Tag: Education

Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, join us for our new year broadcast with a compilation of voices from female leaders in politics, the judiciary and medicine talking about aspects of their journeys. Our first guest in this feature is South Africa’s Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, who shares her passion and vision for transforming education in South Africa, impacting the lives of 13,500,000 learners. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in a typical South African household, raised by her grandmother, Minister Gwarube reflects on her grandmother’s influence as a trailblazing feminist whose relentless pursuit of quality education shaped her life. Many South Africans straddle multiple worlds, such as living in a village and schooling or working in a city. Our next guest, High Court Judge Jacqueline Henriques demonstrates how law and policy can be used to drive change that supports and protects the rights of women. She highlights some of the recent amendments to domestic violence legislation, such as stricter bails imposed on persons charged with domestic violence offences and harsher now prescribed for offences related to gender-based violence. The Act has expanded its definition of what constitutes domestic violence, encompassing physical abuse, spiritual abuse, economic abuse, controlling behaviour, harassment, intimidation, elder abuse, and related person abuse to name a few. The Act now also requires the community to play an active role in stopping the scourge of domestic violence it is mandatory for the public to report incidences or reasonable suspicions of domestic violence, and also criminalises the failure of a person to report such abuse. Closing today’s programme is orthopaedic spine surgeon Dr Lusanda Bomela (women account for just 5% of all orthopaedic surgeons in South Africa). Dr Bomela shares how her interest in the spine, coupled to the fact that few women take up this area of specialisation motivated her to pursue her studies in this field. One of her hopes is that she sets an example to encourage other women to take up orthopaedics and specifically spine as a specialisation.  Medicine can be a demanding career choice, but this profession does not preclude women from having a family life. Dr Bomela notes how having the right support structure in place enables her to be a spine surgeon, mother, wife, mentor and teacher. She reflects that it is not possible to be everything to everybody all the time but with a team ethos and good communication everything is doable. Dr Bomela is passionate about learning and has a deep desire to share education with others, which is part of her maternal philosophy, she believes that if we have a skill it must be passed on or used to better someone else. We have a responsibility to empower the next generation by imparting what we know to them, both in terms of skills and enlightenment. She tells us how her grandmother used to walk her mother to school 20km away for the sake of education, and years later part of her grandmother’s legacy was establishing a school 500m from her house, so no children in the village had an excuse not to be educated. Happy New Year from Womanity wishing you peace and prosperity in 2025.

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January 1, 2025

2025, New Beginnings: No Limits

Welcome to Womanity Women in Unity, join us for our new year broadcast with a compilation of voices from female leaders in politics, the judiciary and medicine talking about aspects of their journeys. Our first guest ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, who lectures in culture and heritage studies at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences specialising in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). Dr. Bhuda shares her journey into the field, describing it as a calling that began when she first enrolled in sociology and IKS at Northwest University in 2013. Supported by funding from the Department of Science and Innovation, as well as the Department of Arts and Culture, Dr. Bhuda was part of a pioneering cohort studying ancestral knowledge systems. Focusing on the role of women in society, Dr. Bhuda emphasizes that women have always held significant positions in indigenous communities, even before colonial encounters. She highlights the long-standing influence of African queens, whose leadership and stabilizing roles were instrumental in shaping civilizations. Today, in democratic South Africa, we see a revival of this heritage, with opportunities for women to lead and succeed in powerful roles. The conversation highlights how Indigenous Knowledge Systems, passed down through generations, are as fluid and adaptable as culture itself. These systems are deeply integrated into various aspects of life, including agriculture, health, and community sustainability. Dr. Bhuda elaborates on the diverse methods of knowledge transmission—ranging from oral storytelling to observation, participation, and apprenticeship. Dr. Bhuda reflects on how women's roles have evolved over time but stresses that their contributions to society have always been vital. Education is key, she argues, in shifting mindsets and ensuring that people recognize the unique strengths women bring to leadership and community-building. Dr. Bhuda also shares her thoughts on the importance of two significant indigenous practices in South Africa: the spirit of Ubuntu, which emphasizes compassion and interconnectedness, and the rites of passage that guide individuals through life's stages. She sees these traditions as valuable lessons that other societies could learn from. Closing the discussion, Dr. Bhuda speaks passionately about the power of having a vision and pursuing it relentlessly. She encourages women to dream boldly, envision the person they are meant to become, and work tirelessly toward realizing their potential. Tune in for more.

