In the tiny dining room of a dimly-lit home in Alexandra, Johannesburg’s oldest township, the only child of Davidson Moyo would sit transfixed on her father’s lap, usually in the wee hours of the morning, watching grainy images of boxing matches on the family’s small television screen. Those were the moments when the father, a big fan of the sport, and his daughter, Promise Moyo, bonded most.
“People said I should have been a boy because I was with my dad every time and everywhere,” says Promise, who is today one of two female boxing promoters in South Africa.
“But obviously at that age, I never thought I would work in boxing. Funny enough, when I was older and working, I would rather watch a boxing match than go out partying. I would go just about everywhere for boxing, be it Carousel [a hotel] or Carnival City [a casino]. It has been always like that.”
Promise does not fit the popular – and rather unfair – perception of a woman in boxing. For this feature’s photoshoot, she showed up in an elegant silk black blouse with matching pants and stilettos. On her left arm, she sports a small tattoo of a rose. Her immaculate red painted nails matched the color of her lips.
Promise’s other avatar is as an entrepreneur running a beauty parlor, the KP Salon in Wynberg, an industrial area north of Johannesburg. There is more to her career graph.
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Prior to turning both boxing promoter and salon entrepreneur, Promise worked as a civil servant for 15 years for the City of Johannesburg, starting as a reception clerk and working her way up to become deputy director. In April 2012, three months before her employment was to be reviewed – she had no doubt her five-year contract would be extended owing to her success at work – Promise injured her back, falling down the stairs at her workplace.
The accident resulted in her being hospitalized for a week, and she had to take a month off work. While Promise was recovering at home with only two weeks left to resume work, her employers served her with a letter telling her, to her shock, they were not renewing her contract.
Promise was shattered and depressed; she couldn’t look for another job for months as a result. The only silver lining was that a few days before she had received the disheartening news, the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where she was studying for a post-graduate degree in private management finance, informed her she had passed the course.
Fortunately, during her tenure with the City of Johannesburg, Promise had also opened her salon. It was when she lost her permanent government job that she decided to fall back on her childhood passion – boxing.
“My dad played a major role in influencing and encouraging my interest in boxing,” says Promise.
But it took years and several bouts of disappointment to realize her dream.
“I didn’t know I would end up in boxing. All I knew is I loved the sport passionately, I would be going up and down to fights. But if you were to ask me anything about boxing, I was on point, I knew what was happening where and how many knockouts a certain boxer had. Being a young woman, people just couldn’t understand ‘why boxing’. Some raised concerns that I would turn out a violent person. That’s a lack of understanding. Boxing is a gentleman’s sport. If you are a boxer, you are the most disciplined athlete. Those are the things we need to continuously educate the people [about],” says Promise.
Promise spent months researching boxing promotion and by the end of 2012 was registered with Boxing South Africa. This was entering a terrain with few women officials, except for referees. Mbali Zantsi, South Africa’s first female boxing promoter, was licenced in 2003, two years after women’s boxing was officially established. In 2011, Ntambi Ravele was appointed chairperson of Boxing South Africa. She replaced a former Minister of Sports, Ngconde Balfour.
A future for women in boxing seemed impossible but Promise held her own.
“My family tried to persuade me to reconsider my decision and look for other business opportunities. They reminded me I have the necessary qualifications and experience to work at any municipality in the country. But it was only my pastor who understood and encouraged me to pursue my dream.”
It was a long and arduous journey for Promise as she faced umpteen rejections from potential funders.
“There were times where I would put up a proposal and a person would look at it and say ‘this looks good but I don’t think boxing is something I can fund’. Quite a few people turned me down. They would say to me I could choose anything else but not boxing. They thought I was wasting my time because no one would take me seriously with my boxing project. They would ask why not [start a] catering business.”
By January 2013, Promise had registered her company Skylon Promotions which signed a veteran boxer and former South African WBA and international WBC junior lightweight champion, Phillip Ndou, as its first boxer. Ndou, in his zenith, had fought and lost to Floyd Mayweather, a recently-retired world champion with a record 49 undefeated fights.
“When my licence was due to be issued, I went to see Phillip Ndou in his gym in Hillbrow and there were many others I approached. I think that was a wise thing to do because I heard boxers’ issues, their limitations, their frustrations. Those were good boxers with good records but they were not happy,” says Promise.
When Promise met Ndou, he had not fought for almost two years, but in six months, he fought against Pius Dipheko, a South African. Ndou won with a knock out.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30857 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/boxing-033-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/boxing-033-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/boxing-033-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/boxing-033-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/boxing-033.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
On August 9, Women’s Day in South Africa, Skylon Promotions hosted an international event at Thohoyandou, in Limpopo province. This was a homecoming for Ndou who had never fought in front of his community since turning professional in 1996. Ndou fought a young Tanzanian, Ramadhani Shauri, and won by knock out.
Margaret Nemukula, Ndou’s mother, was there to see her son fighting for the first time at home.
“Here is the man with forty fights but he never fought in front of his people. His mother couldn’t believe it was really happening since there had been many speculations that Phillip is fighting at home but those ended up in disappointments,” says Promise.
She did not only realize Ndou had similar traits to hers, Ndou was among her favorite boxers in the early 1990s. Ndou, aged 38, is the only man standing among those pugilists.
“Despite his tribulations, Phillip was at the gym for over a year without fail and yet there were no fights forthcoming. I knew he was the perfect dream team partner.”
A week after the fight in Thohoyandou, Shauri became a Skylon Promotions signee and was due to have his first overseas fight in October in the United States. Lulu Kayage, a Tanzanian female boxer, is also with Skylon Promotions. Mimi Bwanamoya of the Congo who lives in South Africa, is the recent woman signee in the stable.
The sport around the world is administered by men of questionable ethics, but Promise says she wants to keep her business clean.
“Bwanamoya recently approached me, but I had to check if she’s clear from any contractual agreement with another manager. I don’t want to step onto people’s toes, I am for clean business. Also being a woman I have to lead by example, I have to give opportunities to sportswomen.”
Petite Promise is a 21st century African woman who knows her place is not limited to the salon; she’s the one calling the shots in a boxing ring.

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Trading Punches In A Male Bastion

