mentorship | Womanity

This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Mashiko Setshedi, Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, she is a leading gastroenterologist, educator, and researcher shaping the future of healthcare in South Africa and developing the next generation of healthcare professionals. From Aspiring Lawyer to Medical Leader Prof. Setshedi shares the unexpected path that led her into medicine. Initially intending to pursue a career in law, a medical school acceptance changed the course of her life. What followed was a deep passion for medicine and a career-defining moment when two influential female professors recognised her potential and encouraged her to pursue internal medicine. Exploring the “Second Brain”: The Fascinating World of Gastroenterology Prof. Setshedi explains why the gastrointestinal system is often referred to as the body's "second brain," emphasising its critical role in immunity, nutrition, disease prevention and overall wellbeing. She discusses groundbreaking advances in the field, including: Precision medicine tailored to individual patients. New treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. Minimally invasive procedures replacing traditional surgery. AI-assisted diagnostic technologies that improve accuracy and patient outcomes. Choosing Leadership Over Comfort Prof. Setshedi's reflects on the difficult decision to step away from some of her direct clinical and research ambitions to lead an entire department. While the move required sacrifice, it ultimately aligned with a deeper sense of purpose: creating lasting impact through education, staff development, culture-building and institutional transformation. Her experience illustrates that leadership often requires embracing opportunities before we feel fully ready for them. Rebuilding Culture Through Compassion and Collaboration Having inherited a high-performing department, Prof. Setshedi chose not to focus solely on technical excellence. Instead, she identified a deeper need: healing and reconnecting a community affected by years of disruption, including student protests, leadership losses, the COVID-19 pandemic and resource constraints. Her leadership philosophy centres on: Collaboration over hierarchy. Listening before directing. Creating environments where people feel valued and heard. Building cultures of belonging, trust and inclusion. She argues that when people feel supported and connected, excellence naturally follows. Transforming Medical Education for a New Generation Teaching remains one of Prof. Setshedi's greatest passions. She speaks candidly about the need to rethink how doctors are trained, moving away from outdated teaching methods based on intimidation and hierarchy. Her vision for medical education includes: Human-centred learning. Greater empathy and cultural competence. Stronger partnerships between doctors and patients. Curriculum reform that reflects African realities. Using AI to streamline learning and reduce information overload. She believes future healthcare professionals must not only be clinically competent but also deeply compassionate, understanding that medicine is fundamentally a profession of service. Women in Leadership: Progress and Persistent Challenges In our discussion on gender representation in medicine, Prof. Setshedi notes that women often equal or outnumber men at undergraduate level, yet remain underrepresented in senior leadership positions. She explores several contributing factors: Limited succession planning. Lack of sponsorship and advocacy. Structural barriers. Women's tendency to underestimate their own readiness for leadership roles. Importantly, she calls for intentional efforts to identify, support and develop future women leaders, emphasising that talent alone is not enough without opportunity and encouragement. Defining Success on Your Own Terms When asked about the keys to her success, Prof. Setshedi offers a powerful perspective: success must be personally defined. Rather than measuring achievement through external markers, she encourages individuals to ask: "Am I a better person today than I was yesterday?" For her, true success lies in continuous growth, meaningful contribution and service to others. She cautions against comparing oneself to others and instead advocates "running your own race" while remaining true to your values and purpose. A Message to Young Women Across Africa Closing the conversation, Prof. Setshedi delivers an uplifting message to girls and young women: Believe in your abilities. Do not allow self-doubt to define your future. Learn from the experiences of others. Embrace your individuality. Focus on becoming the best version of yourself. Seek support when needed and remain open to growth. Every woman possesses unique gifts and perspectives that the world needs. Success begins when we stop comparing ourselves to others and start believing in our own potential. Tune in for more…

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June 4, 2026

Professor Mashiko Setshedi – Head of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital

This week on Womanity, Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Mashiko Setshedi, Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, she is a leading gastroenterologist, ...