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September 27, 2024

Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda – Culture, Heritage & Indigenous Knowledge Systems – University of Mpumalanga – Generational Knowledge

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, who lectures in culture and heritage studies at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences special...

Communication is dynamic and multifaceted, influencing everything from activism to personal branding. Prof Benecke shares some of her views on how the concepts of network theory and community influencers intersect in practice, emphasising the interdependency between individuals and their networks to enable issues to be addressed. We consider personal branding for women through a communication lens, which Prof. Benecke distils into three elements; we need to find our own voice, we need to develop our confidence and we need to believe that we are good enough. In building ourselves we establish a space in the world that we can contribute to meaningfully. Prof. Benecke's work also explores the tragic reality of gender-based violence (GBV), described by President Ramaphosa as South Africa’s second pandemic. There are several theoretical arguments about why GBV occurs and possible methods to solve it. In practical terms, victims of GBV or of potential assault need to know who they can contact to help them. Reflecting on the murder of Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, sometimes the struggles that a person deals with are hidden from view, and we should all be more sensitive to the plight of other women and intervening where possible to help. Today’s show is dedicated to the memory of Rebecca Cheptegei, may her soul rest in peace. Tune in for more….

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September 5, 2024

Prof Dalien Rene Benecke – Strategic Communication Department – University of Johannesburg – Power of Communication

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Rene Benecke from the Strategic Communication Department at the University of Johannesburg. Communication is dynamic and multifaceted, influ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Patricia Lindelwa Makoni, from the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking. UNISA is Africa’s largest distance learning institution, with over 400,000 students, representing over 100 different countries. Every year more than 54,000 graduates receive qualifications from UNISA. Prof Makoni’s research interests include international finance, financial market development, corporate finance and development finance. She supervises doctoral students from diverse regions including Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United States. Their research topics include infrastructure development, international finance and aid, micro small and medium enterprises, and more. Reflecting on her work, Prof Makoni shares her insights on the challenges of financial exclusion faced by women in rural environments. She emphasises that financial inclusion is not just about access to financial products, its also about understanding the entire value chain. This includes everything from business development and market entry strategies to effective pricing and distribution channels. She believes that empowering women with this holistic knowledge is key to sustainable economic development. Beyond her academic endeavours, Prof. Makoni talks about managing the balance between the various facets of her life. She highlights the importance of making our assets and capital work for us—extending beyond just financial capital to social capital (our networks and relationships) and human capital (our skills, knowledge, and desire to learn). When these elements are combined, they create a powerful force for personal and professional growth. Tune in for more….

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August 30, 2024

Prof Patricia Makoni – Department of Finance – University of South Africa – Financial Inclusion

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Prof Patricia Lindelwa Makoni, from the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Department of Finance, Risk Management and Banking. UNISA is Africa...

This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Rachel Jafta, a Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and Director at Naspers / Prosus. Professor Jafta believes economics is fundamentally about people. Her diverse research covers topics like International Trade, Industrial Organisation, Technological Change, R&D, Affirmative Action, and Black Economic Empowerment. In this insightful conversation, she emphasizes how a nation's wellbeing hinges on the participation of its entire population in the economy, highlighting the detrimental effects of excluding women. She also sheds light on the opportunities brought by digitalisation, which could unlock global markets for female entrepreneurs, and the potential of a single African market to expand opportunities for women. She notes the work that Naspers Labs does to equip youth with digital skills training to access the digital economy, not just as job seekers but as entrepreneurs.   Professor Jafta also explores the key barriers women face: access to markets, finance, networks, and knowledge. She shares an example from India, where individuals without collateral use track records in place of credit profiles, illustrating innovative ways to address financial access issues. Reflecting on her own journey, Prof. Jafta recalls how education was a priority in her family, even though her parents didn’t attend school, they ensured that their six children were educated.  Prof Jafta had supportive teachers and one of them thought she should enroll for a university degree, at a time when it was not the norm for girls to go to university.  After graduating she wanted to go to Mexico but was unable to, due to Apartheid travel restrictions, and so, at the tender of age of 23, she applied to be a junior lecturer at the University of Venda but instead ended up pioneering the formation of its economics department. Reflecting on this experience she views it as a valuable opportunity for leadership and institutional legacy building.  Her parting advice? "Never underestimate your potential, be kind to yourself, and don’t hesitate to ask for help—because if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no!" Tune in for more on this inspiring episode! #WomenInLeadership #Economics #GenderEquality #Empowerment #DigitalEconomy #WomenInTrade #Womanity

