Women Executive Development Programme Graduates Left to right: Thembeka Poswa – Programme Director Department of Education Portfolio, Lumka Pani – Unit Head Internal Audit, Firhana Sam – Unit Head Spatial Development, Meike Wetsch – Unit Head Capital Raising and Funding, Maria van Zyl – Senior Programme Manager Operations, Gugulethu Moyo – Programme Director Department of Health Portfolio, Zine Mtanda – Unit Head Supply Chain Management, and Linda Sityoshwana – Business Development Manager

Gqeberha, South Africa, 24 February 2023 – According to the 2022 Quarterly Labour Force Survey by StatsSA, 47% of South African women were recorded as economically inactive. The study showed that women who are employed are usually employed in vulnerable employment often characterised by inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult work conditions compared to men; 5,8% of employed women occupy management positions, compared to 9,8% of employed men. Looking at the business landscape, women hold approximately one-quarter of top managerial positions in the commercial and private sectors. 

Ahead of the upcoming International Women’s Day celebrations, on Wednesday 8 March 2023, Coega has embraced the significant role played by women across industry sectors and business environments. In fact, Coega reaffirms its commitment to ensure a sustained investment on critical and leadership skills through development and action learning. The organisation is also committed to open opportunities, gender-reconciliation, succession planning, and the representation of women in executive leadership positions to shift the current status quo.

Giving a keynote address during the ceremony, Mokgaetši Sebothoma, Coega Executive Manager for Corporate Services shared: “The organisation, through its Women Executive Development Programme (WEDP) aims to develop progressive women leaders who can negotiate, influence and create strategic outcomes for themselves and the organisation; and support the gender education of Coega’s male leaders.”

To back this commitment, Coega announced initiatives to develop female employees to lead the Corporation strategically, operationally, and logistically. On Tuesday, Coega hosted the graduation ceremony of one such initiative, the Women Executive Development Programme (WEDP). The two-year Programme, initiated in 2021, culminated  in the graduation of eight women in the organisation, all in middle to senior management roles who may well continue their growth trajectory to occupy executive roles within the organisation. 

Ntombozuko Mbuzwana, Coega Performance Monitoring Officer, stated: “One of the aims of this Programme is to help develop a pipeline of talented women who can enable Coega to realise its transformation objectives. The inspiration, vision and innovation of these exceptional women has energised and altered the role of women within the corporate environment.” 

For Firhana Sam, Coega Unit Head: Spatial Development, the Programme jogged her appreciation of the various roles of women in society. “Through the Women's Leadership Programme, I appreciated the significant role women play at home, in the workplace, and in society at large. Let's celebrate and value our own worth! Sam reiterated the following quote by Nancy Pelosi: “Women are leaders everywhere you look—from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women, and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes.” 

At the forefront of ensuring gender parity and women empowerment, Coega won 1st Runner Up at the 2022 Standard Bank Top Women Awards in the Category Top Gender-empowered Organisation: Resources, Construction, and Infrastructure Development. Coega was also recognised as 2nd Runner Up in the Category Top Gender-empowered organisation: Skills Development.