Growing up in Ulundi, in KwaZulu-Natal, Pearl Khethiwe Thusi would watch her mother sew her own clothes at home.
“I was fascinated to comprehend how ideas could be translated into tangible products,” says Thusi.
Those were her first lessons in creativity. In 2007, she completed a three-year diploma in Clothing and Textile at the Durban University of Technology, and relocated to Cape Town, where she worked for a few years. Soon, she launched her label, Pearls for EL, in 2012, designing and manufacturing genuine leather bags and African apparel for men and women.
Starting with 100 leather bags, sold through direct marketing, the brand gained recognition in the first eight months of its inception. Thusi became known as the ‘Bag Lady’, and secured trading space at Durban’s high-end boutiques. She soon opened her own studio in Glenwood, Durban.
Although she often travels to London, Turkey, and the United Kingdom to exhibit and connect with potential customers and investors, Thusi says her customer is here in Africa.
Of late, she has been doing business in North Africa, where she sees potential. In 2014, she supplied 1,000 leather bags, each worth $68, to Air Zimbabwe stewardesses. She also bagged a R3.4 million ($240,000) deal with Zambia Police, and has a continuing partnership with them. Thusi tells us more:
&nbsp;
What challenges have you faced as a woman in the industry?
&nbsp;
I think not many challenges as a woman but just as a general South African. Issues of funding are still a challenge. Often entrepreneurs want to implement ideas now. It is wonderful to have ideas but implementation requires finance which is a long process for approval and response.
&nbsp;
How would you inspire others with your clothing?
&nbsp;
I would like to see women believe in themselves and their dreams. We can’t all be entrepreneurs but in whatever space we play in, let’s do our best with good intentions and motives. Walk away fulfilled after executing a project, give it your best, be genuine and authentic and make your presence felt by being you.
How can businesses or corporates invest in local designers?
&nbsp;
By looking for ‘ideas that can change the world’. It takes time and patience to develop solid leads for investors. I think designers need to start creating and solving problems for today and the future through sustainable production of raw materials to the end product. You can attract investors for a small business with preparation, planning, strategy and proper research. Finding an investor may be the key to launching a start-up business successfully.
&nbsp;
Where do you see African fashion going?
&nbsp;
It looks exciting. More and more designers are focusing on producing quality products, utilizing different and exciting materials. So this really gives a sense of individuality amongst the designers and quite frankly, consumers do want to look different from what’s been offered in the past. Social media also puts pressure for consumers to always look relevant, so designers score here.

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Bagging It!

A continent with a billion-plus population, Africa has only two female billionaires on its rich lists, and has had only two female heads of state – Liberia’s Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and former Malawi president Joyce Banda – if you don’t count Catherine Samba-Panza, interim president of the Central African Republic.
In June 2015, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was named the first female president of Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa – and became the continent’s third female head of state.
Unlike the others, Gurib-Fakim’s accomplishments are not in politics, but in science – she has had a stellar international career as a biodiversity scientist.
FORBES WOMAN AFRICA caught up with her in Dakar, Senegal, on the sidelines of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s conference on intellectual property for an emerging Africa.
With a number of frontline issues jostling for the attention of policymakers and the public purse, intellectual property is fighting to become a mainstream issue on the African agenda.
Gurib-Fakim has set her eyes on changing this picture and advocating science and technology as a priority for Africa’s development.
“We find that many African countries are still not amongst the first 20 to have registered patents, there is still lots to do and I think the challenge is to get to grips with the numbers around intellectual property because this is what is going to be a game-changer for the continent,” begins the president.
Gurib-Fakim believes African governments have it all wrong when it comes to identifying the true resources of their economies.
“Natural resources are a finite commodity. Africa has got the biggest resource, which we undervalue, and that is the youth…natural resources in the short term are going to be a quick fix and an earner but in the medium-to-long term, we have to focus on another wealth which we have not valued and that is the youth, this is where the future is for Africa.”
But she also concedes the leadership of African governments needs to pay more than just lip service and show commitment by funding youth-related innovation initiatives. The strength and credibility of African institutions are not far down her “to-change” list.
“Africa needs strong institutions and not strong men, and this is again something that we have to invest in: the credibility of our institutions. But the credibility of our institutions will come with the credibility of our people,” she attests.
For some of the long-serving Big Men in Africa, this may come as a direct challenge. But Gurib-Fakim is clear that investing in the continent’s people will yield the best returns. She is particular that this starts with education.
“In Africa, [the] talk of the demographic dividend and a time bomb; I think they are two sides of the same coin. Eleven million graduates are going to land on the job market every year on the continent. Now, I don’t think any government is able to absorb all this youth,” says Gurib-Fakim.
So, what is the alternative?
“The alternative would be to have economies vested in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. I think we will have a new kind of layer of professionals that would emerge to build the Africa we want.”

‘Build  The Africa  We Want’

It’s a Thursday evening in September and the upscale Pier 59 Studios in Chelsea, New York City, is abuzz with excitement.
Backstage, models spin about, heels clattering, as wardrobe stylists determine the best silhouettes and sartorial choices for specific outfits. Makeup artists layer on the highlighter and hairstylists do last-minute blowouts. Cameras flash and roll as photographers and journalists scramble for quotes and interviews.
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The plates of assorted healthy appetizers – chicken salad, baby carrots, and celery with ranch dressing – are disappearing faster than the goody bags with coconut hair products, portable chargers and gym socks.
In many ways, Harlem’s Fashion Row is like any other New York Fashion Week (NYFW) show. In many other ways, it’s absolutely unlike any other.
“I didn’t have to bring my own foundation this time,” says Naqisha Cummings, a Caribbean model from Boston, in a clear reference to the tone of her skin. “I just knew they would have my shade.”
Mariah Mckenzie, an African-American model from Queens, New York, nods in agreement. “It’s usually not this diverse. Not at NYFW. Today’s show is more ethnic. It’s a really good stepping stone for minorities.”
And indeed, it was intended to be. Founded to increase diversity in fashion, Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) has transformed from its modest beginnings in 2007 to emerge one of the most prestigious industry platforms for emerging minority designers and fashion creatives.
In an industry where people of color make up less than one percent of designers in major online and department stores, HFR is significant.
Backstage, its founder Brandice Henderson is doing the rounds – looking into minute logistical details, networking, giving interviews. Earlier that day, NYMag had published a compelling profile calling the entrepreneur a small town native who started out with few connections and “fashion’s best advocate for black designers”. Today, fashion’s force of nature is decked out in a red dress, glittering necklace and rather comfortable-looking brown flats.
“I’m super-excited,” says Henderson. “This is HFR’s eighth year. And I’m about to birth a child. This feels like a new beginning.”
Harlem itself is a cradle of new beginnings. The historically black neighborhood was the seat of the Harlem Renaissance – a socio-cultural and artistic revolution in the black American community. Today, that community includes a prominent and growing African diaspora.
Indeed, in certain neighborhoods in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx today, as in pockets all over America, Kru, Igbo and Yoruba are the most commonly spoken non-English languages. From burgeoning sabar dance classes to the plethora of restaurants selling jollof rice and injera, from the proprietorships in Le Petit Senegal to events like the International African Arts Festival, signs of Africa’s soft power are everywhere in the world’s financial capital.
Africa has woven itself into New York with the gentle intricacy of Maasai beadwork. And today, Africa is the showstopper here in Chelsea.
The Fashion Deli, a globally focused retail platform that first opened in Cape Town, is showcasing four South African designers at HFR.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30902" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-5.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30903" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-23.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
“African fashion and lifestyle elements are no longer viewed by western audiences and buyers solely as ‘traditional’,” says Thulare Monareng, the Founder-CEO of The Fashion Deli. Attired in black, high heels and tribal-inspired jewelry from her own company, she has a relaxed sophistication about her. She looks very New York and international – the kind of lady who is so well-travelled she carries cities with her.
“Africa is now influencing global mainstream fashion and lifestyle trends,” she says. “Take Balmain’s African inspired resort 2015 collection, Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection inspired by the red Shuka worn by the Kenyan Maasai people, Sergio Rossi’s Zulu-inspired Spring/Summer 2014 footwear collection, and Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer 2015 handbag collection inspired by the West African Bogolan prints.”
Armed with multiple degrees including one in Fashion Buying and Merchandising from the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, a wealth of corporate experience in her native, South Africa, and experience with her own eponymous designer label, Monareng, came to realize there was a gap in the international market for African luxury and for ethically produced, sustainable and conscious products.
“There’s a lot more to African fashion than just wax prints,” she says. “I want to present an alternative narrative of African designers.”
And so, under bright lights on a long, ivory runaway, the alternative narrative began to unfold. If the audience was previously unfamiliar with African fashion, or didn’t know what to expect, they were about to have their hearts stolen and minds blown. The thoughtfully-curated array of gorgeous ensembles elicited sighs of wonder, gasps of surprise and frantic iPhone photography from the onlookers.
From veteran designer Marianne Fassler came prints found from and inspired by the cityscapes and citizens of her native Johannesburg. Fassler’s love for her modern, cosmopolitan city, which she described as a place to find one’s “personal gold” truly shone through. Every garment featured a palette that positively burst with vivid colors and prints that came together with a giggling playfulness. Dramatic pleats and paneling prevailed. Flirtatious flowing and sheer fabrics abounded.
Where Fassler’s brand drew from the urban jungle, Katherine-Mary Pichulik’s accessories label PICHULIK, drew from the colors of the South African environment. The pieces were designed and inspired by African tribal ornamentation, making symbolic use of color, beadwork, basketry.
“The sacred nature of making jewelry and its link to ceremony and initiation inspire a powerful way of making ornamentation that serves to not only adorn, but alchemize and empower the wearer,” says Pichulik.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30898" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-44.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30899" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-131.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
From Celeste Arendse’s SELFI brand, inspired by the subconscious, came the SELF AWAKE collection featuring geometric silhouettes in a palette that was entirely black and white and primary colors. Everything was digitally-printed.
“The collection explores the connection between the self and technology,” explains Arendse. “What we see and what we touch.” Even something like the use of primary colors was inspired by early 90s video games.
Futuristic and forward-thinking, Arendse’s collection certainly subverted the Western notion of Africa in fashion and rewrote the script. Presumably in JavaScript.
The Adriaan Kuiters label featured sophisticated unisex and androgynous garments in neutral colors and sleek silhouettes. The collection exuded timelessness, being both current and classic. The designers Keith Henning and Jody Paulsen experimented with gender lines, using women’s items on men and men’s on women.
If there’s a running theme throughout The Fashion Deli’s collection, it is that of the old and new worlds cocooned in harmony. It’s a universe where nature and cityscapes, humans and technology, the traditional and the contemporary are simpatico.
Contemporary African fashion, it seems, doesn’t seek to conform to global ideals, but rather, seeks to disrupt and improve them.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30905" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-448.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30906" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thulare-Monareng-left-with-Brandice-Henderson.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-30904" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HFR-NYFW-437.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
“South Africans are now looking directly in our backyard for inspiration, because it’s so rich and diverse.” says Arendse. “I feel really lucky to be living in a time where countries can merge so easily. The new generation understands the power of technology and are able to communicate their messages directly without agencies. The youth in South Africa are expressing their own style on social media which is so unique and is certainly being noticed on global platforms. This will only strengthen us as creators.”
Amina Nuwame, a Senegalese model who Monareng met in Harlem, and who found herself debuting at HFR, considers herself lucky. She had to hide her love for fashion and modeling from her family until they found her on Walf Fadjri TV and eventually caved. It’s been a long journey to New York City since then.
“There’s a lot of talent in Africa. But we need more opportunities to get discovered globally,” she says.
“Africa comes from a rich lineage of craft and has a large network of incredible artisans,” says Pichulik.
The possibilities for African designers it seems are endless.

