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UKZN’s Chief Finance Officer, Ms Nontuthuko Mbhele and Executive Director: Corporate Relations Ms Normah Zondo shared their experiences as female executives at the Women Who Lead event facilitated by Law graduate and award-winning public speaker Ms Thembalethu Shange.
In collaboration with the UKZN Finance Society, the College of Law and Management Studies hosted the virtual conversation in celebration of Women’s Month.
The discussion touched on various topics such as overcoming hurdles while navigating a successful career; a work-life balance; the importance of prioritising mental health; surviving and learning from failure; and being a leader who nurtures a growth-enabling environment.
Being a senior executive responsible for managing UKZN’s financial affairs is no easy feat, but for Mbhele, who also serves as an independent non-executive Director of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, her leadership journey is about leaving a legacy that will ensure that women are only judged on their capabilities.
‘I don’t want to be gone and have people thinking, what was she here for? What did she do?’ she said.
‘I was very fortunate that when I started working, it was a time of great opportunities for a Black young woman and very grateful that the people who mentored and supported me recognised my talent long before I recognised my own potential. I want to leave a legacy that says, it doesn’t matter where you come from, that you are a woman or the colour of your skin, women must be judged as capable until they prove otherwise.’
With her role at UKZN centred on positioning the University locally and globally as the Premier University of African Scholarship, Zondo emphasised that being a successful leader is about making an impact as well as supporting and nurturing others without expecting anything in return.
‘We like to put ourselves in a box and give ourselves labels; I hate labels because I am a person first. The way I approach things has nothing to do with gender or labels as you have to judge a person by their capabilities,’ said Zondo.
‘It doesn’t mean that if you are a woman, people have to do you favours; you have to prove yourself. We should ensure that the people who come after us find it easier to navigate their careers. Hence, I would advise young people who aspire to be in leadership one day not to hesitate when an opportunity presents itself, to be teachable and don’t have a know-it-all attitude and to be passionate about everything they do.’
Deputy President of the UKZN Finance Society, Ms Tholwami Mlambo, highlighted that the event was not only about celebrating inspirational women leaders, but also a platform to discuss and address the factors that hamper gender equality and women empowerment.
‘Sadly, progress on some of the gender indicators has either deteriorated or stagnated over the past few years. Some of the factors that have contributed to this are substantial gender gaps that continue to deprive women of opportunities. This is a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of women in society as trailblazers of change,’ she said.
To view this event, visit UKZN’s YouTube page here.
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photographs: Supplied