By Johnathan Paoli
Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has called on women to drive leadership change in a world facing technological disruption, a climate crisis and widening inequality.
“We need leaders who are not just technically skilled, but emotionally intelligent, values-driven, and transformational,” the minister said.
She was speaking during the International Women’s Forum of South Africa (IWFSA)-Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) Women’s Leadership Programme graduation ceremony in Johannesburg.
“Warmest congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your remarkable achievement. Your hard work and dedication have truly paid off,” she said.
The IWFSA-FASSET Women’s Leadership Programme, now in its third phase, is a collaborative initiative supported by Duke Corporate Education.
It aims to cultivate 1000 women leaders between October 2022 and September 2025, with a specific focus on empowering women in the financial sector.
“Today, we celebrate not just certificates, but the courage and collective power of women determined to lead and uplift our society. You are no longer participants in a programme, you are the torchbearers of a movement. You are the leaders this country needs: visionary, ethical, grounded, and unstoppable,” Nkabane said.
She praised the collaboration as more than a strategic partnership, but a national and international affirmation of the urgent need to advance women’s leadership.
The minister called on graduates to embrace their role in transforming South Africa’s leadership narrative and underscored a shared commitment to gender equity and leadership development in line with South Africa’s national transformation goals.
INSIDE EDUCATION
