On 9 August 1956, thousands of South African women marched to the Union Buildings to protest the extension of the inhumane pass laws to women. The words they sang, “Wathinta abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” (You strike a woman, you strike a rock), are now celebrated as one of the powerful battle cries of the apartheid resistance movement.
The month of August has evolved to recognise the role that women now play in moving South African society, culture, local industry, and national identity forward. Women now assume an array of leadership roles in all sectors of society, but more work remains in closing the gender gap, removing the threat of gender-based violence, and ensuring women are empowered to take up their rightful places in all sectors of society.
The United Nations has identified Gender Equality as its fifth of seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). According to a UN Sustainable Development Goals study, it will take 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace. Statistics like this remind us that we cannot become complacent.
Ata Capital takes pride in being a leading private equity investment management firm committed to identifying and optimising genuine investment opportunities that also contribute to the growth and transformation of local economies and communities. We do this through strategic and considered investments and partnerships. Through our partners, in 2023, we invested in the training and skills development of 60 women.
Ndalamo Resources is one such partner whose operational values are like our own. Ndlalamo is a 100% black-owned mid-tier coal producer focused on investment opportunities in South Africa’s mining sector. Their focus on gender diversity, including their goal to increase the number of female executive leaders, aligns with Ata’s commitment to empowering women within the workforce. In 2023, Ndalamo reported that 50% of their top management is female, with an equitable split of men and women in their senior management circle.
Internally, Ata Capital boast several exemplary female associates leading in their respective departments. Namely, Cebelie Hlophe, Sharlinee Nayager, Mmatumelo Monageng and Karabo Rathokolo.
Cebile Hlophe heads our Finance department. Cebile holds BCom (Hons), CIMA, CA(SA) qualifications, as well as professional certificates in Tax Advisory and Opinions (The Tax Faculty) and Leadership Principles (Harvard Business School Online). She has financial responsibility for Ata Capital and its subsidiaries, including investment support, monitoring and reporting. Her blue-chip career has seen her accumulate significant expertise in investment accounting and investor reporting, enabling her to enhance Ata Capital’s reputation for transparency and accountability. Click here to read her thoughts on Women’s Month.
Sharlinee Nayager is head of Legal, Risk and Compliance. Sharlinee is responsible for managing and identifying legal, regulatory and operational risk for Ata Capital. She holds an LL. B and a Postgraduate in Compliance Management. Click here to read her thoughts on Women’s Month.
The month of August calls on us all to pause and reflect on the contributions that women made in shaping South Africa’s history and current society. In the sixty-eight years since the march to the Union Buildings, much has been achieved. We give thanks to the matriarchs of history, while also introspectively asking what more our communities, companies, and organisations can do to achieve the SDG goal of Gender Equality.
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