This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Nomali Ngobese from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at Northwest University, an agricultural botanist specializing in crop physiology, agronomy, and sustainable food systems. She shares her journey and drive for social impact into South Africa’s agricultural sector. Prof. Ngobese's research includes optimizing post-harvest processes for both staple and underutilized crops, aiming to enhance food security and support climate-resilient agriculture. Her path into agricultural botany was not predetermined; she initially pursued biological sciences driven by a curiosity about plant cells and their manipulation. Her pivot from biological sciences into agricultural science was motivated by South Africa's agricultural transformation and the opportunities for economic growth, where she sought to contribute her knowledge of biodiversity to the sector. Her work has since expanded to include agro-processing and extending the shelf life of crops. More recently, she has focused on building food sovereignty within South Africa, defining it simply as "owning what we eat, how it's produced, prepared, sold, and marketed". She views her work not just as academic but as a philosophical approach to addressing social challenges like food insecurity, poverty, and unemployment. Prof. Ngobese emphasizes that each day is an opportunity to learn and make an impact. As an academic, she believes in a two-way learning process, engaging with students and communities to improve her teaching and societal contributions. Addressing the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated agricultural field, Prof. Ngobese highlighted historical limitations due to traditional and cultural roles, leading to exclusion, underestimation, and a perceived lack of skills or exposure. To dismantle these negative stereotypes, she proposes interventions focused on young women and girls. These include changing narratives about women's roles, showcasing diverse successful women, providing mentorship, offering financial support, and facilitating exposure through internships and workplace visits. Building safe and supportive spaces for women already in professional settings is also crucial for their persistence and success. Northwest University engages in various outreach programs, such as an annual open day organized by the Vice Chancellor, which travels to rural communities to provide information about university programs and careers, bridging the gap for those with limited resources or access to information. Prof. Ngobese integrates community outreach into her teaching and research by conducting practicals and research projects on small-scale farming sites, fostering a mutual learning environment between students, farmers, and researchers. Her research into indigenous plants, like monkey oranges and wild mangoes, stems from her earlier work in plant conservation and a recognition of South Africa's rich, yet undercapitalized, biodiversity. She aims to create value chains for these indigenous species by scientifically proving their nutritional contribution, thereby challenging the perception of them as "food for the poor" and encouraging commercialization in the food industry. One of her most surprising discoveries has been the wide range of uses rural communities have for these plants, often as effective traditional remedies. Prof. Ngobese attributes her success to resilience born out of necessity, having grown up in poverty and learning discipline and hard work from her grandmother, who provided for them through agricultural means. Education, she states, has been central to her transformation from someone struggling to make ends meet to an impactful contributor to society who empowers others. Prof. Ngobese’s closing message to girls across the continent is, "Your voice matters, your story matters, and your presence in science matters... when you go on and pursue your dreams know that it's not a favour, it's a necessity. You are not just the future, you are the now, as you are going through life. And your journey, you're actually creating history". Tune in for more...

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June 19, 2025

Prof Nomali Ngobese – Agricultural Botanist: Northwest University – Social Impact

This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Professor Nomali Ngobese from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at Northwest University, an agricultural botanist specializing in crop physiology...

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November 1, 2018

South Africa’s High Commissioner Sri Lanka – Robina Marks

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to South Africa’s High Commissioner to Sir Lanka, Ms Robina Marks. We discuss how she is redefining the role of modern day diplomats as networkers an...

Tag: mentorship

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Professor Mashiko Setshedi – Head of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital

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Prof Nomali Ngobese – Agricultural Botanist: Northwest University – Social Impact

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South Africa’s High Commissioner Sri Lanka – Robina Marks

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Tag: mentorship

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Professor Mashiko Setshedi – Head of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital

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Prof Nomali Ngobese – Agricultural Botanist: Northwest University – Social Impact

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South Africa’s High Commissioner Sri Lanka – Robina Marks

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