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August 15, 2024

Prof Rachel Jafta – Stellenbosch University – Director at Naspers – People Economics

This week on Womanity - Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Rachel Jafta, a Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and Director at Naspers / Prosus. Professor Jafta believes econo...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Jacqueline Henriques of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court. Judge Henriques comes from a family of educators and initially wanted to follow in their footsteps but was dissuaded by her father. She registered for a BProc at university with the intention of switching over to degree in education, however soon found her passion for law.  For aspiring law students, she recommends focusing on your goals and acquiring as much practical experience as possible. She shares some of the qualities of being a judicial officer, such as impartiality, independence, integrity, ethics, empathy and more… Judge Henriques highlights some of recent amendments to domestic violence legislation, such as stricter bails imposed on persons charged with domestic violence offences and harsher now prescribed for offences related to gender-based violence. The Act has expanded its definition of what constitutes domestic violence, encompassing physical abuse, spiritual abuse, economic abuse, controlling behaviour, harassment, intimidation, elder abuse, and related person abuse to name a few. The Act now also requires the community to play an active role in stopping the scourge of domestic violence it is mandatory for the public to report incidences or reasonable suspicions of domestic violence, and also criminalises the failure of a person to report such abuse. We discuss how policy can be used to drive change to support women, however, remark that implementation and monitoring of implementation is actually what drives change.  Judge Henriques appeals to women to help each other, to support each other and advance each other, so that we all make a positive impact on the world. Tune in for more…

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August 2, 2024

Judge Jacqueline Henriques – KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court– Perseverance and Service

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, for our series on women in the judiciary, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Judge Jacqueline Henriques of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court. Judge Henriques comes from ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Latifa Firfiray, who is the heads up anaesthesiology clinical services at Tygerberg Hospital and lectures at Stellenbosch University. Dr Firfiray shares some of her motivations for pursuing her specialisation in anaesthesiology, which requires interacting with a multidisciplinary team. She highlights some of her experiences with sedating patients in theatre and helping manage patients with chronic pain through nerve blocks. One of Dr Firfiray’s areas of interest is the wellness of doctors, especially anaesthetists, who have been shown to experience a high rate of burnout, particularly in the public sector. It is almost ironic that doctors, whose role is to care about other people, sometimes neglect their own self-care. Some of the factors that contribute to burnout include system and personal stressors. The accumulative effects of these stressors, if they are not managed correctly, result in mental health issues, like depression and anxiety. Women tend to be susceptible because they often juggle multiple roles simultaneously. In the workplace some preventative measures include a leadership that is open to listening to people on the ground and creating a supportive environment where people can thrive and feel valued. Dr Firfiray encourages us to think in terms of a sisterhood, that we are not alone in our journeys and we should be able to lean on one another for support and lift each up for the betterment of all our lives. She reminds us that women can have it all, but we don’t necessarily have to do it all ourselves, some things can be outsourced to others. Tune in for more…

