Gala dinner inspires
WOMEN in business were under the spotlight during a gala dinner hosted by the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) at Roydon Nature Reserve on Saturday.
The dinner, themed: “Women in leadership and business,” was aimed at empowering and inspiring up-and-coming women in business.
CHDM executive mayor Kholiswa Vimbayo opened the event.
Businesswoman and Women’s Rights activist Sinazo Mshengu, in an exclusive interview with The Rep, said there were in fact many opportunities that women could access.
“Women at times are their own enemies.
“In a previous job I worked in, women tried to bring me down more than men and this is a problem. If we are to fight for our rights, then we need to be united and stop fighting against each other or we will never achieve anything.”
Mshengu said home, school and university mindsets needed to be changed, as the home setting, particularly, often presented a woman with the vision that leadership roles were reserved for men, while women had to cook, clean and look after the children.
Relationship expert Noxolo Speelman said women should start loving themselves, before loving others.
She added that women normally spent so much on the father and the children that they were left with nothing for themselves.
“Women are emotional beings, but to make sound decisions you need to think, feel and decide.”
Co-founder and owner of Therato Ency Letsoane Guesthouse & Training, who is also a partner at Over the Rainbow Entrepreneurship training and an ambassador for BayHill Capital, Therato Letsoane, said she had achieved due to the support from her husband and family. Women needed a spirit of excellence when in business.
“In business you need to respect all of your employees, because if you treat your staff with respect they will never forget you.”
The evening ended with a performance by multi-award winner Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mankayi who sang his critically acclaimed song,