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Unfurling Africa in The Big  Apple

With the recent international outrage around the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe, sharp divisions have emerged in Africa on whether or not to ban the trophy-hunting of lions.
This especially in light of the fact that while in 1975, the population of the African lion stood at 250,000, now, on account of factors such as animal-human conflict, war, poaching and trophy-hunting, this figure has dropped to 30,000.
In some African countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Tanzania, trophy-hunting of lions is still permitted. If not controlled, wildlife experts say, by the middle of the century, the African lion will be extinct.
“The government must act otherwise wildlife will become extinct. We run the risk of having no lions by 2050,” says Johnny Rodrigues, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.
“What has happened to Cecil lends weight to our call for the banning of wildlife trophy-hunting… In southern Africa, 22,000 lions are left and this shows how lions are being decimated.”
Cecil’s killer, American dentist Walter Palmer, paid $50,000 but reportedly his local contacts, Theodoro Bronkhorst, a professional hunter, and Honest Ndlovu, owner of the safari, had no permits for the hunt.
There are many views to the controversy this killing has provoked.
Benjamin Paradza, a former High Court judge and safari operator in Zimbabwe before he went into exile, says lion-hunting should not be banned but says Cecil’s death was illegal and the real culprits are his contacts in Zimbabwe.
“The safari business is an industry mired in elitism. The real culprit is the professional hunter and the safari operator who have the responsibility to conduct a hunt within the terms of the permit granted by the government.
“What the world does not see is that politicians in Zimbabwe will politicize this simply because an American is involved. This is typical of government propaganda which blames others in order to hide its poor governance,” claims Paradza.
The government had called for the extradition of Palmer to Zimbabwe; and the country suspended the trophy-hunting of lions, leopards and elephants for a week.
Bronkhorst insists his arrest “is frivolous and wrong”.
Palmer reportedly used a bow and arrow and Cecil was injured but was brought down by a firearm some 40 hours later. Conservationists say this method cripples the animals and they endure a slow, painful death.
This is one of the reasons many are against trophy-hunting.
“I support the banning of trophy-hunting because of the way animals react and how painful it is. It’s a dangerous game. Hunters use crossbows and injure the animals and you know how an injured animal reacts. Well-connected people are also using it as a shield to illegally hunt the big game,” says Rangarirai Chinobva, a wildlife hunter guide.
However, players in the safari industry opine lion-hunting is a valuable component to conservation and boosts the country’s economy; those like Bronkhorst feel trophy-hunting is the only way to sustain wildlife.
“The hunting brings in revenue. I know it’s a terrible thing to some, but we have to be practical and realistic. Whether we lose a few animals through those that pay for the conservation or whether we lose the whole lot is the option faced in many areas,” he says.
In 2014, Zimbabwe’s revenue from the safari industry was $65 million, up from $55 million in 2013; money the industry says incentivizes communities and the country’s economy.
Rodrigues disputes this.
“It’s a myth; landowners and hunters reap rewards and hardly anything goes to the local communities. Trophy-hunting is elitist yet animals are crucial in attracting tourists if they are protected and are not hunted. The issue is that there are some bigwigs involved in poaching and are against the banning and this should be investigated,” he says.
Conservationists believe game-viewing is sustainable for the environment than trophy-hunting and brings in more revenue.
The jury is still out on this. Hopefully, Africa will not have another ‘Cecil the lion’. Hopefully.

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Will He Roar in 2050?

