Top Empowerment 21st Edition

Page 88

INTERVIEW ITHUBA: CHARMAINE MABUZA

In 2017, the World Lottery

Association announced that the South African National Lottery

accounted for half of the lottery sales of the entire African continent.

This year, in recognition of our

empowerment efforts, ITHUBA

prevailed in two categories of the Gender Mainstreaming Awards:

Large National Company Positive Role Model Gauteng, and Large

National Company Positive Role

Model – South Africa. ITHUBA was

also a finalist in the Investing in Young Women category. On the global front, ITHUBA was recognized by Gaming Intelligence as Lottery Operator of

the Year in Africa, and, as ITHUBA

CEO, iGaming Business positioned

me among the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Gaming.

From a purely business perspective, what particular challenges have you experienced and how did you solve them?

When ITHUBA started operating the National Lottery, we had to ensure that we address the gender representation gap within the industry which is primarily male-dominated. We had to ensure that we appoint and equal number of female executives compared to our male-counter-parts. This is a global challenge within the gaming industry, and I am pleased to say that within our executive committee, we have 50% female representation.

What differences have your solutions made to your company?

Growing online gaming has been one of the best things we have done for

the economy. Africa will get a piece of

ITHUBA’s ability to keep abreast

this big pie.

advancement has allowed us to

expand the footprint of the National

What would you say is your leadership style?

turn has meant we have been able

A leader knows how to get the best

the South African economy and to

to know and understand my subject-

entrepreneurship, and support

to debate and find solutions that

of innovation and technology

Lottery and increase sales. This in

I tend towards a collaborative style.

to put back substantial amounts into

out of their team and I take the time

educate young professionals, develop

matter experts and encourage them

women and youth.

are a win-win for all.

When we were awarded the National

However when the going is tough I

the first female CEO in the gaming

to follow the toughest and loneliest

one of the few in the world. From

strong vision of where you want the

transforming the racial and the

ITHUBA opening out further across

Lottery contract in 2015, I became

am prepared, as any leader must be,

sector for the whole of Africa and

path. And you need to have a

the outset I have made sure that

business to go. For example, we see

gender profile of the gaming sector

the African continent.

remains a top priority.

How has COVID affected your business model? I believe that any business – big or

How do you relax?

I have a very hectic and demanding

job as the CEO, so what I value above all is spending time with family over

small – should have a continuity plan

the weekend.

of crisis. We were all caught off guard

by COVID-19, but ITHUBA was a jump

Do you have a message of hope for our readers out there?

Africa – we had a strongly flexible

been devastating for our lives and for

adopted the innovative technology

become more realistic about how

gaming. Our players were able to

learnt some valuable lessons in how

in place, ready to implement in a time

ahead when the pandemic hit South

While the COVID-19 pandemic has

team in place, and we had already

many people’s livelihoods, we have

that enabled us to transition to online

to handle it. As a country we have

make use of our digital platforms.

to survive the challenges that it has brought. Now that the government has relaxed the restrictions, our

priority should be to re-energise the

economy and create more jobs. If we work together with our government, by creating opportunities for more citizens to enter the productive

economy, we will be building a better future for ourselves.

88

IMPUMELELO TOP EMPOWERMENT

2 1 ST E D I T I O N


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.