WOMEN URGED TO TAKE THE CENTRE-STAGE IN CORPORATE WORLD

Cedric Mboyisa

The South African Sugar Millers’ Association (SASMA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jenna Govender, has called for more women to occupy senior positions both in the private and public sectors.

Govender was the main speaker at this year’s Women’s Day event at Garlicke & Bousfield Incorporated, hailed as one of the leading law firms in South Africa, in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal. The theme for the day was “Take up the space… Be who you are and Keep showing your strength”. Garlicke & Bousfield Incorporated boasts a stronger women leadership under CEO Yvonne Boden, who was extolled during the event for her outstanding leadership.

Govender centred her talk and conversation around a workbook which sought to assist women in attendance to unpack the following:

• What is one thing that makes them different, and how could that be their superpower?

• What barriers which were currently impeding their careers or studies?

• Provide three names of women they could reach out to to build authentic connections;

• Creation of a scenario wherein they had attained biggest goal and what would the news headlines say about their achievement;

"The revolution is around the corner – we are going to step into the highest roles, we are going to become CEOs, Presidents. I ask you – are you ready? Are you ready to take up your space?"

She urged attendees not to limit the magnitude of what they could achieve in both their personal and professional capacities. SASMA is one of the three members of the South African Sugar Association (SASA), a statutory body which represents the sugar industry in South Africa. The other two members of SASA are South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) and South African Cane Growers’ Association (SACGA). Govender is the only female CEO among the three SASA members – a remarkable feat she achieved all while being in her 30s!

Govender strongly disapproved of the utilisation of the imposter syndrome in relation to women. “The imposter syndrome is designed to create further barriers and we should get rid of imposter syndrome. There is no imposter syndrome. Let us get rid of the term ‘imposter syndrome’,” she said. She called on women in positions of power to empower other women around them. She committed to working tirelessly to uplift other women, and encouraged her counterparts to do the same.