It’s a freezing morning in April and we are mooting wardrobe choices with Wendy Appelbaum in the closet of her cold marbled bathroom. Outside, the wind is howling menacingly. We are inside Appelbaum’s massive stone mansion, a chateau by all means, 450 meters above sea level in the Stellenbosch winelands of South Africa’s Western Cape. From here, you get sweeping views of the rolling hills and her endless 100-hectare wine farm.
For all the loftiness around us, Appelbaum is spectacularly down-to-earth and unassuming, and fuss-free too as she picks the outfits for this photoshoot – a black Donna Karan fur jacket, a Hugo Boss suit, a red silk Tommy Hilfiger shirt and a knee-length velvet coat the color of wine. She won’t change her jewelry. The gold Italian neckpiece she wears every day – she loves gold – and earrings will stay. She may be one of South Africa’s richest and most successful businesswomen, but says she does not quite care about switching handbags and jewelry each time she dresses up, and no high heels either – she is a farmer happy in her boots.
In her upstair office, filled with trophies, journals and a mahogany table weighed down by coffee-table books, the balcony, with its iron railing and hills in the distance, is the perfect setting for a picture. But when the windows open, the wind is vicious.
“It’s the lousiest day I have seen in a long time,” says Appelbaum.
Earlier, when we had driven up to the house, passing the guards at the manor house, the sloping vineyards and beds of roses, Appelbaum had greeted us in her warm country-style kitchen.
Beyond the kitchen, a long carpeted corridor features grand stairways on both sides, and life-size oil paintings of ships at sea, grim generals, horses and packs of dogs. Appelbaum’s own dogs, two endearing Jack Russells named Dotty and Jane, follow her everywhere, while her Burmese cats Sally and Molly vainly peer from the top floor.
Dotty dances on her lap as Appelbaum finally settles in the living room, on a wing-back chair, the drapes billowing behind her. In this room, a snooker table takes pride of place, along with an eyeful of treasures – Ming vases, leopard print chairs, fur cushions, silverware and stuffed birds.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30781 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wendy-002.jpg 682w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
A large dining table at the far end with a fireplace, chandeliers and crystal decanters suggest the house receives many guests.
A floor below, in Appelbaum’s icy, temperature-controlled red-brick cellar, an iron chandelier overpowers a large oak table with leather chairs she “bought from a flea market in France”; on the walls are wicker baskets, pitchforks and shovels, and not to mention wines going back to the last century.
“We mostly do wine-tastings here. And if I have meetings [here], the cell phones don’t work, it is cold and I can keep [people] awake so they concentrate,” Appelbaum says mischievously.
“I love to entertain and cook,” she had said in the kitchen earlier. We spot pictures of her with Nelson Mandela, Thuli Madonsela, American feminist Gloria Steinem, even a picture of her with Hollywood hunk Robert Redford.
“Robert Redford is a friend of a friend who came here,” says Appelbaum wryly. “He said he had six Jack Russell dogs and picked my dogs up. And I said ‘do you mind if I smoke’, and he said ‘can I join you’?”
There are more pictures of her with sons Nicholas, a 29-year-old surgeon, and Matthew, a 26-year-old banker in Johannesburg. Appelbaum beams with pride when Nicholas walks into the room.
“Are you going to have lunch?” she asks him fondly. He says he needs to go into town.
How does it feel to have an energetic 24/7 mother, you ask Nicholas? His answer is quick and polite: “She is 24/7 with everybody else, but she is a mom behind closed doors. She is not cuddly, but she is capable of being motherly.”
Appelbaum beams again. “He is the most amazing child, so gifted, but unbelievably serious.”
In between, she calls for Jean, her butler, a 20-something lad in a Polo shirt who looks more Johnny Bravo than Jeeves.
It is clear Appelbaum is most happy on her farm, waking early to catch the first rays of the sun, like her wine estate itself, named DeMorgenzon, meaning ‘the morning sun’. Because of its elevation, it gets the first light over the mountains.
Appelbaum built and moved in to this house eight years ago.
“I wanted it to look like it had been here forever, I also wanted it to blend into the environment, that is why [it is in] stone. In fact, most of the time, you can hardly see it unless you look for it. It’s an adaption to the beautiful environment we live in.”
It explains why she prefers to spend more time in Cape Town, and less time in Johannesburg, “stuck in traffic, attending meetings”.
She travels to the Unites States (US) three times a year. She is a part of the global advisory board to the president of Harvard, looking into the globalization of Harvard. Appelbaum says the institution is on course to open its largest office outside of the US, in Cape Town. She has also been a member of Harvard’s Women’s Leadership Board for 15 years.
“And then I sell a lot of wine,” says Appelbaum simply, coming back to her turf. A medium-sized wine producer, she sells about half a million bottles of wine a year, exporting 85% of it, her main markets being the US, the United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Sweden and Canada. DeMorgenzon’s signature is Chenin Blanc.
“We sit on some of the best white wine terroir in the world – one of the reasons is our proximity to the sea, the cooling breezes and the elevation of the farm. [These are] mountain vineyards and we actually have the coolest vineyard site in the whole of Stellenbosch.”
Appelbaum says she always wanted to be a farmer; the important thing was finding what she loved, and she absolutely loved wine.
“And it was a hell of a learning curve,” she admits.
“It really does not matter whether you sell computers, wine, investments or insurance, you have got to run a business like a business irrespective of what your product is and I think it was just bringing all my business library of knowledge together, but it was fantastic as I have been in advertising, in marketing, so that came into it, and I think it is very important to have incredible staff, and I did a lot of consulting to make sure our viticulture practices are world-class.”
The perfectionist that she confesses to being, Appelbaum wanted the best or nothing.
“I drive myself very hard… Life is too short to do something badly,” she says.
“Your priorities change when you become a farmer. All sorts of things like the weather become more important; you become more in touch with the earth.”
Her husband Hylton manages the gardens, playing Baroque music to the grapes 24/7 with speakers installed in the vineyards and at the winery to influence the ripening and maturation process.
“He makes this a beautiful place to live in,” says Appelbaum. “He propagates the wild flowers. The roses are important too – if a rose gets sick, you know your vines will get sick soon. We use a lot of color to attract insect life. Everything is as close to nature as you can find.”
Appelbaum’s first vintage was a Chenin Blanc in 2005, which was the first maiden vintage to get 5-star ratings in the Platter’s Wine Guide.
“The awards are Return On Ego,” she laughs, as she uses a ‘thief’ to draw a few drops of Shiraz wine from an ageing oak barrel when we go down to her winery.
“The wine industry is creative, it’s got so many parts, you meet some of the most extraordinary and passionate people around the world.”
Appelbaum says South African wines are gaining recognition for quality, and are really starting to be seen as a force in the international wine industry.
“There is no doubt in my mind we have some of the best grapes in the world. From the perspective of tourism, it is the most exquisite winelands in the world.”
Appelbaum is now looking to market her wines in the rest of Africa, eyeing countries like Namibia and Zimbabwe.
“The rest of Africa has become a very valuable market. This year, we intend to roll out into Africa. There is huge demand.”
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The Early Years
An only daughter, Appelbaum grew up in Johannesburg. As a child, there was not a single game she couldn’t play, be it bridge, tennis, golf, scrabble or show-jumping.
“Games teach you an enormous amount in terms of negotiation skills. Women essentially don’t know how to compete. I am highly competitive, and I learned that on the sports field. I just challenged everything, I still do, and that’s what makes me a very good director.”
After a degree in psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, she worked with her father, Sir Donald Gordon, founder of the Liberty Group. She was also a Director at Liberty Investors.
“I don’t think he was a good mentor,” she says.
“I think he was an interesting person and I learned some incredible skills from him, in terms of his determination, his attention to detail, patience and work ethic. He was an amazing role model rather than a mentor,” says Appelbaum.
Often, she was also the only one to challenge him in the boardroom.
“I always like a good fight,” she says.
“He wasn’t happy with it, but it was better to accept it than to challenge it because it probably made me worse. Every now and again he was patronizing, or gender-insensitive, but I never allowed him to get away with it, but even so he didn’t really go out of his way to promote women in his companies. He was a good sexist. He liked women, but he wasn’t so sure he wanted to work with them.”
Appelbaum was one of the co-founders and Deputy Chairman of pioneering women’s investment holding company Wiphold, from 1994 for about five years, and the company did really well.
“Those were fun days. But not just from the perspective of working with women, which is quite sleek and chic, but also from the perspective of when the country was changing and understanding different cultures. It was a sexy combination, and we had the capacity and brains.”
Post Wiphold, she was also Deputy Chairman of the Connection Group, another success story.
“I have been on so many boards I used to call myself a ‘serial board-sitter’,” she laughs.
“I sat on listed and unlisted companies, charitable trusts, foundations and all sorts of things. At one point, I was sitting on 15 boards, in the mid-2000s. It was insanity.”
For now, Appelbaum says she has embarked on a few new businesses, and “will be doing all sorts of fantastic things”.
In her mid-50s, Appelbaum’s philanthropic work continues.
She is a Director of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, and believes true wealth is giving back, which is why she won’t admit how much she is worth.
“I loathe to say that. I think money for money’s sake is pretty evil stuff. If you have the opportunity to do wonderful work and make a difference in people’s lives, it’s a responsibility that has positive outcomes, but just to count pennies and pounds has really got to be one of the most mindless obsessions and careers.”
The view from Appelbaum’s mountain home is certainly inspiring, but even more so is this person fronting a beautiful piece of earth in Stellenbosch, and she’s fun, feisty and fearless.

