50 women to watch in 2004
January 14, 2004 Edition -1
Nalisha Kalideen
KB Motsilanuane (24)
Keabetswe (KB) Motsilanyane plays KayBee in Backstage. She juggles her acting career during the day with a singing career at night, not to mention her business career, while
being a role model to all her fans.
So far:
A talented singer and actress, Motsilanyane grew up in a musical family always knowing that she wanted to be a performer. She started singing seriously when she won a talent competition at the age of 13.
While studying acting at Pretoria Technikon, she sang with the group Crowded Crew, but it wasn’t until she was cast in the hit movie Ali in 2000 and then met her producer, Terry Pinana, the following year, that her career really took off.
The most challenging aspect of her worklife, she says, is juggling her various roles.
“I love working though. I prefer to be stressed and working than not doing anything.”
The most rewarding moment of her career so far was taking part in the international fund-raising show, “Divas Unite Against Hunger.”
Up next:
Currently, Motsilanyane is writing songs for her new album and working on an interactive website for her fans. It will launch this year.
She also hopes to cultivate a slightly edgier image than the one she has maintained for the past two years.
As far as her long-term goals go, Motsilanyane isn’t much of a planner. “If there’s something I’m meant to do, it will happen,” she says.
Motsilanyane says she has grown a lot as a musician. Part of that growth has been learning that music is a business.
“When you’re writing an album, you get attached to the songs and tend to be so emotional about the music, but it has to sell. I realised that when I released my first album.”
She says: “I’ve never had to choose (between acting and singing) but music is closer to my heart. I can tell my own stories through my songs. I strongly feel that I was born to be a singer and a performer.” – Kristy Siegfried
Babalwa Ngonyama (29)
Chartered Accountant
So Far:
Ngonyama qualified as a chartered accountant in 1999. She is currently chairperson of the board of African Women Chartered Accountants. Her greatest achievement is becoming a partner at Deloitte & Touche.
Up Next:
She plans to ensure that women are better developed and able to cope with the challenges they face, to balance family and work life and to become involved in mentoring projects.
She says: “Be yourself and don’t imitate anybody else.
“My slogan is to lift others as you climb.”
Bessi Bulunga (30)
Manager of the Department of Labour
So far:
She worked on the domestic worker laws and developed conditions of employment and minimum wages. She also developed strategies for blitz inspections in the domestic worker sector.
Up next:
Bulunga will tackle the taxi industry to regulate employment conditions. She also plans to complete her masters in labour law and eventually do an MBA.
She says: “Knowing that I am in a position to make policies that will change (workers’) lives keeps me going.”
Kassie Naidoo (35)
Magazine Designer
So far:
Naidoo has worked in the publishing industry for 11 years. She joined TBWA/Gavin/Reddy in March 2002, and is currently heading the design team and working on various accounts. Her team won two awards last year at the Sappi Pica Awards.
Up next:
She has been invited to speak at the 7th International Design Indaba in Cape Town in February.
She says: “I love every experience I’ve had. The bad ones teach you what your strengths are … the good ones add to the joy of living.”
Louise Duncker (44)
Anthropologist and researcher
So far:
Duncker helped develop a national sanitation policy for the Department of Water Affairs and develop key performance indicators for the sanitation sector. She has also developed strategies for the empowerment of rural women and studied hygiene education in rural areas.
Up next:
Duncker hopes to start studying for a PhD in anthropology.
She says: “I think my greatest achievement lies in being able to put myself in another person’s culture … really understanding why they do things the way they do.”
Dr Lucille Blumberg (48)
Medical microbiologist
So Far:
Blumberg followed a fairly mainstream career in medicine until she was introduced to the world of infectious diseases.
She has worked at the Institute of Communicable Diseases dealing with diseases like Ebola, Congo fever and rabies.
Up Next:
This year she will be moving to head the infectious diseases outbreak response unit.
She says: “My motivation has been to learn, to teach, to always enjoy what I am doing, to seize opportunities, but also to make a difference in the process.”
Dr Connie Kganakga (53)
HIV/Aids director: Social development
So Far:
Kganakga has a PhD in nursing. She helped develop a nurse-based model for the anti-retroviral rollout in rural areas while working at the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Up Next:
Kganakga joined the Department of Social Development as chief director: HIV/Aids this month.
“I’d like to see communities taking ownership in mitigating the impact of the epidemic and the department lending socio-economic support to all other roleplayers so prevention, care and support become a reality.”
Tembeka Mbobo (48)
Co-ordinator of women in writing
So far:
Mbobo left journalism to become a full-time writer. She runs workshops for women in rural areas to help them write, edit and publish their work.
Up next:
Mbobo will run writing workshops in Limpopo, Free State and Northern Cape and will publish three anthologies from each province.
She says: “I’ve seen many women scream with honest joy at seeing their names in print. I’ve seen women and men grow in stature and self-esteem on seeing that they are worthy and capable of being ‘great’.”
Dr Sharon Biermann (42)
Geographer
So far:
For over 10 years, she has been involved in developing the National Housing Spatial Investment Framework and the National Spatial Development Perspective for the Office of the Presidency.
Up next:
She wants to start mentoring young researchers in the field.
She says: “What is rewarding is that in a field fraught with ideology, politics and assumptions about people’s needs, I can bring some empirical evidence so policy makers are better informed.”
Reliwe Mathe (36)
Tour guide
So far:
After two years working as a guide at Gold Reef City, Mathe left to start her own business. It’s been five years, and she is so successful that she sometimes passes on engagements to other tour guides. When Oprah Winfrey made her book club tour to SA, Mathe took them around Soweto.
Up Next:
She plans to become more involved in training tour guides.
She says: “If you wait for things to happen to you they never will. Go forward and strive for the things you want.”
