Young South African women can look forward to an extremely rewarding career as the current dispensation allows women of all ethnic origins to finally come into their own in business. More opportunities are opening for women in all spheres of industry. Indeed, the achievements of today's businesswomen are remarkable, especially when one looks at how far they've come.

Yet the true success stories remain isolated instances. The South African Women in Corporate Leadership Census 2006 shows that while women make up 52% of the adult population in South Africa and 41% of the working total population, they constitute only 16,8% of all executive managers and only 11,5% of all directors in the country.

This may be indicative of three things. Firstly, business continues to stop short at creating genuine gender equality. Secondly, there are indications that the talent pool has not yet been developed adequately. Thirdly, women already in the workplace are not yet truly empowered.

Women are often disempowered, both by the corporate environment in which they are attempting to compete, and by their own lack of conviction. To succeed and be fully empowered, a woman needs to know who she is in terms of her fundamental values, as it is on this foundation that self-confidence and clarity of purpose is built, allowing her to be totally comfortable in her diverse roles within the community, her family and her career.

This said, the changed legislative landscape in South Africa has created a strong framework for redressing the imbalances and inequalities of the past. Yet so many South Africans seem unaware of the inherent power in the instruments of change such as employment equity, skills development and training, labour legislation and even our Constitution. Individually and collectively, they are creating a new world order, especially for women.

Black economic empowerment is a good example of this. Not only has it put women firmly on the business agenda, but it has also helped accelerate real empowerment of women. So much so that, for those with the talent, requisite skill and the appetite, there is truly no limit to the possibilities. In fact, young black women should be fully aware both of the vast opportunities that await them and the converse, namely that, should they not succeed, and then they have chosen to fail.  

But existence of practices that perpetuate the disempowerment of women in the workplace, starting with the gender disparity in earnings where, despite having equal qualifications and experience, men consistently earn more than women, continues.

Yet South African legislation protects the rights of women in that it forbids disparity on the grounds of gender or race. Women have to act more progressively if they are aware of such discrimination.

The issue of sexual harassment in the workplace is still very much a burden women have to carry. It is often coupled with violent or abusive behaviour towards women, which can be physical, verbal or emotional. Through experiences in counselling women, it emerged that it is vital for women to know who they are within themselves. This is not only because in the absence of this conviction, women are up for the picking, but also because their own value system provides inner strength that goes a long way to protecting a woman from these evils. It also helps to find a mentor in the organisation that a woman can empathise with and who offers support.

Unfortunately, window dressing with women also persists. Women are placed in high -- positions, but without giving them any decision-making authority. But the mistake should not be made of assuming that one is entitled to it because of a fancy job description. Instead, women in that position should decide what level of power they want in the workplace, and then go and out and get it.

Source: http://www.mg.co.za/

Abesimame ekusimamisweni komnotho

Kuyathokozisa ukubona ibanga eselihanjwe ngabesimame bakuleli kwezamabhizinisi.  Iningi lentsha yesimame kuleli isinokuzimisela okukhulu lapho iqoka imikhakha efuna ukuyithatha ngokomsebenzi.  Lokhu kwenzeka ngoba ayisekho imibandela ebavimbela ngokwebala ekutheni baphumelele emkhakheni abafisa ukuyithatha. Maningi amathuba asevulekele intsha yakuleli ngokwezomsebenzi. 

Ucwaningo kwabesimame bakuleli abasemabhizinisini olwenziwe ngo 2006 luveza ukuthi njengoba abesimame kuyibona abaningi emphakathini wakuleli kodwa ke bayisibalo esincane kakhulu kwizikhundla eziphezulu zokuphatha ezindaweni zokusebenzela.  Lokhu ke kuvela ngezindlela ezintathu, okokuqala,  amabhizinisi akuleli abonakala esaqhubeka nokungaqhakambisi ukulingana ngokobulili.  Okwesibili inkundla yokulinganisa ngokobulili ezindaweni zokusebenzela ibonakala ingavuliwe ngokwenele ohlangothini lwabesimame. Okwesithathu okubalwa ngalokhu ukuthi nakuba sebekhona abesimame cishe kuyona yonke imikhakha kodwa ke abakathuthukiswa ngokwenele.