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The Multi-Millionaire Farmer Who Loves A Good Boardroom Fight

It’s a cold winter’s night in a little village called Igueden in the Edo state of Southwestern Nigeria where a young girl lies awake, within the dimly-lit red mud walls of her home, dreading dawn.
She recalls a conversation with her mother years ago about this day. The vivid picture her mother had painted about her own experience had left her aghast at the pain and torture she had endured.
Tomorrow, it would be her turn. She was turning 12, and village tradition dictated she be ‘cleansed’ too.
“Today, you become a real woman,” says the young girl’s 90-year-old grandmother as she awakens.
Dawn has come too soon.
With great trepidation, she follows the elderly woman to the hut of the village doctor where 10 other girls are waiting for the same inevitable fate.
The older women in the village are singing and ululating. Inside, the young girl’s friends reciprocate the look of fear in her eyes. As is customary, her mother is not allowed to be around her. No mother can hear the pain of a daughter, nor fight to help her.
As each girl is ushered in, a cacophony of piercing screams follows at decibels louder than the women singing to purposely drown out the cries of pain.
In the middle of the doctor’s room is a cold round slab, smeared with blood. He motions for her to sit on the stone.
It feels wet. Two women proceed to tie a cloth around her eyes while another is stuffed into her mouth so she can bite into it.
Before being blind-folded, she just about glimpses a sharp, bloody metal object in the doctor’s hand. Fear consumes her as the women firmly hold her legs and arms to the ground.
In the background, the singing continues. No one hears the young girl’s muffled screams. She feels an indescribable pain between her legs.
And just like that, Eki Ehizogie went from being a child to ‘a real woman’, 30 years ago.
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The Naked Truth
There is an estimated 125 million girls and women globally living with the effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), reported to be most widespread in Africa and the Middle East.
In a historic move, the Nigerian government has outlawed the practice of FGM. The law, passed by the senate on May 5, a gesture by outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan, bans the practice involving removing a part or all of a girl’s outer sexual organs.
The World Health Organization describes the practice the following ways: Type I (clitoridectomy), which is removal of part or all of the clitoris; Type II (excision), the most common form which is removal of the clitoris and part or all of the labia minora (the inner vaginal lips); and Type III (infibulation), which is removal of the external genitalia and stitching of the vaginal opening.
A very small opening is left, about the diameter of a pencil. The practice attempts to control a woman’s sexuality, and under the pretext of purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is usually initiated and carried out by women, who see it as honor, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will socially exclude them.
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The Woman Named Eki
“The pain I felt can’t be described; thinking of it brings cold shivers inside me. I was circumcised, I felt incomplete and completely out of control,” says Ehizogie.
“My life took a complete turn, I felt wasted and hopeless.”
The lasting effects of that day live with her forever.
“I do not feel like a real woman, I feel like I was robbed of something that can never be returned to me.”
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The Nigerian Reality
Nigeria reportedly has the highest number of FGM cases. The country accounts for about a quarter of circumcised females worldwide, according to UNICEF. The damaging effects of this procedure for the women may be infertility, maternal death, infections and loss of sexual pleasure.
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‘I Felt Like A Freak’
For women like Ehizogie, the ban is certainly good news.
“I never thought this day would come. There are thousands of women in remote areas living with similar experiences as me and hopefully with this new law, many innocent girls can be spared this fate,” she says.
Ehizogie’s teenage years were very difficult. She spent most of her time alone, intimidated at the thought of getting close to a boy.
“When I was in boarding school, I saw the other girls in the shower and I knew immediately that I was different. I felt like a freak,” she recalls.
Her’s was a Type II circumcision. Her first sexual experience conjured up memories of that fateful day.
“I felt an excruciating pain which almost made me pass out, I told him to stop immediately as I could not handle the pain. I thought to myself I never want to be with anyone again,” says Ehizogie.
She recalls her village elders calling FGM a legal rite of passage; any mother refusing to let her daughter undergo the procedure was in danger of breaking the law.
Ehizogie has felt different for a long time. She has gone through periods of extreme depression, which have led to suicide attempts.
It was immediately after her first failed sexual experience. The event was a culmination of all the self-hate and negativity she had for years.
“I did not want to live anymore, I could only see one way out,” she admits. She overdosed on painkillers but was discovered on the floor by chance by a neighbor. She was rushed in time to the clinic. Her recovery involved a combination of therapy and support from a new community she found at church.
“The mental consequences after FGM include feelings of incompleteness, fear, inferiority and suppression. Women report chronic irritability and nightmares. They have a higher risk for psychiatric and psychosomatic diseases,” says Dr Asamoah, a clinical psychologist with Lister Hospital.
The move by Nigeria has sparked sentiments from around the world.
“Global experience tells us that ultimately, it’s through changing attitudes, not just laws, that we will end FGM,” said Tanya Barron, chief executive of children’s charity Plan International, in a Reuters report.
Those attitudes are deep-rooted in rural communities. The pressure to be accepted is the main reason women undergo FGM.
“I was told by my grandmother that I was not a real woman until I had been circumcised and that is the only time I will find a husband and not bring shame to the family,” says Ehizogie, who is married with two children. These days, she works in communities providing support for girls with similar experiences.
“The belief that a woman has to be a virgin before she is married to a man in local communities has also led to the increase in FGM,” avers Ehizogie.
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Hope and vindication
According to UNICEF, approximately two million girls are mutilated every year. Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan account for 75% of all cases. The battle to end this practice has raged for years. The United Nations has declared FGM is a violation of the rights of girls and women.
For Ehizogie, the news about its ban brings hope and in a small way, vindication – though delayed – for the atrocity she suffered as a child.

