Page 23 - The Villager August 2021

Turning the clock over to the 21st our ground-breaking South African serving cabinet member, who retired
Century, we see Angela Merkel very ably Constitution, and was Public Protector in 2019. Bridgette is the owner and CEO
running affairs in Germany as the first from 2009 – 2016. Her most controversial of Mmakau Mining and was recently
female Chancellor of Germany – elected ‘moment’ in the public eye was when she voted by Forbes magazine as one of the
in 2005 and then re-elected in 2009, reported that the then President of SA, 20 Most Powerful Women in Africa. Her
2013 and 2017. Jacob Zuma, had unfairly benefitted from estimated net worth is R1-bn.
In Africa, Saara Kuugongelwa- a whopping R246-million (or more) of The first woman CEO of the
Amadhila became the fourth (and first taxpayers’ money spent on the upgrading Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)
female) Prime Minister of Namibia his homestead. Although she was was Nicky Newton-King, who joined
in 2015, at the age of 48. Prior to her publically humiliated and intimidated by the JSE in 1996 and was appointed
appointment, she was the Minister of many of his supporters, she refused to as CEO in 2012. In October 2019, she
Finance, appointed in 2003 when she back down. She is now a Law Professor at passed the reins over to Dr Leila Fourie,
was just 36. She held that position for the University of Stellenbosch. who had worked at the JSE from 2012
twelve years, only passing over the reins Currently rated as the third-richest – 2016 before emigrating to Australia,
when she was elected Prime Minister. woman in SA, Irene Charnley and her two where she gained experience as CEO
Other young women voted into top siblings were raised by their Mom. They of the Australian Payments Network
government positions, include Sanna grew up on the Cape Flats, in a relatively and Head of Consumer Finance at the
Marin who became a member of poor community situated on the outskirts Commonwealth Bank of Australia,
Finland’s Parliament at the age of 30, of Cape Town. Although she studied at the before returning to SA to take up the
going on to be elected as Finland’s 46th London College of Printing, she somehow position as Group CEO of the JSE.
Prime Minister at the age of 34, taking found a niche for herself as a negotiator Dr Fourie has also been appointed
office on 10 December 2019. And then, for the National Union of Mineworkers Co-chair of the Global Investors of
on the other side of the globe, there’s the (NUM) – a position that she held for Sustainable Development Alliance
current Prime Minister of New Zealand, thirteen years before joining Johnnic, (GISD) by the UN Secretary General.
Jacinda Ardern, who took office in 2017 and then moving on to MTN. Using This very ‘brief’ list, of course, doesn’t
at the age of 37. her experience in the telecoms sector, even scratch the surface of what South
Here in SA, we have yet to see a Irene then founded her own telecoms African women are achieving here and
woman President, but let’s not forget that company, Smile Communications, around the world.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was Deputy which is based in Mauritius and provides What is apparent, is that young women
President from June 2005 – September services to Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and don’t need to hang back and wait their
2008, followed by Baleka Mbete from the DRC. Irene’s net worth is estimated to turn. Whether it’s entering the world of
September 2008 – May 2009. And be around R1,5bn. politics, business, IT, sport, entertainment
currently, 45% of the National Assembly’s One notch below Irene in the richest or embarking on any of the other careers
Members of Parliament are women. South African women rankings (https:// out there, there’s always room for one
briefly.co.za) is Bridgette Radebe, sister more – or the opportunity to break
OTHER INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN SA of billionaire mining magnate, Patrice ground in an entirely different direction.
Although she’s an activist with strong Motsepe, and Dr Tshepo Motsepe, wife of And with the pace of change increasing
political ties, Thuli Madonsela is also our current President, Cyril Ramaphosa. daily, it’s the fresh young minds that will
an advocate and human rights lawyer. Bridgette is married to Jeff Radebe, be best-equipped to face the challenges
She was involved in the drafting of South Africa’s longest continuously of the future.

The Villager • Issue 8 2021 • 21