The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), together with Investec, hosted a Women in Leadership Breakfast on Friday, 26 August 2022 in Sandton, Johannesburg. Held in celebration of women’s month under the theme “Courage to Change”, the gathering brought together women from various industries for a dialogue guided by four professionals who have made great strides in the built environment. The resounding message of the morning was, “I am not comfortable with being comfortable”.
A panel on courage and change at the ECSA Women in Leadership Breakfast
The four-member panel featured ECSA President Refilwe Buthelezi Pr Eng; Innocentia Mahlangu Pr Eng, a Specialist Project Manager in the mining, metals and infrastructure sector; Ms Nana Mhlongo, Chief Operations Officer for the Built Environment Council (CBE); and Ms Prudence Mashalane, Head of Client Acquisition Banking at Investec. The discussion was facilitated by Ms Letisha Maharaj, Head of Commodities and Engineering at Investec.
The stories shared by the panellists reflected triumph, perseverance and diligence, and above all the importance of identifying and creating opportunities that lead one to their desired existence within the professional space.
Lessons from women leaders
Addressing those in attendance, Ms Refilwe Buthelezi highlighted the importance of women lobbying support and understanding the power of negotiating in boardrooms as well as operating rooms. She added that “the path to success is not linear, but that one needs to make the moves that will deter you but will get you to where you want to be”.
Echoing these sentiments, Ms Nana Mhlongo spoke about her journey to success and the challenges that created avenues of opportunity to propel and cultivate a future of excellence and perseverance. Both Ms Innocentia Mahlangu and Ms Prudence Mashalane reflected on being ordinary human beings given extraordinary opportunities and roles, having held senior positions early in their careers. They emphasised that gender and ethnicity do not guarantee a seat at the table, but rather one’s presence and contribution do.
The breakfast, which created a networking environment for like-minded individuals, concluded with a Q&A session covering matters such as identifying your leadership style, being deliberate about empowering fellow female professionals, and embracing the intuitive power that women possess.
Original Press Release
About ECSA
The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) is the statutory body established under the Engineering Profession Act, 46 of 2000, mandated to regulate the engineering profession in South Africa. ECSA is responsible for the accreditation of engineering programmes, the registration of engineering practitioners, and upholding professional and ethical standards across the profession.
Issued by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
ECSA Media Contact
Sybil Dlamini, Manager: Marketing and Communication
Email: sybil@ecsa.co.za | Tel: 073 623 8275
Website: www.ecsa.co.za
This article is based on an official ECSA press release. Read the original statement.