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The Children Who Become Women Too Soon

South Africa’s economic hub Gauteng is tapping into healthcare and medical tourism with renewed vigor.
With a R34.2 billion ($2.4 billion) budget and three medical training facilities located at universities and tertiary hospitals, Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu is promoting health tourism and ensuring the province’s hospitals boast state-of-the-art equipment to attract overseas patients.
Mahlangu is spending her resources on HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention and reviving the health economy with R10 billion ($717 million) set aside for primary healthcare services – clinics, community healthcare centers, district hospitals and community health workers – and R10 billion ($717 million) to tertiary services and central hospitals.
“When we went to the World Cup in 2010, one of the things we said in our bid document, we said we have the best infrastructure for everything including healthcare and treatment,  we have healthcare facilities across the board,” says Mahlangu.
With the funds generated from medical tourism redeployed into healthcare facilities, it’s a sound investment for South Africa.
“Medical tourism is important because we have the best trained medical professionals – our nurses are highly sought-after,” she says.
“European and American travelers come in as tourists and then sometimes use our services. We are still affordable and of good quality. The waiting time is longer in many jurisdictions in the world. A lot of people come here to do procedures. We should support and promote it more.”
Promoting country-to-country relationships is part of Gauteng’s plan to market medical tourism. However, the greatest growth in medical travel to South Africa in recent years is from neighboring countries whose public healthcare systems are in a state of crisis.
“Gauteng has a relationship with Katanga Province [in the Democratric Republic of Congo] who pays money to our account at Charlotte Maxeke hospital – almost $500,000 of that is used for treatment. These patients come to us rather than going to Europe,” she says. South Africa’s own public healthcare system is overburdened and under-resourced but it can still deliver quality treatment often unavailable elsewhere on the continent.
“Over the past 10 years, Johannesburg has played host to thousands of visitors seeking health, wellness and medical services – often combined with short holidays either prior to or post their treatments and procedures,” corroborates Laura Vercueil, communication manager at the Johannesburg Tourism Company.
As Gauteng moves towards producing its own healthcare products, Mahlangu is also looking to empower women in the process.
“We’re starting producing on a small scale with products used in hospitals. A number of products used in-theatre are being purchased from women co-operatives. For an economy of our size and located strategically in the African continent, we have to develop the industrial capacity to deliver on these products,” says Mahlangu. Gauteng is on the fast track to becoming a health hub. Hopefully, all of South Africa will soon follow.

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Health Hospitality

At the tail end of Women’s Month in August in South Africa, we catch up with Bongi Ngema-Zuma, President Jacob Zuma’s fourth wife, in her unassuming office at the Bongi Ngema Foundation in Sandton in Johannesburg. We notice that her staff, including her discreet bodyguards, are all women.
Ngema-Zuma has received her fair share of negative publicity. The media has always questioned her participation in a polygamous marriage whilst wanting to be respected as a valid voice for women’s empowerment. We ask her and she is quick to point out that culture and empowerment are not exclusive of each other.
“As a woman you need to understand that you have multiple roles to play.  You may be a chairman or CEO at work but remember that at home the man is the head and the woman is the heart. If you can understand this then you will understand that culture and empowerment are not different worlds,” she says.
The analogy suggests a certain degree of submission by women to their men in the family. But Ngema-Zuma is unequivocal women can and should take up more leadership positions in the workplace.
“We are just not fully represented at the corporate level. And even when we are, we still have to work at least 200% harder than a man in the same position to be seen as competent.”
Ngema-Zuma believes the journey to increase female representation in the boardroom is difficult because government is not tough enough on corporate South Africa. She borrows from Sheryl Sandberg’s best-seller Lean In lamenting that before we can talk about leaning in at the corporate table, we actually have to get into the room and into the circles where decisions are made.
“Women need to learn to open the door for each other. This is what mentorship is all about after all. Someone needs to show you the door and help you get the skills so when the opportunity comes for you to lean in, you’ve got what it takes to do the job well.”
As we wrap up our conversation, she reaches for a framed photograph of her son. She cautions about focusing on and investing in girl children at the expense of the boys.
“I need my son to grow up in a society where he understands that being a man means he too is responsible for the protection and advancement of gender issues,” she says.
Ngema-Zuma believes the ultimate goal for gender activists is to build balanced societies where men and women are pulling together.

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‘At Home The Man Is The Head And The Woman Is The Heart’

It’s a sunny day in September in Johannesburg, South Africa, and we’re at the entrance of the Dinaledi cave in Sterkfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site an hour’s drive from the city, famous for its limestone caves and fossil hominid finds.
For a hot day, the cave is remarkably cool, the only source of light inside it an opening about 30 feet up. A few steps in and our shadows are slowly consumed by the enveloping blackness. There is humidity and excitement in the air, as you realize that deep down in the belly of this very cave, a landmark fossil discovery had just been made.
On September 10, the scientific community had woken up to the announcement of the discovery of “a new species of human relative”, Homo naledi, led by Lee Berger, a professor in the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and National Geographic’s explorer-in-residence. Consisting of more than 1,550 numbered fossil elements, the researchers are calling it “the single largest fossil hominin find yet made on the continent of Africa”.
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And at the forefront of the excavation were six women tasked with digging out slowly, skilfully, the trove of bones from the Sterkfontein caves.
How did Berger find them? With National Geographic’s backing, he had placed an advertisement on Facebook, calling for explorers with palaeontological or archaeological experience.
“Lee called National Geographic and told them he needed support in getting the fossils out,” says Marina Elliott, a 46-year-old Canadian who was one of the six selected.
Berger initially thought only “three or so people” in the world would be qualified for an excavation of that nature. To his astonishment, more than 60 applied.
With a panel of experts, including well-known United States (US) professor of anthropology John Hawks, Berger selected a team he called ‘underground astronauts’ – by default, they were all women.
“When I shortlisted the list with the panel, we chose the people with the best skill-sets. There were a couple of men on the shortlist but the women that we picked were super-qualified. They had the right stuff, so to speak, and they weren’t selected for their gender, they were selected for their skills. It just so happened that those skills were vested in six women,” says Berger.
Of the six ‘underground astronauts’, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA met two, Elliott and Lindsay Hunter, at the Cradle of Humankind, a museum near the Dinaledi cave where at least 15 skeletons of the Homo naledi species are now on display. With them was 23-year-old South African, Mpume Hlophe, who joined the team in January.
The original team also includes Becca Peixotto, Hannah Morris and Alia Gurtov from the US and Elen Feuerriegel from Australia.
Thirty six-year-old Hunter, also from the US, talks about that first Skype interview with Berger. She recalls how cautious he had sounded. The whole expedition was not without great risks, but the women, quite literally, caved.
“He was very careful about telling us that the environment was quite confined and potentially dangerous and that if anything happened underground, it would be quite difficult to take somebody out,” says Hunter.
Elliott chips in extolling the many virtues of an all-women team.
“We watched out for each other really well and the dynamics was really nice. I don’t know if that would’ve been the case with an all-male crew or a mixed gender crew. An all-women crew might have been a benefit in the sense that in the claustrophobic conditions, we were entwined in each other. It was like playing twister underground, so it was just easier to move.”
At the Dinaledi cave, the women descended down a 6.8 inch chute, 40 feet into the chamber, almost proving to the world women can go to any lengths for a job well done.
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Bones of contention
Described as having “primitive and derived characters all in one body” (see box), Homo naledi represents a new species, naledi, in the genus Homo. The startling feature about Homo naledi is that it’s believed the species buried its dead, a trait thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens.
The discovery of the fossils has met with some criticism from the global scientific community, with some questioning Homo naledi’s ability to bury its dead and whether it really is a new species. Darren Curnoe, associate professor at the University of New South Wales Australia, trashes the hypothesis of Homo naledi burying its dead, saying it infuriates many scientists and detracts from an otherwise significant discovery.
“This is really just a claim used to generate headlines. Burial of the dead is something exclusive to our species, Homo sapiens,” says Curnoe.
Chris Stinger, a British professor who specializes in Human Origins and Palaeoanthropology at the Natural History Museum in London, says the material looks most similar to the small-bodied examples of Homo erectus.
Christoph Zollikofer, professor of anthropology at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, posed the question of a geological date for the fossils.
“The Dinaledi fossils form part of the human lineage in the widest sense. How exactly they are related to us remains an open question, especially because there is no geological date for these fossils,” says Zollikofer.
Responding to the criticism, Berger emphasizes more than 60 scientists spent two years producing the research using the latest technology.
“Some scientists shoot from the hip within 24 hours of these papers coming out, and they could have had no chance to spin that kind of analysis, but scientists are humans too,” retorts Berger.
Berger says he now awaits thoughtful, deep analysis from his colleagues and scientists around the world, to whom he has given access to the fossils and to every measurement published.
“I don’t really want to jump into the criticism yet. There’s no reason to attack my colleagues who, perhaps, in justifying it, want to be in the media,” says Berger.
The discovery of Homo naledi has flown the flag high for African science. Elliott hopes their work underground will inspire other women.
“At the launch of the fossils, a police officer guarding the event introduced me to her daughter and told me that she wanted to do what I do. That motivated me to inspire even more young girls,” says Elliott.
The team’s new addition Hlophe, who moved from Durban to Johannesburg to pursue her love for exploration, is one of those to have been inspired.
“It’s nice to see women do what normally would be done by men. It motivates young African girls to not be confined by their gender in wanting to achieve greatness. I’m new to this exploration team, but so far it’s amazing to be an African girl who is part of this,” says Hlophe.
The exploratory work continues on site, as the cave is believed to hold more secrets, but like Homo naledi, these women too have etched their names in science journals and history books.

