacher managed to make the communication breakthrough her “soul’s birthday.”

Lydia Bundred Journalist As an avid reader and whodunnit book lover my collection of murder mysteries attests to my keen interest and following of Agatha Christie. Her amazing mind, gift for twist endings and use of an incredibly vain, but likeable, egg-head-shaped Belgian have made her my favourite writer. Christie once wrote “The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” This statement makes me wonder whose mind she has spent the most time in while planning her stories.

If I were allowed two minutes with the queen of crime I would have to pose the question, ‘When you write your novels do you plot the crime from the mind of the murdered or from the detective who is to catch them?” I have often wondered what her process was for creating such amazing plots and must say with all her knowledge on the subject she is most certainly the person I would consult if faced with a tricky game of Clue.

Mari-Lousie van den Berg Team Leader: Client Services

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If I ever had to meet my heroine I would firstly be absolutely amazed, astonished and overwhelmed to say the least… I imagine it would be the same feeling that a toddler experiences when they are assessed. You just do not even feel worthy to say something because you realise in an instant that this person has a large amount of authority, power and is greatly respected but the main aspect of that whole sentence is the word person. It doesn’t matter what that heroine has accomplished to be taking that title. They are still just human, like you and I, and that puts them in the perfect position to offer their wisdom, knowledge and ultimately their guidance. I would firstly ask her what pushed her into this direction to accomplish what she has accomplished. What did she do to keep herself motivated during the hard times when it felt like nothing is going to work out and there is no one supporting her?

And then what did she do to really to unwind, stop and not focus on her career? Have you been pulled over by a cop? What have you always wanted and did you get it?

Minah Mahlangu Office Assistant She is only woman in the entire world that has been married to two state presidents.

She is formidable and powerful in her own right. Her name is Graca Machel, the widow of the late former South African President Nelson Mandela and Mozambique’s Samora Machel. What has intrigued me about her, which will be my point of departure will be: personally, how does she feel about having moved in the corridors of power alongside two of the greatest men in Africa? That is not all, I will ask her how she intends to keep both men’s legacies alive by carrying on the good works they did especially in relation to Madiba the world icon, who had the world’s most powerful men and women attend his funeral? Lastly I would ask her: Were there ever any similarities between the two men that stood out for her?

Nadine Aylward Manager: Office of the CE It would be my granny. She has been a true heroine to me, who brought up nine children, all serving the Lord. I take my hat off to her and my ‘oupa’ who is no longer with us. What keeps you up at night and what are your burdens? Is she afraid of anything? What do you care most about in life? If she had a chance to do anything right now, what would she want to do? What makes her get up in the morning? What does her daily routine look like? Does she have any challenges at her age and how does she overcome them? Where did her love for knitting come from? She does amazing knitting work. (I love her soup, she especially makes me tubs of soup each winter for my family on cold days). She has been a true example of how a (biblical) woman should be, treating each person with love and respect.

Therefore I have great respect and admiration for her.

Pule Mahodi CEO Class Administrator My heroine is my mother. If I had 5 minutes to spend with her, this is what I would have asked her. Are you proud of the woman I have become or the woman I am becoming? You tried your hardest to make sure I was happy and had all I needed. Even in your last days you tried to give me advice on life and how to tackle certain situations. Lately I have found myself asking if I have implemented all that you have taught me in my life or am I just doing what I think is right at a certain point in time. You were an inspirational woman who always stood for what she believed in, you were so kind hearted.

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Samantha Barnes Journalist Marianne Fassler you have been my heroine for many years. I could have chosen Mother Theresa, but much, as I admire her, there is no way that I could compare myself to a nun. You, Marianne, are the woman I’d like to emulate when I finally grow up.

How did you know from early on that the most important thing is to have passion for what you do and to follow your own path? How did you know that you can have both family and career, if you lay your ego aside? How did you know that your husband, a person apparently so different from you, would be the sun to your moon, the voice of reason behind your passion, the anchor behind your sails? What continues to enthrall you despite being what society tags as a mature woman? You are my heroine because of your vitality, strength and joy.

Sylvia Houinsou Events Administrator: CEO Class My heroine is Angelique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, known as Angelique Kidjo. She is a singer/ songwriter and activist from Benin. Apart from her music career, one thing you will notice about her is that she values education. Her interest in understanding the people and the world around her involves earning degrees at universities, her learning also involves learning from the community she lives in, being open to hearing the people around her as she shares her needs and hopes. If I ever have the chance to spend two minutes with her, I will surely ask her these two questions: what things does she know now that she wishes to have known years back and what keeps her going?

Wilheminah Nchwe Receptionist My heroine is a world famous lady for many reasons. She is respected by all and sundry and is Maya Angelou (1928-2014); an American author, poet, dancer, actress, and singer. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry. I have lived by one of her famous quotes; ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ Therefore, in relation to this quote, I would ask her what life experiences informed her to come up with this thought. I would ask her; having inspired millions of people across the world with her works, what is the one principle or philosophy that she lived by daily and that which she wishes every woman would internalise and make their own?

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Women

The Men Behind the

The Women of

ceo

Global would like to Thank the Men of

of CEO

ceo

Global for a Successful

Year. Your contributions have been fundamental in recognising the Most Influential Women in South Africa.

How do we conduct a census on the fastest living land animal? With your help.

If you’ve been to the Kruger Park recently or are planning a trip there, send us photographs of the Cheetah you see and you could win some great prizes. For more information on the census project, visit www.ewt.org.za or e-mail your photographs to census@ewt.org.za How ard G. Buffett Foundation’s African Cheetah Initiative

Photography by

Martin Harvey

“Sizwe is ideally positioned to provide innovative solutions to the public and private sector, particularly at a time when technology is a key enabler of the delivery of services in the South African socio-economic space, especially in the health and education sectors.� ~ Reverend Dr Vukile Mehana, Chairman

Delivering Excellence Together sizwegroup.co.za