women in business

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to by Ms. Masefako Clarah Dikgale, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development in the South African Parliament, representing the African National Congress. Ms Dikgale unpacks the critical role of portfolio committees in parliament as constitutional entities tasked with legislating, monitoring, and overseeing executive activities to drive national development goals. One of the mandates of the Department of Small Business is to create 11 million jobs by 2030. The government has committed to placing small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives at the heart of economic growth and job creation. With approximately 3 million entrepreneurs supporting 13.4 million jobs in South Africa, the potential for growth is immense. Ms Dikgale highlights transformative initiatives like the ratification of the amended Small Enterprise Bill, which combats unfair practices and strengthens the economic inclusion of small businesses. Another initiative is the creation of a one stop shop to give SMMEs access to finance and business support through amalgamation of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the Cooperative Banks Development Agency (CBDA) to form the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA). As a champion for inclusivity, Ms. Dikgale underscores the prioritization of businesses owned by women, youth, persons with disabilities, and those in rural and township areas. She shares her belief in the power of education, both as a pillar in her own career development and as a tool for empowering women and youth in her community. Through free training programs and resources, the department has supported women in achieving financial independence. Ms Dikgale’s entry into politics stemmed from her dissatisfaction with political campaigners’ empty promises to develop her village, which led her to taking action and orchestrating meaningful developments in her village that serve the people. We also discuss the African National Congress's (ANC) policies supporting gender equality, including its 50:50 representation, and the collaborative efforts of the Multi Party Women’s Caucus in Parliament, where women across party lines unite to advance gender equality, uphold human rights and dignity. Tune in for more.

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January 9, 2025

Parliamentarian & Chairperson Portfolio Committee: Small Business Development – Masefako Clarah Dikgale – Job Creation

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to by Ms. Masefako Clarah Dikgale, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development in the South African Parliament, representi...

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri, Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance at the Stellenbosch Business School, Stellenbosch University. Dr. Nanziri, a renowned economist, holds a doctorate from the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town and advanced degrees in Economic Policy and Planning from Makerere University in Uganda. Dr. Nanziri unpacks the critical role of development finance in addressing Africa’s socio-economic challenges. Unlike traditional finance, development finance focuses on funding high-risk, low-revenue projects—such as infrastructure (roads, hospitals, schools) , small businesses, and agribusiness. She explains how development finance complements government and private sector efforts by reducing investment risks in projects that are essential for improving the quality of life in African communities. One of the projects she was involved in at the World Bank was the Think Africa Partnership, which was established to ensure that Africa does not lag behind. We explore innovative financing models emerging across Africa, such as project finance frameworks that lower barriers to entry for initiatives with long lead times. Dr. Nanziri highlights the work of the Africa Centre for Development Finance, including capacity-building efforts to equip policy advisors and leaders with the tools to drive sustainable growth in the region. The conversation also focuses on women’s economic empowerment, a recurring theme in development finance. Dr. Nanziri emphasizes the economic consequences of unequal access to financial resources for women and offers insights into how tailored development finance initiatives can dismantle barriers, foster entrepreneurship, and promote gender equality. Dr. Nanziri shares some of her lived experiences and how her success has been guided by setting new targets, applying discipline to achieve these goals (no matter what), being humble and having a willingness to learn. Tune in for more.

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December 6, 2024

Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri – Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance – Stellenbosch Business School

This week on Womanity – Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri, Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance at the Stellenbosch Business School, Stellenbosch University....

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Val Nichas, the CEO of the Spur Corporation. Part of her motivation for accepting this role was the challenge of transformation and taking on a role in corporate which has greater purpose. Under her leadership the Spur Corporation became a purpose-led organisation, whose purpose is, “Leading for the Greater Good”. Transformation is about making things better and part of that process includes equality, diversity and inclusion to positively impact the business and communities that it serves. Ms Nichas discusses how leadership strategies go beyond business strategies, emphasizing the importance of diagnosing challenges, gathering facts, and collaborating to find creative solutions. With a visionary mindset, she has evolved Spur’s business model to adapt to changing times while focusing on long-term planning and community impact. Under her leadership, the group has grown to over 700 restaurants with headline earnings in 2024 increasing by 11% year on year. Each new franchise restaurant employs 42 people, demonstrating the multiplier effect of healthy brands on society. 53% of the corporate company and restaurant employees are female. The group has initiatives in place that consider women’s wellness, coaching development, learnership programmes and has a 3.2 work day arrangement where employees work out of the office for three days a week and from home for two. Ms Nichas reflects on how soft skills have become more important in the business world to create sustainable meaningful change. Her success stems from hard work, faith in her team, a strong spiritual foundation and applying lessons learned from growing up in her parents Café, where customer service made all the difference. Listeners will be inspired by Val Nichas’ insights into leading with a vision that has a plan of action, her belief in Africa’s abundant opportunities, and her advice to lead with love and intent. She reminds us that success is rooted in doing good, serving others, and believing in our own worth. Tune in for more...

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September 19, 2024

CEO Spur Corporation – Val Nichas – Visionary Leadership

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Val Nichas, the CEO of the Spur Corporation. Part of her motivation for accepting this role was the challenge of transformation and taking on a role...

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Maryana Iskander the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that supports Wikipedia. Previously she spent a decade as the CEO of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, a social enterprise building African solutions to tackle the global crisis of youth unemployment. Prior to that she served as Chief Operating Officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and as the Advisor to the President of Rice University. She shares some of the underlying philosophies that have driven her career, such as the idea of breaking down barriers in society and for people to have the ability to choose and make decisions for themselves. This helps achieve scale. In our discussion about Wikipedia, it is one of the most visited websites on the internet, with over 15 billion visits each month, “The last best place on the Internet”. Ms Iskander explains how Wikipedia works and describes some of the volunteer groups such as the Bashkir wikigrandmothers. We discuss how intrinsic drivers fuel success, especially self-confidence. Ms Iskander notes when women have genuine and deep confidence and are masters of their own destiny, they can do anything. Self-belief is the engine that enables women to move forward. In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Ms Iskander reminds us to acknowledge the women we know in our own lives, who inspire and motivate us and tell them. Happy International Women’s Day. Tune in for more…

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March 8, 2024

CEO of Wikimedia Maryana Iskander

This week on Womanity-Women in Unity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Maryana Iskander the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that supports Wikipedia. Previously she spent a decad...

Tag: women in business

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Parliamentarian & Chairperson Portfolio Committee: Small Business Development – Masefako Clarah Dikgale – Job Creation

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Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri – Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance – Stellenbosch Business School

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CEO Spur Corporation – Val Nichas – Visionary Leadership

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CEO of Wikimedia Maryana Iskander

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Tag: women in business

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Parliamentarian & Chairperson Portfolio Committee: Small Business Development – Masefako Clarah Dikgale – Job Creation

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Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri – Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance – Stellenbosch Business School

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CEO Spur Corporation – Val Nichas – Visionary Leadership

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CEO of Wikimedia Maryana Iskander

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