SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY
FEARLESS LEADERSHIP: SPEAKING TRUTH WITH CONVICTION AND INTEGRITY Bonang Mohale Bonang Mohale is the Chancellor of the University of the Free State, former President of Business Unity South Africa, Professor of Practice in the Johannesburg Business School and Chairman of three listed entities, the Bidvest Group Limited, ArcelorMittal and SBV Services. He is a member of the Community of Chairpersons of the World Economic Forum and author of the two bestselling books, ‘Lift As You Rise’ and ‘Behold The Turtle’. He has been included in the Reputation Poll International’s 2023 list of the ‘100 Most Reputable Africans’. He is a change agent, defender of democracy, social justice activist and has been a vocal, courageous and active proponent of transformation since the 1980s, and played a leadership role in the Black Management Forum for over 33 years, where he was the President. Prof. Mohale often fondly reminisces about how his grandmother, who was one of the seven wives his grandfather had, was his role model on recognising the diverse skills and abilities inherent in all her grandchildren. She painted, farmed mielies, sold vegetables and did many other things just to put food on the table for the numerous children in her care. This realisation and awareness provided a context for him when he lost his father in 1979 when he was 17 years old and had to step in as a father figure for his siblings and support for his mother. He remembers selling oranges and apples in the trains, which culminated in him being a freelance photographer to earn extra income. Prof. Mohale has intentionally used his rank and influence to pursue transformation, which he believes is about fundamentally breaking with the past to create something new that bears absolutely no resemblance to the past. In every position where he has served in executive leadership, he has empowered Black owned companies as well as Black women in business. His own family-owned business that was formed in 1992, has invested in eight companies and wholly owns three where the CEOs are women. DEI in the Global South | Edition 1
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