In between musical performances and panel discussions celebrating the Power of Ten, the 10th annual Forbes Woman Africa Leading Women Summit and Awards brought elegance, insight and frank conversations to the City of Tshwane as throngs of women leaders from various industries contributed to wide-ranging topical discussions.

Panel discussions at the summit on Wednesday featured prominent leaders who spoke passionately about their journeys and the importance of women’s representation in leadership roles. The conversations were not just about celebrating achievements but also addressed pressing issues such as gender equality, access to education, and economic empowerment.

The attendees engaged with the discussions eagerly, unearthing insights that resonate with the collective ambition to uplift and empower future generations of women leaders.

One of those attending was former Miss SA and the 2019 Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, an advocate for gender equality.

Other formidable women who graced the prestigious event and who are reshaping diverse sectors including arts, cybersecurity, science and even traffic safety were Botswana’s Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Lesego Chombo, TV personality Minnie Dlamini and Kenyan actress and producer, Sarah Hassan.

On the red carpet of the prestigious occasion, Chombo when asked about what kind of pro-women in business policies she would implement should she become President for one day, said she would ensure more women are allowed to participate meaningfully in the business sector.

“The policy I would implement would be the one that reserves quotas for women. This would not just be for the government of Botswana but the women in business across the African continent and preferably across the world. This is because I believe in gender equity and I think that women have been left behind for such a long time,” she said.

The event was hosted ahead of International Women's Day served to cast the spotlight on a series of women-led opportunities while celebrating the greatness of some of the leading women from within the continent.

Former Freshly Ground lead vocalist, actress, storyteller and speaker, Zolani Mahola revealed a tragic event while growing up in the Eastern Cape.

“Growing up, I was forced to live with a secret that my brother was sexually abusing me for a number of years. No one in my family knew this until I was an adult. So, it was me, this tiny little girl, polishing the stoep and escaping to my favourite pastime, which is music.

"As I was listening to the radio, a song by the Manhattans came out of the airwaves and I joined in as Mandela was being released from prison...I could not but be in the midst of it and the story of this country five years later changed,” she said.

The keynote speaker, award-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter Tiwa Savage, said being an African child raised by African parents, education was the only thing her parents wanted from her even though she already had a picture of being an entertainer in her mind.

“I wanted to be an entertainer much earlier, but my parents said no, I should go to school. I was so angry, but I went to study because I did not want to disappoint my African parents...I gave them my first degree in business and accounting and then I said now I want to get into music and my dad said no I must study and made me go study jazz,” she elaborated.

There was also an awards ceremony that honoured women leaders in diverse industries.

Among these was Arunma Oteh, Chairperson of the Royal African Society and Executive in Residence at Oxford's Said Business School, 12-year-old, Eniola Shokunbi who received the young achiever award, and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was the first woman and the first African to take on the role of Director-General at the World Trade Organisation.

The Academic Excellence Award went to Dr Adriana Marais, the Director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa and Head of Science for the Foundation’s Africa2Moon Project which is in the running to become Africa’s first mission to the Moon.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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