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July 19, 2024

Dr Latifa Firfiray – Head of Anaesthesiology – Tygerberg Hospital

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Latifa Firfiray, who heads up anaesthesiology clinical services at Tygerberg Hospital and lectures at Stellenbosch University. Dr Firfiray sha...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to KwaZulu Natal’s first female Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon, Dr. Pranusha Ramlakhan, who works in the public sector at the King Edward VIII Hospital/Victoria Mxenge Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. Women are underrepresented in the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery specialisation. Dr. Ramlakhan shares her journey and emphasises that gender should not be a barrier to anyone’s dreams. Through hard work, faith, belief in her dreams and family support she achieved her goals. One of the rewarding aspects of her work is having an impact on people’s lives. She recounts a memorable case of removing a tumour from a young girl’s jaw, which had disfigured her appearance and caused her to be socially introverted. After the procedure, when the girl looked in a mirror and saw normal features on her face, she was overcome with emotion, and her sense of self-confidence was restored. In terms of her profession, Dr. Ramlakhan notes the value of mentorship and how this asset was lacking at the beginning of her career. She is actively mentoring upcoming maxillofacial surgeons, providing them with the right guidance and sharing her experiences for them to make informed choices. In closing, Dr. Ramlakhan encourages us to follow in Theodore Roosevelt’s words: “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there”. The journey to success is not always a straight path, but through self-belief, support from loved ones, and drawing on your faith, most challenges can be overcome and make you stronger. Tune in for more…

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July 12, 2024

Dr. Pranusha Ramlakhan – Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon: Self-belief, Support & Spirituality

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to KwaZulu Natal’s first female Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon, Dr. Pranusha Ramlakhan, who works in the public sector at the King Edward VIII Hospit...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nika Vafaei, who is a Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon in private practice and previously served in the public sector. Dr Vafaei shares the differences between the types of conditions she treats in the private sector compared to her experience in the public sector, noting that cases in the public sector tended to be dominated by pathology (i.e tumours) and trauma as a result of assaults (such as broken jaws and broken noses), whereas wisdom tooth extraction and placing implants were more common in private practice. We discuss the low ratio of maxillofacial surgeons to the general population and the uneven distribution of these specialists, particularly in rural communities. Lack of access to specialists has significant implications on individuals’ wellbeing, often conditions become complicate to treat because patients have delayed seeking help.  Dr Vafaei describes a memorable case where she was able to restore mobility to a young girl’s jaws after 13 years of not being able to open her mouth properly. According to the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons only 8% of oral and maxillofacial surgeons are female; unfortunately this is a global trend. Dr Vafaei highlights some of the challenges of pursuing a specialisation, such as the intensity of working, studying and conducting research simultaneously. The demands during this phase can be difficult for women who have or plan to have children if they don’t have adequate support structures to help them. Dr Vafaei emphasises the benefits of having role models and mentors to provide a lived experience that shows how they attain professional goals and positive behaviours to emulate. In closing, Dr Vafaei encourages us to understand our purpose and what motivates us to do the things we want them to; and to combine these drivers into our vocations to lead fulfilling lives.   Tune in for more…

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June 22, 2024

Dr. Nika Vafaei – Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon: Patience, Purpose and People

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr. Nika Vafaei, who is a Maxillofacial and Oral Surgeon in private practice and previously served in the public sector. Dr Vafaei shares the differ...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Thokozani  Chilenga-Butao from the Department of Political Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. 2024 is an election year for more than 60 countries around the world, representing almost 50% of the global population. Political policies shape the narrative of societies and underscores importance of citizen’s having a say in the way that their country is governed. Dr Chilenga-Butao shares her perspectives on three benefits afforded to citizens voting in democratic elections. The first is representation, the possibility of electing officials that not only hear their needs, but deliver them too. The second is the protection of basic freedoms and human rights, so that people are able to express themselves in and live life in a way that they choose to. Thirdly, people should be able to live peacefully, and not find themselves in a dictatorship. Recent elections in South Africa, have shown that people were dissatisfied with the status quo and used their votes to effect political change. We note that the global representation of female parliament members is 26.9%, and consider that education, access to funding and countering personal attacks, such as insults and negative commentary, adhering to party rhetoric are some of the barriers that impede women’s access and progress in politics. Dr Chilenga-Butao notes that women politicians, irrespective of political party affiliation, tend to speak the same language when it comes to injustice, and this consistent collective common voice drives change. For example, in South Africa, female politicians banded together to abolish period tax and tackle gender-based violence. Dr Chilenga-Butao reminds us that time is finite and encourages us to take action today and keep pushing the edge of our boundaries open to more opportunities. The gains we make for ourselves and families also serve to inspire others to action their own dreams. Tune in for more…

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June 7, 2024

Dr Thokozani Chilenga-Butao – Department of Political Studies, University of Witwatersrand – Opening Spaces

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Thokozani  Chilenga-Butao from the Department of Political Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. 2024 is an election year for more than...

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