‘It Was Like Playing Twister Underground’

Princess Charlene of Monaco, a former Olympic swimmer from South Africa, recently took center stage at the 2015 Princess Grace Awards in a stunning Christian Dior gown. At home, both she and her husband, Prince Albert of Monaco, dote on their twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, who are due to celebrate their first birthday in December.
How have your priorities changed as a new mother?
I might say everything changed with the birth of our children. I am a hands-on mom and so my own schedule is determined by their needs. This commitment started even before they were born, when I was pregnant.
What life lessons would you impart to them?
It would be a mistake to limit these teachings to one’s own experiences. I believe first of all, no lesson stands as a substitute to personal experience. However, lessons retained by persons known for their wisdom are of great relevance. I am thinking of what I have learned from Nelson Mandela’s challenging life. As parents, what we convey to our children stems from one source – love.
It is reported that Princess Grace left a recipe book, which you now have – what is your favorite meal to cook?
Frankly, I have little time to enjoy cooking, as most of my time is taken by our children and by Palace and Foundation duties.
When you visit family in South Africa, what do you look forward to?
Everything! The air, the sounds, the noises, children’s laughter, people’s smiles, watching the Currie Cup! The ocean, the immense and endless fields in KwaZulu-Natal and the unbelievable sunsets.
How will you introduce South Africa to your children?
As their mom’s land of dreams, where anything is possible.
How do you juggle family, royal duties and your charity work under The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation?
My priority is caring for our children and this is a full-time job. As I said they are the boss now! Of course I do carry on with my various projects, especially those pertaining to my water safety initiative. This program is, I am pleased to mention, gathering speed around the world and I think this is an indication that learning to swim is imperative in saving lives, especially in emerging countries and among the poor and dispossessed.
As an ambassador for underprivileged children with a number of ‘learn-to-swim’ projects based in Africa under your foundation, how have you been able to make a difference?
The difference is simply in saving lives. We save lives every time we teach children how to swim and by giving them the tools to face the element of water – be it the ocean, rivers, lakes or swimming pools.

GLP-020-5401-Gaëtan-Luci-Palais-Princier-South-Africa-Monaco-Rugby-Exchange

7 Questions With…

What challenges do women starting new businesses face?
Sometimes women lack confidence. Often men will say I can do it and they will go and find out how to do it. Whereas unless a woman really can do something, a woman will hesitate to put her hand up and say I can do it. The more women bind together and give each other confidence, the better it is. As women get more experienced, and there are more in the market place, things will improve.
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Do you believe in the glass ceiling?
Definitely men are still at the helm, the majority of them. There are women at the top and there are women prime ministers and in America we might have a female president next year. So I think women are breaking through. A lot of women leave the corporate world and decide to start their own businesses. If you are going to say to yourself that there is a glass ceiling and I will not get to the top, it is a limiting factor.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30911 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Black_Card_Books-0443-Edit.jpg 682w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
Are you seeing more women in the C-Suite now?
There are a lot of women. They are still in the minority if you look at numbers across the board. There are women who are getting there. Look at Maria Ramos (Barclays). There are a lot of women in middle management and senior management. Maybe not so many at senior management but there are more women at work these days.
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Your advice to new business owners…?
Definitely go for it but do your research well. Put a little questionnaire together, find out what people think about your product idea. You may have a good idea but your consumers, if you ask them, will help you mould your ideas together.

ShirleyAnthony-3D-Single-Cover

‘Do Your Research’