Ngale kokungabi namakhono enele kodwa ke abesimame babonakala bengahlonyiswa ngokwenele ekutheni bakwazi ukuqophisana nabesilisa ezindaweni zokusebenzela.  Ukuze abesimame baphumelele kumele bakhuthazwe bese becaciselwa ekutheni bakuphi ngokwezinga lomsebenzi.  Njengoba lokhu kubalulekile nasekutheni babenogqozi lokwenza umsebenzi ngokuzimisela.  Phela ukuguqulwa kwemithetho engamele iNingizimu Africa sekuvele kuqalile ukulungisa inkundla kwenzela ukuqinisekisa impumelelo kwabesimame.  Uhulumeni ubonakala ezimisele ekuqikeleleni impumelelo nengqubekela phambili kwabesifazane bakuleli.  Uhlelo lwe-Black Economic Empowerment ngesinye sezibonelo zalokhu njengoba lungagcinanga ngokuphakamisa abesimame kodwa ke luqikelela nempumelelo yabo ngokwezomnotho.  Imithetho yaseNingizimu Africa ivikela abesimame ngokwamalungelo abo ekutheni bangacwaseki ngokwebala kumbe ubulili. 

udaba lokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi emsebenzini ngenye yezinkinga ezisabhekene nabesimame ezindaweni zokusebenzela.  Inkinga yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi evama ukuhambisana nodlame ngokomazwi asongelayo kumbe kube nokupansa okanye ukushaya.  Kubalulekile ukuthi abesimame basebenzise amathuba avulekile kubona.  Nakuba isekhona inselelo yokuthi nakuba befakwa ezikhundleni eziphezulu kodwa ke abanikezwa izwi namandla enele okuthatha izinqumo ezibalulekile, abesimame kumele basebenzise lamathuba avulekayo kubona baqinisekise ukuthi bayazikhulumela bacacise namandla abafuna ukunikezwa wona ngokwesikhundla abasinikwayo.

Sibonga abakwa http://www.mg.co.za/ ngaloludaba.

AbaseTyhini njengabaqhubi bezoqoqosho

Ulutsha lwabaseTyhini olumnyama lungajonga phambili kwimisebenzi enemivuzo, kuba imeko ekhoyo ibavumela abaseTyhini bazo zonke iintlanga ukuba bade nabo babe ngabanini bamashishini. Amathuba abaseTyhini kolu shishino ayavela kuzo zonke iinkalo. Impumelelo yabaseTyhini bale mihla abekwezoqoqosho iyamangalisa, ingakumbi xa kujongwa apho basuka khona. 

Ukanti eyona nyaniso yeyokuba, amabali ale mpumelelo ambalwa.  Ubalo lwangonyaka ka2006 lwabaseTyhini boMzantsi Afrika abakwezolawulo kumashishini, lubonakalisa ukuba, lo gama abaseTyhini befikelela kuma52 eepesentsi zoluntu oludala eMzantsi Afrika, nengama41 eepesenti zoluluntu, benza nje ngaphezulu kweepesenti ezili16 loosekela baphathi, kwane11 leepesenti  zabo bonke zabaphathi kweli lizwe. 

Le meko ingaveza izinto ezintathu. Okokuqala uqoqosho luqhubela phambili nokungenzi ngokwaneleyo kwimeko yokulingana ngokwesini. Okwesibini, kubonakala ngathi iitalente azikaphuhliswa ncam. Okwesithathu, abaseTyhini abasele besebenza abaxotyiswa ngenene.

AbaseTyhini ithuba elininzi abaxhotyiswa, ngokufanayo kwiinkampani nakurhulumente apho bazama ukukhuphisana khona. Ukuze owaseTyhini aphumelele yaye axhotyiswe ngokufanelekileyo, kufuneka azazi ukuba ungubani na, kuba kulapho isiseko sokuzithemba  nokucacelwa ziinjongo sivela khona, nokwenza ukuba akhululeke kwiindima azidlalayo ekuhlaleni, kusapho nakumsebenzi wakhe.

Ukutshintshwa kwemithetho eMzantsi Afrika kudale iindlela ezizo zokulungisa ukungalingani kwangaphambili. Ukanti uninzi lwamemi boMzantsi Afrika, lubanakala lungawananzanga amandla enguqu ezifana nemithetho yokulingana emisebenzini, uphihliso lwezakhono noqeqesho, umthetho wezabasebenzi kwanomgaqo - siseko. Ngaminye kungenjalo yonke idala izwe elitsha ingakumbi kwabaseTyhini. 

Inkqubo yokuxhobisa abaNtsundu ngezoqoqosho ngumzekelo woku. Ayibekanga nje ukuba abaseTyhini kwezoqoqosho, kodwa incede ukonyusa ukuxhotyiswa kwenene kwamakhosikazi. Kwabo banetalente, izakhono kwanomdla, impumelelo isentabeni. Ulutsha lwabaseTyhini oluntsundu kufuneka luwananze amathuba olunawo, afana nokuba, xa lungaphumeleli lo nto ithetha ukuba lukhethe ukungaphumeleli.

Kodwa ukubakho kweemeko eziququzelela ukohluthwa amandla kwabaseTyhini emisebenzini, ukususela kukungalingani kwemivuzo ngenxa yesini, noxa ngokwemfundo nangokwamava belingana, amadoda asaqhuba ukuhlawulwa ngaphezulu.

Imithetho yaseMzantsi Afrika ikhusela abaseTyhini, kuba iyakukhaba ukungalingani ngokwesini kungenjalo ubuhlanga. AbaseTyhini kufuneka baqhubele phambili ukuba, bayaluqonda ucalu - calulo. 

