Women and Youth Leaders are the Key to our Future

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The 16th Annual Masakhane Youth Leadership Course (MYLC) recently hosted a panel of women leaders. This dialogue session aimed to empower future leaders with practical mechanisms to aid them in their various leadership roles.

The panel consisted of UKZN academics: Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the College of Law and Management Studies Professor Managay Reddi; Acting Dean of the School of Arts Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa; JL Dube Chair for Rural Education Professor Relebohile Moletsane; the Durban University of Technology’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement Professor Sibusiso Moyo and Founder and Director of Bloom Managing Ms Nokuthula Luthuli.

The panel engaged learners on the experiences of women in leadership positions while also encouraging them to pursue leadership positions. 

Some of the sentiments shared were on how a leader should have a clear vision and plan of action on where he/she wants to be. Some of the emerging themes of the discussion related to the importance of being a pioneer and a visionary leader, especially in identifying the goal and direction of any entity.

The panelists noted that through embodying/exhibiting characteristics that exude a sense of confidence in your team is influential and reflects positively on you as a leader. One must display knowledge concerning the skills and processes of their team so as to be able to offer effective direction.

Moyo, however, gave a different  angle to the term’s definitive properties, saying, ‘To me  being a leader is being able to serve others, lead by example and basically to assure others what is it that may urge them to want to follow me. A leader is normally conscious of their environment and the context in which they find themselves.’

‘They should be bold enough to take up issues and roles that can make a difference to the community that they serve. It’s about having a cause which others can follow and having outcomes which are relevant to that community and society.’ She argued that leadership is about taking risks and being accountable.

Learners were advised of the many challenges, constraints and limitations in relation to achieving one’s goals but that perseverance and persistence must be adopted and executed.

The panelists recognised that women in leadership positions experience more hardships compared to their male counterparts.

Reddi added, ‘The main issue is underlying biases, underlying prejudices and discriminatory practices that are not necessarily linked to the differences between men and women. For instance, there is no difference between women’s qualifications, their intellect and brain capacity or in their qualifications and competence.’

‘Yet women are treated differently and this is as a result of stereotyping and discrimination. However, there are certain things that do impose on women’s ability to realise their full potential at work, and that is women still bear the brunt of family responsibility. These are child-bearing and child care and as a result they sometimes have to take a break from their employment which impacts on their ability to fulfil and unlock their full potential at work,’ she said.

Advice given to aid emerging leaders was that they should first acquire excellent credentials and continually train themselves because the workspace in their area of specialisation is constantly evolving.

Secondly, young people were encouraged to be vigilant when selecting people they associate with. In addition to this, hard work and aspiring towards excellence, including self-promotion was emphasised.

According to Luthuli, the stage towards change and inclusive growth has been set, it is now up to women leaders to identify something they feel passionate about and take a stand. ‘Who should rise to come up with solutions to these issues, the very people who are suffering,’ she said.

Words and photograph by: Ziphezinhle Silindile Biyela