Bears larger than bison, national parks the size of nations, and glaciers bigger than other countries in the United States (US).
This is how Lonely Planet introduces Alaska to its readers. I would add: a land as vast as the eye can see, solitude as quiet as a pin drop, and nature and wilderness as expansive as the mind can stretch.
The word ‘epic’ barely does Alaska justice. Despite being the largest American state, one feels less confronted by its amazing infrastructure which one can use to see and enjoy its might.
Alaska spans a vast array of ecosystems, from open, wind-swept tundra bordering the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea through the expansive boreal forests of its vast interior to impressive temperate rainforests along the Pacific coast.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30893 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044-600x401.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RR1_3044.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Glaciers cover 30,000 square miles of Alaska, which is 5% of the state. The weather of Alaska varies within its great expanse. The climate in the Southern oceanic front is mid latitude oceanic with heavy rains, while the interior is sub-arctic with a warm, short summer season. The extreme north is truly Arctic with dry freezing temperatures even in summer.
As a frequent polar traveler, my main interests include glaciers mostly found in the lower half of the state. With over 1,00,000 glaciers in the state, only 600 have been named mainly due to their immensity. Taking a float plane on at least three occasions, I photographed over 15 different glaciers and in one case landed right on the deep lake formed in the face of the glacier with several floating icebergs which made landing a nightmare.
After visiting the Wrangel-St.Elias National Park, the largest in the world, larger than Switzerland with some glaciers bigger than the state of Rhode Island, I paid homage to Denali National Park which contains North America’s largest mountain, Mount Denali, standing at 23,310 feet (Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro stands at 19,336 feet).
It is home to grizzly bears, wolves, moose, fox, deer and lynx cat amongst the 33 types of mammals resident. Due to the large number of visitors to the park, travel is restricted to special buses and one needs to trek or back-pack to truly enjoy this park. Denali is etched in every American’s mind and has become a must-see on every senior citizens’ bucket list.
With a keen interest in wildlife photography I set off for Lake Clark National Park, accessible only by float plane. Flying over the Cook Inlet and parts of the Alaska Range, we landed on Crescent Lake under very arduous and windy conditions. I soon saw a pair of sows with cubs and large single male bear on the salmon prowl. With Sockeye salmon returning to their birthplace after four years at sea, to spawn on the very stream they hatched, the lake and the river was teeming with the Alaskan brown bears. With males reaching over 1400lbs, these amazing beasts were fishing for salmon and engorging themselves before the first snow soon to arrive by mid September. These bears would then dig dens, often moving over a ton of soil to hibernate for the winter.
One of the greatest spots for sport fishing in the US is the remote Katmai National Park. It takes a wheeled bush plane and then a float plane; typically a Cessna Caravan or De Havilland Otter to reach this park. With several lakes, streams and an inaccessible interior, Katmai is also a hot bed for watching bears. At the Brooks Falls in the height of July, pink salmon en route to their spawning grounds, jump the cataracts of the Brooks River, where the bears merely stand with their mouths gaping, to feed.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30894 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235-300x202.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235-600x404.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235-768x517.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235-1024x690.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0235.jpg 1023w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Alaska in autumn is where nature puts on an amazing show of colors. The amazing change in the color of the trees and plants alongside snow-covered mountain vistas, is an idyllic North American setting indeed. Principal species of trees include white spruce, birch, and quaking aspen on uplands, black spruce and tamarack in forested wetlands, and balsam poplar within floodplains. Bursts of red, yellow and orange, interspersed with evergreens covered under clear blue skies together with a crisp autumn chill in the air, perks up one’s senses.
Amazing road trips along the Denali, Dalton (Arctic Highway), Richardson and Glen Highways gives the traveler an opportunity to enjoy nature, see wildlife and talk to Alaskan settlers, who came in as early as 1898 for the Klondike Gold Rush.
The history of this great land first occupied by the Russians (1784), purchased by the US (1867), populated by the gold rush prospectors from Canada and the US in 1898, and finally the drilling of oil in the Arctic in the 1970s, makes an interesting story. Yet it is perhaps one of the last frontiers where nature still trumps over man.

Harbor seals

The Last Frontier Of The Americas

The brand is everything in today’s social media-driven environment. And to market it requires every gigabyte of data, strategy, tact, and not to mention, oodles of creativity.
Shireen Jaftha seems to have quite the talent for it, driving award-winning campaigns and strategies as Head of Content at Omnicom Group, a marketing and corporate communications holding company in Johannesburg.
She develops opinions on the future direction of a company and its brand, based on existing and predicted conditions, working with clients to identify unmet marketing and business needs, goals, opportunities and the challenges they may face.
Through branding and marketing, she creates and oversees the execution of a plan through specific initiatives that meet the objectives of the strategy.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30884 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Shereen-159x300.jpg" alt="" width="159" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Shereen-159x300.jpg 159w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Shereen-300x567.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Shereen-768x1453.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Shereen.jpg 541w" sizes="(max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px" />
She started her career in the advertising industry, and it was sheer luck by chance.
“I went for an office interview for a ‘girl Friday’ temp post at an advertising agency and after that interview, I was asked to join the media team. I think that they picked up my negotiation skills. That agency taught me this industry,” says Jaftha.
Of all the campaigns she has done, she rates the Standard Bank Access Banking case study as the one that stands out as it has proven the potential inherent in branded and interactive content.
The campaign made use of all media and introduced a new level of customer engagement by adding broadcasting and client-generated content to the mix.
“It was about being more consumer-centric – using traditional platforms in a non-traditional way to break through the clutter of advertising, as well as educating the market which made it strategically aligned to Standard Bank’s ‘Moving Forward’ brand promise.”
The campaign walked away with two industry awards.
Although social media strategies have the ability to help build successful businesses, it is not without its pitfalls.
“Due to different behavior patterns on social media, many people always assume the success of a campaign based on the likes or comment posted by consumers. Most people assume that 1,000 likes is a winning campaign. Unfortunately it is not – as it doesn’t prove tangible sales. With social media you create leads, but you cannot track sales,” she says.
She says behavior is constantly changing on social media and the solution is to follow the behaviour of the user and by constantly checking consumer insight.
According to Jaftha, it is vital to remain relevant. And the brands she follows for inspiration? Adam Morgan, Seth Gordon, Contagious magazine online, Trendwatching.com and Mike Street.

Shireen_2

‘1,000 Likes Is Not A Winning Campaign’

Maria Diamantopoulou, who has the distinction of being Greece’s first female ambassador in South Africa, is dressed in a pale lime green suit. It is an apt choice, immediately conjuring up the myriad of blue, teal and turquoise colors of the Mediterranean she is from.
Like the warm hues, her persona too is calm and placid. As Greece’s top-ranking representative to South Africa, she conducts high-level negotiations with the local government, and is responsible for her many countrymen resident in the Rainbow Nation.
We meet her in September, the month her two-year term comes to a close. It’s a crucial time to ask her some key questions pertaining to her stint, and her country’s recent economic crisis. She talks about how her Africa job was fulfilling in every way.
“I love this job because not every day is the same. I never know what to expect and it is always fun to meet people and engage on life-changing issues,” says Diamantopoulou.
And of course she is no stranger to random, or pointed, questions on the Greek financial crisis.
“The Greek people suffered for a long time,” she says painfully.
“Greece lost 25 percent of its GDP in such a short space of time.”
Diamantopoulou says most of the money in the new bailout package will be used to repay existing debt rather than rebuild the shattered Greek economy.
“Other countries in Africa can learn from this crisis to avoid similar problems. Countries should learn that challenges are the same around the world. I can see the first signs of [trouble, for example] unemployment in South Africa which is a very important issue. I always tell my South African friends and counterparts to try and learn from what we suffered,” she says.
Diamantopoulou encourages African countries to implement measures while there is still time to ensure the same crisis does not befall them.
“The public sector and bureaucracy are two of the main issues that any economy should focus on to improve and try to shrink so that there is more room for investment, growth of the private sector and small to medium businesses which are very important,” she says.
It has been a tough job at the helm.
“It is not easy being in such a position be it as a man or a woman because you have to prove who you are and what you can do,” she says.
Her main concern is the development of tourism, which contributes more than 15% of Greece’s annual Gross Domestic Product. She says tourism continues to grow despite the issues.
“Tourism is a big part of Greece’s economy just as it’s in South Africa and other countries on the continent. In Greece, there were 22 million visitors last year and this year, there has already been 26 million.”
And have South Africa’s own new tourism regulations affected the number of visitors coming from Greece? She says it hasn’t.
“Greeks are adventurous people. They like to travel the world,” she smiles.
Now heading back home, to Athens, Diamantopoulou says she will miss South Africa.
“I love this country and its potential. South Africans are beautiful people who smile all the time and I regret not having had enough time to travel while I was here. I will make sure to come back as a tourist and enjoy this beautiful nation.”
She says she relates to South Africa and always feels at home here because the people from both countries have suffered the effects of colonization.
“South Africans and the Greeks have a special relationship. We know the struggle for democracy and we defend human rights. We suffered the same way which makes me feel at home here,” she says.
For Diamantopoulou, it is good-bye for now but it seems not forever.

Tag: October 2015

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