Ingxaki yemphatho gadalala ngokwesondo kwabaseTyhini emisebenzini kusengumthwalo kwabaseTyhini. Idla ngokukhatshwa ludushe kungenjalo impatho - mbi kwabaseTyhini, nengaba kukubethwa, ukuthukwa kungenjalo ukuphatheka kakubi emoyeni. Ngenxa yamava ekuthuthuzeleni abaseTyhini, kubonakele ukuba kubalulekile ukuba, abaseTyhini bazazi ukuba bangobani. Oku kunceda ukuba kufumaneke umncedisi othile kumaqumrhu, anokuthi owaseTyhini amncede kungenjalo amxhase.

Ngelishwa ukwenza imifanekiso ngabaseTyhini nako kuqhubela phambili. Babekwa kwizikhundla eziphezulu, kodwa benganikwa amathuba okuthabatha izigqibo. Kodwa  akufuneki ukuba kwenziwe impazamo yokuba, ubani unikwa isikhundla ngenxa yezinto ezihambisana nalo msebenzi. Ukusuka apho, abaseTyhini abakwezo zikhundla kufuneka bazigqibele ukuba, leliphi na iqondo lamandla abalifunayo emsebenzini.

Umthombo weendaba: http://www.mg.co.za/

Basadi ba kganna ekonomi (moruo)

Basadi ba batjha ba Afrika Borwa ba ka lebella ho ba le mesebetsi metle kajeno hobane basadi ba merabe yohle ba se ba dumelletswe ho kena kgwebong.  Ho na le menyako e mengata eo ba e bulelwang makaleng ohle a kgwebo..  E feela tswelopele ya basadi ba bahwebi ke setsoto, haholo ha motho a sheba moo ba tswang.

Le ha ho le jwalo dipale tsa nnete tsa tswelopele di sa qadikane haholo.  Palo ya basadi ba baetapele mesebetsing ya 2006 (South African Women in Corporate Leadership Census 2006) e supa hore le ha basadi ba etsa pesente tse 52 tsa batho ba baholo setjhabeng sa Afrika Borwa le tse 41 tsa basebetsi ka kakaretso, ke dipesente tse 16,8 fela tseo e leng matsamaisi ba ka sehlohong mesebetsing, ha tse 11,5 tsona e le baokamedi naheng yohle.

Sena se ka bolela dintlha tse tharo. Ya pele, dikgwebo/mesebetsi e ntse e hloleha ho tlisa ho leka-lekana ka bong. Ya bobedi, ho na le ntho tse supang hore ha so ahuwe tsebo/bonono bo lekaneng.  Ya boraro, basadi ba seng ba kene mesebetsing ha ba so ntlafatswe ka botlalo.

Basadi ha ba nkelwe matla ke mesebetsi eo ba lekang ho e lwanela fela empa ba hloka maikemisetso.  Hore mosadi a tswelapele le a ntlafala ka botlalo, o tlameha ho itseba hobane ke mona moo a tla fumana motheo wa ho itshepa le ho ba le sepheo, mme sena se tla mo thusa ho lokoloha mesebetsing ya hae e fapaneng, setjhabeng, lapeng le mosebetsing. 

Le ha ho le jwalo, phetoho molaong wa Afrika Borwa e entse moralo wa ho lokisa ho se leka-lekane ho entsweng ke mmuso wa mehleng. Empa maAfrika Borwa a mangata a bonahala a sa tsebe matla ao dibetsa tsena tsa phetoho di nang le ona, jwaloka ho hira basebetsi ka ho lekana (employment equity), kaho ya tsebo le thuto (skills development and training), molao o laolang tsa mesebetsi (labour legislation) esita le molaotheo wa rona.  Diphetoho tsena ka bonngwe kapo di le mmoho, di ahela batho, haholo basadi, lefatshe le letjha.

Ntlafatso ya batho ba batsho moruong (Black economic empowerment) ke mohlala o motle wa phetoho tsena.  Ntlafatso ena ha e ya bea basadi lenane tlhophisong la tsa kgwebo fela, empa e thusitse ho potlakisa ntlafatso ya nnete ya basadi.  Hape jwale basadi ba nang le neo, tsebo, bonono le tjheseho ha ho se ka ba thibelang ho tswelapele. Hantle-ntle basadi ba batjha ba batsho ba tlameha ho tseba menyetla e meholo eo ba nang hape ba hlokomele taba  ya hore ha ba ya lebellwa ho tswelapele, ba kgethwetswe ho hore ba bonwe ba hlolwa.

Ho ntse ho ena le ketso tse ntshetsang pele ho nka matla a basadi mosebetsing, jwaloka phapang meputsong ho ya ka bong.  Banna ba ntse ba fumana meputso e ka hodimo ho ya basadi le ha  ba na le mangolo a tshwanang a thuto le tsebo e lekanang ya mosebtsi.

MOHLODI: http://www.mg.co.za/